Tchaikovsky : Symphonies Nos. 1, 2 & 3
Antal Dorati was a superb Tchaikovsky conductor, and we are fortunate that Mercury  captured so many of his performances for posterity in such fine sound. The first three symphonies  don't get much play; the Second pops up now and then on concert programs, which is a pity. They  are colorful, full of the good tunes for which the composer is famous, and reasonable in length. In  short, they are entirely typical of the composer, and I defy anyone to listen to the very opening of  the First Symphony (subtitledWinter Dreams) and not be immediately enchanted. In fact,  all three symphonies have nicknames:Winter Dreams,Little Russian, andPolish, respectively, thereby disproving the musical rule that the "name" pieces  are always the most popular. Never mind, this music will give you a lot of pleasure.--David  Hurwitz