Did anyone hear Classicfm`s John Suchet`s comments recently on the
`Hall of Fame` (twice), after he played the 1st movement of Tchaikovsky`s
Concerto No.1..He said that a listener told him something he did`nt know
about it and said the first performance, conducted by Tchaikovsky himself
in Carnegie Hall, was so hated by the critics because it didn`t have big
opening so much it made Tchaikovsky cry, who then put in the big opening
which is not heard again?! Just checked this out, and can`t find anything
to support this?
Rosemary Belk
The information you heard from John Suchet was complete nonsense
without a grain of truth anywhere (the premiere wasn’t at Carnegie Hall,
Tchaikovky didn’t conduct it, the 'big tune' always opened the concerto,
and Tchaikovsky was never driven to tears by any critics). But it’s just
the sort of thing that people hear and regurgitate as ‘fact’. Not what we
should expect from a former news reporter!
Brett Langston