Top 10 Favorite Ballets

[vandermolen]

You can have the Glazunov if I can have the (Drigo?) pas de trois from  Die Puppenfee by Bayer.

http://www.youtube.com/v/3lduZ7Zsv8c

Ok you're on 
Although not my thread of course!
Kyle will have to give special permission!

[Biffo]

When I initially saw the thread title I thought I would be pushed to name more than 2 or 3 but seeing the postings reminded me how many ballets (including those from operas) I had in my collection and how varied they are, so here goes (in no particular order) -

Vaughan Williams - Job: A Masque for Dancing
Verdi: The Four Seasons (from 'Les Vepres siciliennes')
Wagner: Venusberg music from 'Tannhauser'
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker
Berlioz: Royal Hunt and Storm (from 'Les Troyens')
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
Ravel: Bolero
Copland: Appalachian Spring
Copland: Rodeo
Shostakovich: Bolt

No doubt some of the choices are a bit corny but they are the works I have listened to a lot, usually without thinking too much about the balletic action.

The Shostakovich is the only one I have on DVD. It is a production from the Bolshoi Ballet choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky. I first saw it on television and had to buy the DVD. It is very inventive and often hilariously funny; the super-patriotic finale outstays its welcome but Ratmansky does his best with it.

I have the Decca box 'Fete du Ballet' - it has lots of colourful, tuneful music and I often dip into it for a bit of light relief.

[Mirror Image]

Now this is something I can participate in and not complain about! My 10 favorite ballets (in no particular order) and some no doubt will match Kyle's:

Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
Stravinsky: Le sacre du printemps
Shostakovich: The Golden Age
Roussel: Bacchus et Ariadne (but I could have gone just as easily with Le festin de l'araignée)
Prokofiev: Le pas d'acier
Ginastera: Estancia
Pierne: Cydalise et le Chèvre-pied
Schnittke: Peer Gynt
Copland: Dance Panels
W. Schuman: Undertow

I still feel this is a really strong list, but I'd probably make several changes to it now:

Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin
Stravinsky: Apollon musagète
Debussy: Jeux
Vaughan Williams: Job, A Masque for Dancing
Prokofiev: Le pas d'acier
Copland: Appalachian Spring (esp. the chamber version)
Schnittke: Peer Gynt
Villa-Lobos: Gênesis
Chávez: La hija de Cólquide

[vandermolen]

I'm intrigued by the Melikov and the Amirov. How are they, Jeffrey?

This is the interesting thing about the lists, you always find new suggestions and wide your musical spectre.

I think that as you enjoy Khachaturian's ballets you will find them of interest Cesar - they both have that exotic 'Eastern' quality about them.

If it works, here is a link to the opening of the Melikov which will give you a sense of the work:
https://youtu.be/pyw9n2py7ik

Here is the rather striking cover of the Melikov:
[asin]B00SSLUVP2[/asin]

I remember that Francis Wilson, the late head of Olympia Records, with whom I had some nice correspondence about their releases years ago, thought very highly of the Amirov score. Olympia released the work originally.

[vandermolen]

I still feel this is a really strong list, but I'd probably make several changes to it now:

Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin
Stravinsky: Apollon musagète
Debussy: Jeux
Vaughan Williams: Job, A Masque for Dancing
Prokofiev: Le pas d'acier
Copland: Appalachian Spring (esp. the chamber version)
Schnittke: Peer Gynt
Villa-Lobos: Gênesis
Chávez: La hija de Cólquide

I don't know the Chavez John - must investigate that one! I think that I should have including one of Copland's ballets, probably 'Rodeo' which I'd love to see live. V interesting list.

[Mirror Image]

I don't know the Chavez John - must investigate that one! I think that I should have including one of Copland's ballets, probably 'Rodeo' which I'd love to see live. V interesting list.

Indeed, Jeffrey. I could have easily included Shostakovich's The Golden Age in my list, which I did in the first list I made. This is an awesome piece of music.

[vandermolen]

Indeed, Jeffrey. I could have easily included Shostakovich's The Golden Age in my list, which I did in the first list I made. This is an awesome piece of music.

Must give it another list John as I hardly know it.

[SymphonicAddict]

I think that as you enjoy Khachaturian's ballets you will find them of interest Cesar - they both have that exotic 'Eastern' quality about them.

If it works, here is a link to the opening of the Melikov which will give you a sense of the work:
https://youtu.be/pyw9n2py7ik

Here is the rather striking cover of the Melikov:
[asin]B00SSLUVP2[/asin]

I remember that Francis Wilson, the late head of Olympia Records, with whom I had some nice correspondence about their releases years ago, thought very highly of the Amirov score. Olympia released the work originally.

Many thanks for the reply, Jeffrey! The audio excerpt was enough to want to hear the rest. I'm a sucker for exotic oriental flavor in music.

[vandermolen]

Many thanks for the reply, Jeffrey! The audio excerpt was enough to want to hear the rest. I'm a sucker for exotic oriental flavor in music.

My pleasure Cesar. Yes, me too re: oriental music.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

The Sleeping Beauty
Josephslegende
Firebird
Golden Age
Romeo and Juliet
Nutcracker
Swan lake
Daphnis et Chloé
The Rite of Spring
Orpheus

[vandermolen]

The Sleeping Beauty
Josephslegende
Firebird
Golden Age
Romeo and Juliet
Nutcracker
Swan lake
Daphnis et Chloé
The Rite of Spring
Orpheus

I recently listened to the Firebird having not done so for years and should probably have included it myself.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

I recently listened to the Firebird having not done so for years and should probably have included it myself.

It is an exquisite work, Jeffrey! My favorite from Stravinsky, in fact.

[Maestro267]

It must be said that my top 10 comes from an entirely musical point of view:

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake
Ravel - Daphnis et Chloe
Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet
Schnittke - Peer Gynt
Bliss - Checkmate
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring
Roussel - Bacchus et Ariane
Vaughan Williams - Job
Bartók - The Wooden Prince
Glière - The Red Poppy

[vandermolen]

It must be said that my top 10 comes from an entirely musical point of view:

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake
Ravel - Daphnis et Chloe
Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet
Schnittke - Peer Gynt
Bliss - Checkmate
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring
Roussel - Bacchus et Ariane
Vaughan Williams - Job
Bartók - The Wooden Prince
Glière - The Red Poppy

Nice to see the Gliere get a mention.

[Brian]

Pronounced French theme to my list - especially a pronounced Diaghilev in Paris theme.

Falla - El sombrero de tres picos
Offenbach/Rosenthal - Gaîté parisienne
Pierné - Cydalise et le chèvre-pied
Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet
Poulenc - Les biches
Ravel - Daphnis et Chloé
Ravel - Ma mère l'oye
Roussel - Bacchus et Ariane
Stravinsky - Petrushka
Tchaikovsky - Sleeping Beauty

[kyjo]

Alfvén - Bergakungen
Bliss - Adam Zero
Falla - El sombrero de tres picos
Glazunov - The Seasons
Novák - Signorina Gioventú
Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet
Ravel - Daphnis et Chloé
Roussel - Bacchus et Ariane
Stravinsky - L'oiseau de feu
Vaughan Williams - Job

Bonus: Arnold - Homage to the Queen, Ginastera - Estancia

[Symphonic Addict]

Time for an update:

Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin
Falla: El Sombrero de Tres Picos
Glière: The Red Poppy
Khachaturian: Gayaneh
Poulenc: Les Animaux modèles
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé
Shchedrin: The Little-Humpbacked Horse
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
Tubin: Kratt

[kyjo]

Time for an update:

Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin
Falla: El Sombrero de Tres Picos
Glière: The Red Poppy
Khachaturian: Gayaneh
Poulenc: Les Animaux modèles
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé
Shchedrin: The Little-Humpbacked Horse
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
Tubin: Kratt

The Poulenc and Shchedrin ballets were both great (relatively) recent discoveries of mine. I'm surprised how little-known the Poulenc is considering it's by a relatively famous composer - it's right up there with some of his best works IMO.

[atardecer]

A lot of great works listed here. One I think gets overlooked is Stravinsky's Apollo. For me it is not just among my favorite ballets but among my favorite works in any genre by any composer. I think of all of his works this one perhaps most clearly demonstrates Stravinsky's harmonic mastery, how expressive he could be with subtle manipulation of dissonance.

[Roasted Swan]

The Poulenc and Shchedrin ballets were both great (relatively) recent discoveries of mine. I'm surprised how little-known the Poulenc is considering it's by a relatively famous composer - it's right up there with some of his best works IMO.

That is an excellent list.  The Poulenc I have the Dutoit recording but am not sure I know a note of it (it came as part of the orchestral works set) so I will have to rectify that.  Personally I'd swap Cinderella for R&J and (regretfully) Nutcracker for Swan Lake.  I'd have to find room for Checkmate and probably Appalachian Spring too.