Best edition for Tchaikovsky concerto?

September 26, 2009 at 03:21 PM ·

Searched for this in the archives and couldn't find an answer so here goes:

I am learning the Tchaikovsky concerto for the first time and I am curious as to which edition is considered the best one to learn from. My teacher recommended Carl Flesch and so far I've done the main learning-of-the-notes stage using that one but now that I am polishing and cleaning it up I've noticed that there seems to be a short cadenza passage that's missing from the 3rd movement (it should be right before the last Tempo 1). I know that there are editions with stuff that Auer changed and I just need a little guidance as to the one that is considered the "right" one to play for competitions and auditions. My teacher says he used this edition (with the 3rd movement cadenza passage spliced in) and he thinks I should trust that Carl Flesch is a traditionalist but I just can't be satisfied until I know exactly what the original is and which changes from the Auer version have been absorbed into standard performance practice. Also...which edition has the nifty little cadenza in the 3rd movement?

Sorry for the newbie question. I deeply appreciate any and all suggestions about this.

P.S. Also who here prefers to play the fingered octaves at 126? I learned it both ways just to be safe but I have never heard them actually performed as octaves.

Replies (6)

Bruce Berg

September 26, 2009 at 05:03 PM ·

If you want to know exactly what Tchaikovsky wrote, refer to the orchestral score. The "nifty' little cadenza you mention is Auer's. In the last movement be aware that Auer suggested a number of cuts which were incorporated into many famous violinist's interpretations. In more recent recordings some artists play the original without cuts. An edition with generally good bowings and fingerings is International (ed. by Oistrakh) He includes the Auer revisions and also the original. However, to know exact articulations and slurs see the orchestral score.