Favorite Ballets

[Mirror Image]

Count me out! I love ballet (def. one of my favorite genres), but I'm currently pursuing my own musical interests.

[stingo]

Any ballet blu-rays I should get? Looking in particular for a Nutcracker just now.

[Brahmsian]

It is now December.  I will listen to at least one ballet per day for December.

Starting it all off with Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty, with this wonderful performance.

[asin]B0000041BY[/asin]

[Sean]

Chamber, don't stress yourself, there's Sleeping, Swan L and a couple more but that's it.

[Brahmsian]

Chamber, don't stress yourself, there's Sleeping, Swan L and a couple more but that's it.

Hi Sean! I have to disagree, there are countless great ballets! 

[Sean]

There's the ballet in Nixon in China...

https://app.box.com/s/9r4jhiceq4xnppq0stpd

[Mirror Image]

Chamber, don't stress yourself, there's Sleeping, Swan L and a couple more but that's it.

Umm...there a lot more great ballets than these, Sean. From the looks of it, you have much exploring, and listening, to do.

[Brahmsian]

Now on to listening to this marvelous ballet.  What an outstanding work! 

Job:  A Masque for Dancing

Sir Adrian Boult
London Symphony Orchestra

[asin]B00004YA0V[/asin]

[Brahmsian]

Now listening to Bartok's The Miraculous Mandarin.  Speaking of, it is almost Mandarin Orange season.  Yummy! 

Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Charles Dutoit

Decca

[Mirror Image]

Might as well join in for some ballet listening:



I'm going to be listening to this later on tonight, though. It's been a year or so since I've heard this work. I remember rather liking it.

[Brahmsian]

Now listening to the maginicent ballet, The Wooden Prince.

[asin]B0013JZ4F8[/asin]

[kyjo]

Now on to listening to this marvelous ballet.  What an outstanding work! 

Job:  A Masque for Dancing

Sir Adrian Boult
London Symphony Orchestra

[asin]B00004YA0V[/asin]

POUNDS THE BRITISH TABLE! Job is such a fantastic work, encompassing moods from the heavenly to the demonic. The performance is top-notch, too. I've been digging into that box set yet again recently and it's definitely a cornerstone of my collection.

[Mirror Image]

As good as Boult's may be, I'll always prefer Hickox's (also on EMI w/ the Bournemouth SO). I think Hickox gets to the heart a bit better and he gives many of the musical passages some much needed clarity.

[Mirror Image]

Might as well join in for some ballet listening:



I'm going to be listening to this later on tonight, though. It's been a year or so since I've heard this work. I remember rather liking it.

This really is a damn fine work by Britten. It never seizes to amaze me that it's not better known amongst listeners.

[Brahmsian]

December Ballet Month (DBM), continues for me:

Stravinsky

Petrushka Suite
Pulcinella Suite
Firebird Suite

Stravinsky conducting
Columbia Symphony Orchestra

[asin]B000PTYUQG[/asin]

[Brahmsian]

December Ballet Month (DBM), again, with these 3 stupendous beauties!:

Stravinsky

*Scenes de Ballet
Bluebird - Pas de Deux
The Fairy's Kiss

Stravinsky conducting

*CBC Symphony Orchestra
Columbia Symphony Orchestra

[asin]B000PTYUQG[/asin]

[Brahmsian]

December Ballet Month (DBM), again, with these 3 stupendous beauties!:

Stravinsky

*Scenes de Ballet
Bluebird - Pas de Deux
The Fairy's Kiss

Stravinsky conducting

*CBC Symphony Orchestra
Columbia Symphony Orchestra

[asin]B000PTYUQG[/asin]

Encore performance - Spinning this disc again for DBM!! 

[Brahmsian]

DBM continuing this evening, with my favourite recording of my favourite ballet!! 

Tchaikovsky

Swan Lake, Op. 20

Richard Bonynge, conducting
National Philharmonic Orchestra

Decca

[asin]B00007EB9R[/asin]

[TheGSMoeller]

DBM continuing this evening, with my favourite recording of my favourite ballet!! 

Tchaikovsky

Swan Lake, Op. 20

Richard Bonynge, conducting
National Philharmonic Orchestra

Decca

[asin]B00007EB9R[/asin]

Cool, Ray. I'll need to do a full listen sometime of Swan Lake, I know the "excerpts" but that's all.

[Brahmsian]

Cool, Ray. I'll need to do a full listen sometime of Swan Lake, I know the "excerpts" but that's all.

Hi Greg.  Yes, the 'excerpts' really do not do the work justice.  Also, I highly recommend the Fonteyn/Nureyev/Lanchberry DVD (that has the dark, sad ending of Swan Lake).

I prefer that ending, rather than the triumphant, happy ending (the more widely staged one).

There is more darkness in the music in Swan Lake than one might think, not just beautiful music.