Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker Suite [Previn-London Symphony Orchestra]It's so good to have a full disc of the Ballet music of Tchaikovsky, and his wonderful triptych of these three giants, all equally represented here, a suite / selection of each, with the most famous numbers included, especially Swan Lake and the Sleeping Beauty can seem overlong in their full formats, this is the best way to hear this music, there's a certain sweep and vista about Tchaikovsky's Ballets, full of waltzes and swing and swagger, but also tenderness and sadness, something to move everyone.
Andre Previn is now 82, born German but now an American citizen, he made the Nutcracker recording in 1972, again this is one of those 'Studio Plus' discs from EMI, a great little series, and this one has a pink / peach colour, a thoughtful side profile of Previn on the front cover [by Christina Burton], pencil in hand, and a nice sharp photo, these are a joy to own.
I played the whole of this disc in the order that it's presented, i know the Nutcracker Suite very well, certainly the other Ballets less so, so it was so enjoyable to be stunned by the Swan Lake Suite, especially the second track Dance Of The Swans, what a tremendous piece of music, and i would be writing extensively about that Ballet were it not for the 'tears in my eyes' feelings of listening to the Nutcracker Suite, it's a work of melodious genius, plus Tchaikovsky got to incorporate many non western ideas / phrases into the dance section,
Here's Volker Hartung conducting the Waltz Of The Flowers on YouTube.
