In the booklet for this latest release in his ‘Tchaikovsky Project’, Semyon Bychkov puts up a spirited defence for the composer’s flawed masterpiece, but despite the committed testimony of the Czech Philharmonic, their performance doesn’t quite secure an acquittal.

Critic Vladimir Stasov came up with the idea for the work after Berlioz had conducted Harold In Italy on his visit to Russia in 1867. Stasov tried to convince Balakirev, who wasn’t so keen, but passed it on to Tchaikovsky who initially declined but later conceded after re-reading Byron’s poem while staying in the Bernese Alps where the ‘metaphysical drama’ takes place.

Byron’s semi-autobiographical tale must have struck a chord with the composer who would have identified with the self-loathing anti-hero tortured by the guilt of an unmentionable offence; his dirty little secret. Though enthused during the writing, Tchaikovsky later wished to burn all but the first...