Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Tchaikovsky: Complete Ballets (2014)

Tracklist

001. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: I. Introduction. Moderato assai
002. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: II. Scène. Allegro giusto
003. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: III. Valse. Tempo di valse
004. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: IV. Entrance of Pages. Allegro moderato
005. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: V. Pas de trois. Intrada (Allegro moderato)
006. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: V. Pas de trois. Andante sostenuto
007. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: V. Pas de trois. Allegro semplice-Presto
008. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: V. Pas de trois. Prince (Moderato)
009. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: V. Pas de trois. Allegro
010. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: V. Pas de trois. Coda (Allegro vivace)
011. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: VI. Pas de deux. Intrada (Tempo di valse)
012. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: VI. Pas de deux. Andante
013. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: VI. Pas de deux. Tempo di valse
014. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: VI. Pas de deux. Intrada No. 2 (Tempo di valse)
015. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: VI. Pas de deux. Pas d'action (Andantino quasi moderato-Allegro)
016. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: VII. Scène. Dusk falls
017. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: VIII. Danse Des Coupes (Polonaise)
018. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 1: IX. Finale. Swan Theme (Andante)
019. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 2: I. Scène. Swan Theme (Moderato)
020. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 2: II. Scène. Allegro moderato-Moderato-Allegro vivo
021. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 2: III. Danses des cygnes
022. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 2: IV. Danses des petits cygnes
023. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 2: V. Pas d'action. Second Dance of the Queen (Andante)
024. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 2: VI. Tempo di valse
025. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 2: VII. Coda. Allegro vivace
026. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 2: VIII. Scène Finale. Swan Theme (Moderato)
027. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: I. Danse de fançailles (Allegro giusto)
028. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: II. La sortie des invités et la valse
029. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: III. Allegro-Allegro giusto
030. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de six. Intrada (Moderato assai)
031. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de six. Variation 1 (Allegro)
032. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de six. Variation 2 (Andante con moto)
033. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de six. Variation 3 (Moderato)
034. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de six. Variation 4 (Allegro)
035. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de six. Variation 5 (Moderato-Allegro semplice)-Coda [Allegro molto vivace]
036. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: V. Dance hongroise. Czárdás
037. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: VI. Danse russe
038. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: VII. Danse espagnole
039. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: VIII. Danse Napolitaine
040. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: IX. Mazurka
041. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 3: X. Allegro-Valse-Allegro vivo
042. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 4: I. Entr'acte. Moderato
043. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 4: II. Allegro non troppo
044. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 4: III. Danses des petits cygnes. Moderato
045. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 4: IV. Allegro agitato
046. Swan Lake, Op. 20, Pt. 4: V. Finale. Andante
047. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: I. Introduction
048. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: II. March
049. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: III. Scène dansante
050. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Entrée
051. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Adagio
052. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Variation 1 (Candide)
053. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Variation 2 (Coulante. Fleur de Farine)
054. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Variation 3 (Miettes qui tombent)
055. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Variation 4 (Canari qui chante)
056. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Variation 5 (Violente)
057. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Variation 6 (La Fée des Lilas)
058. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Coda
059. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Prologue: IV. Pas de Six. Finale
060. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 1: I. Scène
061. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 1: II. Valse
062. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 1: III. Entrée d'Aurore
063. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 1: IV. Pas d'action. Rose Adage
064. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 1: IV. Pas d'action. Variation d'aurore
065. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 1: IV. Pas d'action. Coda
066. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 1: IV. Pas d'action. Finale
067. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 2: I. Entr'acte-Scène
068. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 2: II. Colin-Maillard
069. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 2: III. Scène
070. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 2: IV. Pas d'action
071. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 2: V. Variation d'Aurore
072. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 2: VI. Panorama
073. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 2: VII. Entr'acte
074. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 2: VIII. Entr'Acte Symphonique "Le Sommeil"
075. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 2: IX. Finale
076. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 3: I. Marche
077. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 3: II. Pas de caractère "Le Chat botté et La Chatte blanche"
078. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 3: III. Pas de quatre
079. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de deux. Entrée
080. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de deux. Adagio
081. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de deux. Variation 1
082. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de deux. Variation 2
083. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de deux. Coda
084. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Pt. 3: IV. Pas de deux. Polacca
085. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: I. Overture
086. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: II. The Christmas Tree
087. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: III. March
088. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: IV. Children's Galop-Arrival of the Guests
089. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: V. Dance Scene. Arrival of Drosselmeyer
090. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: VI. Scene. Grandfather's Dance
091. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: VII. The Magic Spell Begins
092. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: VIII. The Battle Between The Nutcracker And The Mouse King
093. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: IX. Scene in the Pine Forest "Journey Through the Snow"
094. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 1: X. Waltz of the Snowflakes
095. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XI. The Magic Castle
096. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XII. Clara & The Prince-XIII. Divertissement
097. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XIV. Chocolate. Spanish Dance
098. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XV. Coffee. Arabian Dance
099. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XVI. Tea. Chinese Dance
100. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XVII. Trepak
101. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XVIII. Dance Of The Mirlitons
102. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XIX. Mother Gigogne and the Clowns
103. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XX. Waltz of the Flowers
104. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XXI. Pas de deux. Dance of the Prince and the Sugar-Plum Fairy
105. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XXI. Pas de deux. Variation 1, Tarantella
106. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XXI. Pas de deux. Variation 2, Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy
107. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: XXI. Pas de deux. Coda
108. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Pt. 2: Xxii. Finale. Final Waltz And Apotheosis


Tchaikovsky’s three ballets – Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker – are all much-loved treasures of the balletic canon, having undergone countless performances and reinterpretations. Yet this was not always so. It took time for their status to be established, and reactions to the productions were decidedly mixed during Tchaikovsky’s lifetime. Particularly saddening is the fact that the great composer died believing Swan Lake, perhaps his most celebrated ballet today, to be a failure – although this is in part due to the fact that the choreography most associated with the work today was developed after his death. The Sleeping Beauty, meanwhile, suffered the insult of a lukewarm imperial reception on its presentation to Tsar Alexander III in 1890; and Tchaikovsky himself believed The Nutcracker to be an inferior work, ‘infinitely worse than Sleeping Beauty’, in his own words.

We are lucky, then, that choreographers, conductors and other artists have continued to acknowledge the value of these masterworks, and continued to develop them over many decades, bringing them into their current, incomparable form. On this CD, the sheer magic of the music is audible from start to finish, and Tchaikovsky’s audacious gift for melody-crafting is unmistakable. It is astonishing to imagine how far they have had to come.

The magnificent Royal Philharmonic Orchestra does justice to each musical world, under the baton of three different and seasoned conductors, each of whom very much makes his mark on these multi-interpretable works of genius.

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