Tchaikovsky ballets

Coopmv · February 23, 2013, 08:05:33 AM

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on December 14, 2010, 10:20:28 AM
I'm hoping that it will live up to my expectations. My annual Nutcracker spectacular, which in past years was RCG/Dorati has been supplemented this year by Ansermet, and this one here by Mackerras:

I actually have this recording on two cassette tapes ...

NJ Joe · February 23, 2013, 12:46:51 PM

Quote from: Que on February 22, 2013, 04:22:12 PM
I wouldn't. I got Gergiev's Nutcracker and I can only echo the previous comments: it is simply relentless, lacks any charm and has nothing to do whatsoever with ballet anymore, or with the spirit of Tchaikovsky's music for that matter - at least to me.

I've done a search for years for perfect performances of the ballets - notably Swan Lake - Dutoit, Pletnev, Dorati, Fedoseyev, Previn, you name it. (Didn't hear Ansermet btw)
Unfortunately Mravrinsky never did any of the ballets -but his Nutcracker selection is mandatory IMO.

Guess what? Svetlanov is my man - in all three ballets. Stupendous! I think several members here concur.
Funny thing is, I tried his recordings of the symphonies after and those are way to relaxed and sweet-toothed. But in the ballets he is right on the money.

Coincidentally a nice box set has just been reissued (though the US Amazon price looks a bit steep)

[asin]B005P3N0Y0[/asin]

Q

Sold! Ordered the Svetlanov box last night from an Amazon seller for about 20% below the listed price. Thanks Que.

Octave · February 23, 2013, 10:13:52 PM

My thanks to everyone for feedback on the Gergiev; and thanks Que for the Svetlanov recommendation. Both you and MI have recommended this one, so I imagine the extra expense will be well-rewarded.

I'm also glad I belatedly noticed Gurn's mention of the Mackerras NUTCRACKER (I think the cover art made me avert my eyes before, though the more I look at it, the cuter it gets), because I'd only seen a 'highlights' disc before and didn't know about the complete recording; I found a dirt-cheap "like new" (fingers crossed) copy, which I snapped up straightaway. I think I am becoming something of a Mackerras obsessive.

mc ukrneal · February 24, 2013, 03:54:55 PM

Quote from: Octave on February 23, 2013, 10:13:52 PM
My thanks to everyone for feedback on the Gergiev; and thanks Que for the Svetlanov recommendation. Both you and MI have recommended this one, so I imagine the extra expense will be well-rewarded.

I'm also glad I belatedly noticed Gurn's mention of the Mackerras NUTCRACKER (I think the cover art made me avert my eyes before, though the more I look at it, the cuter it gets), because I'd only seen a 'highlights' disc before and didn't know about the complete recording; I found a dirt-cheap "like new" (fingers crossed) copy, which I snapped up straightaway. I think I am becoming something of a Mackerras obsessive.

It's a great disc. No worries.

Octave · February 24, 2013, 08:03:48 PM

re: that MacKerras NUTCRACKER: I am feeling bad about making a sideways crack about the cover art, now that I know it's by Maurice Sendak. The mice really give the authorship away. I think my immediate aversion has to do with a mild distaste/anxiety about clowns, and the nutcracker image/artifact itself has always seemed like a sinister amalgam of clown, automaton, torture mechanism, and ventriloquist's dummy. It's an unholy crossroads, I tell you.

NJ Joe · February 28, 2013, 05:55:23 PM

I listened to The Sleeping Beauty from this set today, and all I can say is, "Outstanding!" The sound is a bit compressed, but otherwise very good. The performance is spot-on. Svetlanov brings out every nuance in the score, showing that there is incredible complexity to this music. The music flows like a river, sometimes lazily and daintily, and at other times like churning rapids and crashing waterfalls, but never sounding out of place. And despite extreme changes in tempi and dynamics, it never fails to sounds like ballet music...not like a ballet score played like a symphony. Highly recommended, I can't wait to listen to Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.

Coopmv · March 03, 2013, 03:16:28 PM

Quote from: NJ Joe on February 28, 2013, 05:55:23 PM

I listened to The Sleeping Beauty from this set today, and all I can say is, "Outstanding!" The sound is a bit compressed, but otherwise very good. The performance is spot-on. Svetlanov brings out every nuance in the score, showing that there is incredible complexity to this music. The music flows like a river, sometimes lazily and daintily, and at other times like churning rapids and crashing waterfalls, but never sounding out of place. And despite extreme changes in tempi and dynamics, it never fails to sounds like ballet music...not like a ballet score played like a symphony. Highly recommended, I can't wait to listen to Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.

This is a very sttractive set. Unfortunately, the price is a bit steep ...

Peregrine · October 25, 2013, 08:59:12 AM

Mmmm, got this today. Very pleased. An Amazon reviewer described it as 'Wagnerian' in concept and I can almost see where he is coming from. Svetlanov really does the score justice. I now have this, Rozhdestvensky, Ansermet and Gergiev, and the obligatory Mravinsky disc.

stingo · October 25, 2013, 09:18:00 AM

I see there are DVD recommendations on this thread already - do we have any for Blu-ray?

flyingdutchman · July 28, 2019, 02:36:05 PM

Has anyone found the Rozhdestvensky Swan Lake available anywhere for a decent price? Ebay has it for over $100. I'm not paying that much for it. Does anyone have it, willing to sell, or know of a download site that is decent? I saw a download, but it was someone selling a FLAC of a copy of their LP. I'm a completist and have most of Tchaikovsky's ballets.

Que · July 28, 2019, 03:18:00 PM

Quote from: flyingdutchman on July 28, 2019, 02:36:05 PM
Has anyone found the Rozhdestvensky Swan Lake available anywhere for a decent price? Ebay has it for over $100. I'm not paying that much for it. Does anyone have it, willing to sell, or know of a download site that is decent? I saw a download, but it was someone selling a FLAC of a copy of their LP. I'm a completist and have most of Tchaikovsky's ballets.

At £65 it's a bit cheaper.....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-Swan-Lake-Gennadi-Rozhdestvensky/dp/B000026CM4

Q

flyingdutchman · July 28, 2019, 03:57:57 PM

They don't sell to the US, sadly. But thanks!

Brian · November 05, 2019, 07:42:39 AM

Not really a recording related question but does anybody know why, for the suite version, Tchaikovsky took the various dances from the Divertissement and rearranged them into a different order?

Roasted Swan · November 05, 2019, 08:30:47 AM

Quote from: Brian on November 05, 2019, 07:42:39 AM
Not really a recording related question but does anybody know why, for the suite version, Tchaikovsky took the various dances from the Divertissement and rearranged them into a different order?

I would assume simply question of musical contrast. Putting the trepak between the sugar plum fairy and the arab/coffee dance helps alternate tempo/mood. On a slight tangent - I remember how amazed I was to realise that most of the best music in this score is NOT in the suite. The transition into the forest and the journey as well as the main pas de deux blow me away every time......

Brian · November 05, 2019, 08:37:53 AM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on November 05, 2019, 08:30:47 AM
I would assume simply question of musical contrast. Putting the trepak between the sugar plum fairy and the arab/coffee dance helps alternate tempo/mood. On a slight tangent - I remember how amazed I was to realise that most of the best music in this score is NOT in the suite. The transition into the forest and the journey as well as the main pas de deux blow me away every time......

Thanks. And, agreed! Last year I listened to the whole ballet before Christmas, after several years of not hearing it, and was just shocked by the forest scene and end of Act I. For such a cute ballet, there is real passion there!

Jo498 · November 05, 2019, 09:38:23 AM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on November 05, 2019, 08:30:47 AM
I would assume simply question of musical contrast. Putting the trepak between the sugar plum fairy and the arab/coffee dance helps alternate tempo/mood. On a slight tangent - I remember how amazed I was to realise that most of the best music in this score is NOT in the suite. The transition into the forest and the journey as well as the main pas de deux blow me away every time......

Yes, they are also my favorites. The Nutcracker suite is an extremely biased selection with way too much from the act II "divertissement". While the standard (are there?) suites for Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty also miss a lot of good music, they are at least somewhat representative of these ballets. (Imagine having mainly the "divertissement" from Sleeping Beauty as a representative selection...)