Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa - Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (1996)

Tracklist:

CD 1:
01. Act 1- Introduction - Moderati Assai , Allegro Non Troppo - Tempo I
02. No. 1. Scene - Allegro Giusto
03. No. 2. Valse - Tempo Di Valse
04. No. 3. Scene - Allegro Moderato
05. No. 4. Pas De Trios - 1. Intrada- Allegro
06. No. 4. Pas De Trios - 2. Andante Sostenuto
07. No. 4. Pas De Trios - 3. Allegro Simplice, Presto
08. No. 4. Pas De Trios - 4. Moderato
09. No. 4. Pas De Trios - 5. Allegro
10. No. 4. Pas De Trios - 6. Coda - Allegro Vivace
11. No. 5. Pas De Deux - 1. Tempo Di Valse Ma Non Troppo Vivo, Quasi Moderato; 2. Andante, Allegro
12. No. 5. Pas De Deux - 3. Tempo Di Valse
13. No. 5. Pas De Deux - 4. Coda - Allegro Molto Vivace
14. No. 6. Pas D'action - Andantino Quasi Moderato, Allegro; 7. Sujet
15. No. 8. Danse Des Coupes - Tempo Di Polacca
16. No. 9. Finale - Sujet - Andante
17. Act 2- No. 10. Scene - Moderato
18. No. 11. Scene - Allegro Moderato, Moderato - Allegro Vivo
19. No. 12. Scene - Allegro, Moderato Assai Quasi Andante
20. No. 13. Danses Des Cygnes 1. Tempo Di Valse
21. No. 13. Danses Des Cygnes 2. Moderato Assai
22. No. 13. Danses Des Cygnes 3. Tempo Di Valse
23. No. 13. Danses Des Cygnes 4. Allegro Moderato

CD 2:
1 Act 2- No. 13. Danses Des Cygnes - 5. Pas D'action - Andante - Andante Non Troppo - Tempo I - Allegro
2 No. 13. Danses Des Cygnes - 6. Tempo Di Valse
3 No. 13. Danses Des Cygnes - 7. Coda - Allegro Vivo
4 No. 14. Scene - Moderato
5 Act 3- No. 15. Allegro Giusto
6 No. 16. Danses Du Corps De Ballet Et Des Nains - Moderato Assai - Allegro Vivo
7 No. 17. Scene. Sortie Des Invites Et Valse - Allegro - Tempo Di Valse
8 No. 18. Scene - Allegro - Allegro Giusto
9 No. 19. Pas De Six. Intrada - Moderato Assai
10 No. 19. Pas De Six. Intrada - Moderato Assai - Var. 1 - Allegro; Var. 2 - Andante Con Moto
11 No. 19. Pas De Six. Intrada - Moderato Assai - Var.3 - Moderato; Var. 4 - Allegro
12 No. 19. Pas De Six. Intrada - Moderato Assai - Var. 5 - Moderato - Allegro Simplice; Coda - Allegro Molto
13 No. 20. Danse Hongroise. Czardas - Moderato Assai - Allegro Moderato - Vivace
14 No. 20A. Danse Russe - Moderato - Andante Simplice - Allegro Vivo - Presto
15 No. 21. Danse Espagnole - Allegro Non Troppo (Tempo Di Bolero)
16 No. 22. Danse Napolitaine - Allegro Moderato - Andantino Quasi Moderato - Presto
17 No. 23. Mazurka - Tempo Di Mazurka
18 No. 24. Scene - Allegro - Valse - Allegro Vivo
19 Act 4- No. 25. Entr'acte - Moderato; No. 26 Scene - Allegro Non Troppo
20 No. 27. Danses Des Petits Cygnes - Moderato
21 No. 28. Scene - Allegro Agitato - Molto Meno Mosso - Allegro Vivace
22 No. 29. Scene Finale - Andante - Allegro Agitato - Alla Breve. Moderato E Maestoso - Moderato

Performers:
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Seiji Ozawa, conductor
Swan Lake was the first of Tchaikovsky's three great ballets-- works which added a new level of depth and sophistication to what had been a purely superficial art form. Today the music is so well-known and popular that it's impossible to comprehend the difficulties the composer experienced at early performances. Audiences found the music "too symphonic," and the dancers were put off by the prominence given to the orchestra which, they felt, distracted ballet fans from the action on stage. Of course, all of these supposed "defects" are precisely what we admire about the music today, and this elegant but exciting performance reveals the music in all of its glory. -- David Hurwitz