It was with the Fourth Symphony, a work of radical conception,  that Tchaikovsky came into his own as a symphonist. Written during the turmoil of his catastrophic marriage, the work is dominated by a Fate motif symbolising the ‘inexorable power that hampers our search for happiness’. The wildly popular fantasy overture after Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, is captivating and poignant, and one of the composer’s most loved works. These classic Vox recordings by the Utah Symphony Orchestra were originally released in 1974, and remain much admired to this day for conductor Maurice Abravanel’s fresh and direct interpretations.