Pletnev: Tchaikovsky – The Sleeping Beauty (2 CD, APE)

Performers: Russian National Orchestra
Composers: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Conductors: Mikhail Pletnev
Number of Discs: 2
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Size: 678 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: no

Disc: 1
01. Introduction
02. Prologue: March. Entrance of King and Court
03. Prologue: Dance Scena. Entrance of Fairies
04. Prologue: Pas de Six. Fairies present gifts. Intrada – Adagio
05. Prologue: Pas de Six. Variation 1 Candide
06. Prologue: Pas de Six. Variation 2 Coulante
07. Prologue: Pas de Six. Variation 3 Breadcrumb
08. Prologue: Pas de Six. Variation 4 Canaries
09. Prologue: Pas de Six. Variation 5 Violente
10. Prologue: Pas de Six. Variation 6 Lilac Fairy (Waltz)
11. Prologue: Pas de Six. Coda
12. Prologue: Finale. La Fée des lilas sort
13. Act 1. Scena (No. 5). The Palace Garden
14. Act 1. Waltz
15. Act 1. Scena (No. 7). The Four Princes
16. Act 1. Pas d’action. Introduction (Andante) and Rose Adagio
17. Act 1. Pas d’action. Dance of the Maids of Honor & Pages
18. Act 1. Pas d’action. Aurora’s Variation
19. Act 1. Pas d’action. Coda
20. Act 1. Finale. La Fée des lilas paraît
21. Act 2. Entr’acte & Scena
22. Act 2. Blind Man’s Buff (Colin-Maillard) (Allegro vivo)
23. Act 2. Scena (No. 12a) (Moderato)
24. Act 2. Dance of the Duchesses (Minuet)
25. Act 2. Dance of the Baronesses (Gavotte)
26. Act 2. Dance of the Countesses
27. Act 2. Dance of the Marchionesses
28. Act 2. Farandole. Scena (No. 13a)
29. Act 2. Farandole. Danse (Tempo di Mazurka)

Disc: 2
01. Act 2. Scena (No. 14). Arrival of the Huntsmen
02. Act 2. Coda. Pas d’action. Vision
03. Act 2. Coda. Aurora’s Variation (Allegro comodo)
04. Act 2. Coda (No. 15c)
05. Act 2. Scena (No. 16) (Allegro agitato)
06. Act 2. Panorama (Andantino)
07. Act 2. Entr’acte (Andante sostenuto)
08. Act 2. Symphonic Entr’acte: Aurora’s Sleep & Scena
09. Act 2. Finale. Breaking of Spell (Allegro agitato)
10. Act 3. Polonaise (Allegro moderato)
11. Act 3. Pas de Quatre. Intrada (Allegro non tanto)
12. Act 3. Pas de Quatre. Gold Fairy. Valse
13. Act 3. Pas de Quatre. Silver Fairy. Polka
14. Act 3. Pas de Quatre. Sapphire Fairy
15. Act 3. Pas de Quatre. Diamond Fairy
16. Act 3. Pas de Quatre. Coda
17. Act 3. Pas de caractère. Puss-in-Boots & the White Cat
18. Act 3. Pas de Quatre. Adagio
19. Act 3. Pas de Quatre. Variation II The Blue Bird and Princess Florine
20. Act 3. Pas de Quatre. Coda
21. Act 3. Pas de caractère. Little Red Riding-Hood & the Wolf
22. Act 3. Pas de caractère. Cinderella & Prince Fortuné
23. Act 3. Pas Berrichon. Hop ‘o my Thumb
24. Act 3. Pas de Deux. Aurora & Prince Desiré (Allegro and Waltz)
25. Act 3. Pas de Deux. Entree
26. Act 3. Pas de Deux. Adagio
27. Act 3. Pas de Deux. Prince’s Variation
28. Act 3. Pas de Deux. Coda
29. Act 3. Sarabande
30. Act 3. Finale. Mazurka (Allegro brillante)
31. Act 3. Finale. Apotheosis (Andante molto maestoso)

Which Beauty to take to the ball–Gergiev, Pletnev, or Dorati?

I wouldn’t think of buying multiple Sleeping Beauty recordings except for the ultra-cheap opportunities here at Amazon. Recently I acquired this set to compare to my pervious Dorati two-fer with the Cocertgebouw on Philips and the 3-disc set from Gergiev and the Kirov, also on Philips. How do they stack up?

Gergiev: First-rate conducting in excitable mode with an excellent orchestra but rather dull, tubby sonics. The only one on three discs at full price, unfortunately.

Dorati: A sprightly, often dramatic reading–but with lapses–and a world-class orchestra in bright analog sound (oddly, the recording sessions went from 1979 to 1981). A budget Duo.

Pletnev: An excellent orchestra led by a so-so conductor in a polished, somewht uneventful reading, in the best sound of all, from 1997. Pletnev’s urbane approach is reminiscent of Ozawa and Dutoit, two other precise conductors who rarely catch fire. Two mid-priced CDs or part of a super-budget box set with Ozawa’s underwhelming Nutrcracker and Swan Lake.

Musically, unless you value cautious sophistication, Pletnev’s reading often feels too cool and smoothed over, but DG’s warm, natural sound is very involving. Dorati brings us into the theater and keeps the proceedings eventful over the long stretch of this ballet. Gergiev is the only one who pushes the music into non-balletic territroy with a strong symphonic emphasis, but the merely serviceable sound is a let down, not to mention the high price.

I was surprised, not being a particular fan of Dorati’s, that I become more involved in his performance than the other three. But each set has its points, and none is an outright clear winner. I only wish Decca would re-issue the classic Ansermet set, which I remember from LP as the best of all–but that was a long time ago, so who knows?