Any big ballet sets worth buying?

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

I'm not much for ballet music myself (apart from the ballet performance), but my wife is growing increasingly interested in the music. Are there any large ballet sets with good performances that would give her a bunch of stuff to sample from (i.e., in addition to the obvious Tchaikovsky, Adam, Delibes, et al.)?

[Brian]

Don't have any recommendations fitting those criteria, unfortunately, but remember to include Ravel's Daphnis as well as this:

[Sergeant Rock]

Are there any large ballet sets with good performances that would give her a bunch of stuff to sample from (i.e., in addition to the obvious Tchaikovsky, Adam, Delibes, et al.)?

Prokofiev wrote fine ballets, particulary Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella. Outstanding performances by Maazel and Cleveland in the former, Ashkenazy and Cleveland in the latter.

Sarge

[head-case]

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//4685782.htm

[david johnson]

the rca budget box of tchikovsky ballets with slatkin/st. louis is very enjoyable.

dj

[stingo]

As recommended to me on these forums a while back, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake in a magical recording by Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

[springrite]

Some essentials worth checking out...

Stravinsky:

• Firebird
• Rite of Spring
• Petrouchka
• Pulcinella
• Les Noces
• Apollo
• Orpheus
• Agon

Ravel:

• Daphnis et Chloé

Bartok:

• The Miraculous Mandarin

Great recommendations! I only like ballets from 1900 onwards. The list above are all my favorites!

[Brian]

Great recommendations! I only like ballets from 1900 onwards. The list above are all my favorites!

No love for Khachaturian? 

[hautbois]

As recommended to me on these forums a while back, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake in a magical recording by Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

The discography of COMPLETE Swan Lakes on cd is appaling. And i have no idea why. This particular Ozawa recording suffers in precision and rhythmic drive, i wouldn't recommend it, but yeah...believe it or not, there are very very little choices compared to say, the Nutcracker. Fortunately, we have the dvd format and most of the better Swan Lakes are in that format. I haven't heard Dorati's Minnesota recording but judging from his Concertgebouw recordings, which are some of the most beau-ti-ful and exciting recordings made of any ballet music out there, it should be a no brainer. I find WATCHING ballets a distraction from the music, which is very very weird, but, i also suspect that the magic and crisps from a good performance is gained by not having to adjust to the dancer's needs. If anyone knows of a Dorati like Swan Lake in modern sound, do inform me!

Howard

[Renfield]

Re: the complete Swan Lake, since it was mentioned, this is about as good as it gets, in my view:




Otherwise, I'm sad to say my knowledge of either ballet music or ballet sets isn't much to speak of...

(Beyond Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and the odd Prokofiev. )

[val]

My personal choice of the most essential ballets:

Stravinsky:  Rite of Spring, Petrushka, Firebird, Pulcinella

Bartok:  The Miraculous Mandarin

Falla:  El Sombrero de tres picos

Ravel:  La Valse

Hindemith:  Nobilissima Visione

Prokofiev:  Pas d'Acier, Romeo and Juliet

Bussotti:    Bergkristal

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

My personal choice of the most essential ballets:


Falla:  El Sombrero de tres picos

You're forgetting:

Beethoven: Mein Hut der hat drei Ecken

[val]

XB-70 Valkyrie

You're forgetting:

Beethoven: Mein Hut der hat drei Ecken

In German, it is "Dreispitz".

[The new erato]

vals list is very good though I don't know the Bussotti.

I would skewer the Stravinsky list more towards his mid/late balletts, and certainly add Prokofievs Chout.

[techniquest]

No love for Khachaturian?

Certainly is here! His 'Spartacus' must rank as one of the last of the really great ballets. Don't just get the highlights or 'suites from...', try to get hold of the whole thing, it's really great stuff.
Also worth considering would be 'Anna Karenina' by Shchedrin, or his lighter and delightful 'Carmen ballet' after the music of Bizet.

[not edward]

Going a bit out of the mainstream, Schnittke's Peer Gynt is arguably his finest work and one of the great post-Stravinsky ballet scores.

[The new erato]

Going a bit out of the mainstream, Schnittke's Peer Gynt is arguably his finest work and one of the great post-Stravinsky ballet scores.

Any recording recommendations? I'm definitely out to explore Schnittke more.

[not edward]

Any recording recommendations? I'm definitely out to explore Schnittke more.

There's only one, on BIS, and it seems to bring the score to life very well. It also comes with extremely fine booklet notes that illustrate Schnittke's use of melodic cells and their significance to the overall plot and development of the work.

[MichaelRabin]

I have the Offenbach on Naxos (Rosenthal), Swan Lake (Bonynge) and the Prokofiev R&J (Maazel). I second these choices by posters in above-portion of the thread. My copy of R&J has Maazel's autograph!

[MichaelRabin]

You can add Sullivan's Pineapple Poll on Naxos to this list as well. Classics Today has a 10/10 rating on this.