The Cleveland Orchestra, under the baton of Music Director Franz Welser-Möst, has released new spatial audio recordings of Julius Eastman’s Symphony No. 2 and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2. These recordings are exclusively available on Apple Music Classical, marking the orchestra’s first release of the year.
The recordings, produced by Grammy Award-winner Elaine Martone, were captured live at Severance Music Center in 2023. This release continues The Cleveland Orchestra’s partnership with Apple Music Classical, offering listeners high-quality audio and immersive Spatial Audio experiences. This marks the orchestra’s first release of 2025, following four releases in the previous year, including works by Bartók, Prokofiev, Bruckner, and Berlioz.
Julius Eastman’s Symphony No. 2, titled “The Faithful Friend: The Lover Friend’s Love for the Beloved,” is noted for its adventurous composition and requires a large ensemble. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2, often referred to as the “Ukrainian” Symphony, draws inspiration from Ukrainian folk songs, particularly in its finale. The release comes at a time when the historical context of the symphony’s title, “Little Russian,” is being re-examined, with many orchestras now opting for “Ukrainian” to honor the nation.
Source: https://files.baskercdn.com/clevelandorchestra/files/2025 Eastman 2 and Tchai 2_2025_02_24.pdf