Composer: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: André Previn
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Warner
Catalogue: 9999676895
Release: 2009
Size: 715 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66
CD 01
01. Introduction
Prologue “The Christening”
02. No. 1, Marche de salon
03. No. 2, Entrance of the Fairies – Scène dansante
04. No. 3a, Pas de six. Introduction
05. No. 3b, Pas de six. Grand adage
06. No. 3c, Pas de six. Variation I “Candide”
07. No. 3d, Pas de six. Variation II “Coulante, the Fairy of Blooming Wheat”
08. No. 3e, Pas de six. Variation III “Breadcrumb”
09. No. 3f, Pas de six. Variation IV “The Singing Canary”
10. No. 3g, Pas de six. Variation V “Violante”
11. No. 3h, Pas de six. Variation VI “The Lilac Fairy”
12. No. 3i, Pas de six. Coda
13. No. 4, Finale
Act I “The Spell”
14. No. 5, Scene. Allegro vivo
15. No. 6, Waltz
16. No. 7, Scene. Andante
17. No. 8a, Pas d’action. Rose Adagio
18. No. 8b, Pas d’action. Dances of the Maids of Honour and Pages
19. No. 8c, Pas d’action. Aurora’s Variation
20. No. 8d, Pas d’action. Coda
21. No. 9, Finale
Act II “The Vision”
22. Scene 1: No. 10, Entr’acte and Scene
23. Scene 1: No. 11, Blind Man’s Buff
24. Scene 1: No. 12a, Scene. Moderato
25. Scene 1: No. 12b, Dance of the Duchesses
26. Scene 1: No. 12c, Dance of the Baronesses
27. Scene 1: No. 12d, Dance of the Countesses
28. Scene 1: No. 12e, Dance of the Marchionesses
29. Scene 1: No. 13a, Farandole. Scene
30. Scene 1: No. 13b, Farandole. Dance
CD 02
Act II “The Vision”
01. Scene 1: No. 14, Scene. Allegro con spirito
02. Scene 1: No. 15a, Pas d’action. Scene of Aurora and Désiré
03. Scene 1: No. 15b, Pas d’action. Aurora’s Variation
04. Scene 1: No. 15c, Pas d’action. Coda
05. Scene 1: No. 16, Scene. Allegro agitato
06. Scene 1: No. 17, Panorama
07. Scene 2: No. 18, Entr’acte. Andante
08. Scene 2: No. 19, Symphonic Entr’acte “Sleep”
09. Scene 2: No. 20, Finale
Act III “The Wedding”
10. No. 21, March
11. No. 22, Polonaise
12. No. 23a, Pas de quatre. Allegro non tanto
13. No. 23b, Pas de quatre. Variation I “The Gold Fairy”
14. No. 23c, Pas de quatre. Variation II “The Silver Fairy”
15. No. 23d, Pas de quatre. Variation III “The Sapphire Fairy”
16. No. 23e, Pas de quatre. Variation IV “The Diamond Fairy”
17. No. 23f, Pas de quatre. Coda
18. No. 24, Pas de caractère. Puss-in-Boots and the White Cat
19. No. 25a, Pas de quatre. Adagio
20. No. 25b, Pas de quatre. Variation I “Cinderella and Prince Fortuné”
21. No. 25c, Pas de quatre. Variation II “The Blue Bird and Princess Florine”
22. No. 25d, Pas de quatre. Coda
23. No. 26a, Pas de caractère. Little Red Riding-Hood and the Wolf
24. No. 26b, Pas de caractère. Cinderella and Prince Fortuné
25. No. 28b, Pas de deux. Entrance
26. No. 28c, Pas de deux. Adagio
27. No. 28d, Pas de deux. Variation I “Prince Désiré”
28. No. 28e, Pas de deux. Variation II “Aurora”
29. No. 28f, Pas de deux. Coda
30. No. 30a, Finale
31. No. 30b, Apotheosis
Recorded in 1974, André Previn’s critically acclaimed performance of Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty has remained one of the most admired offerings in EMI’s catalog, and the recording has been reissued several times since that date. In making the transition from LPs to CDs, two numbers — the Pas Berrichon and the Sarabande at the end of Act III — were cut from the complete recording to allow the ballet to fit on two discs. Apart from this modest alteration, most of Sleeping Beauty is preserved and it is still remarkably fresh sounding, even after digital remastering in 1993, which apparently removed any traces of analog hiss from an already clean recording. The London Symphony Orchestra made several terrific-sounding albums with Previn at this time, and the ensemble’s energy, tone, blend, clarity, expression, and technique are all that could be desired of any world-class orchestra. With his career as a jazz pianist and composer, Previn surprised many with his recordings of the Romantic orchestral repertoire, and his great sympathy with Tchaikovsky’s music made this performance especially satisfying because he drew particularly vivid and lively playing from his musicians. While this performance may not be superior to some of the Russian competition, it is certainly among the best by any western orchestra, and in terms of elegance and polish, it is still one of the very best ever released. This classic package is highly recommended for anyone who needs a handsome version of what is arguably Tchaikovsky’s finest ballet.