Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (complete ballet); Wolfgang Sawallisch; Philadelphia Orchestra

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (complete ballet); Wolfgang Sawallisch; Philadelphia Orchestra | Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, Wolfgang Sawallisch, ... | Loving the classics

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Tchaikovsky: Swan ...

	Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (complete ballet); Wolfgang Sawallisch; Philadelphia Orchestra Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, Wolfgang Sawallisch, ... EMI Classics, 2004 average customer review:based on 10 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Great rendition, minor flaws

I quite thoroughly enjoyed this rendition of Swan Lake. I've listened to one other version by Dutoit before this one, and I have to say that Sawallisch's version is, on the whole, much better. The major difference is that I didn't get bored by the third act; Sawallisch managed to make it interesting but picking up some of the tempos.

Some complaints: the orchestra doesn't get as loud and triumphant as I'd like it in parts, the violin solo in No.12-V: Pas D'action isn't the best, and I can't really hear the tam-tam in the last track. Besides that, everything is superb.

One final note: The CD does actually contain the Black Swan Pas de Deux, but as Tchaikovsky originally wrote it. If you read the sleeve, it says under No.5 (tracks 11 to 14), "Four short formal dances for the Prince and a ballerina. They became known as the 'Black Swan' pas de deux after Petipa's production transposed it to Act 3." Apparently, about 20 years after the original Swan Lake (and a few years after Tchaikovsky's death) some guy called Riccardo Drigo made drastic changes to Tchaikovsky's original score. One of the changes he made was the aforementioned Black Swan Pas de Deux, deleting parts and adding his own orchestrations. In my opinion, I'd rather listen to Tchaikovsky's original music as he intended rather than some unknown's variations. Thankfully, Sawallisch had the Philadelphia Orchestra play the complete, original Swan Lake as Tchaikovsky composed it.

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Loving the classics

"Swan Lake" has great meaning for me. I used to rent LPs and would play them in the basement of Fine Arts on the University of Georgia campus. This was in the '50s. There is nothing as soothing as "Swan Lake."

Inspiring Swan Lake

The Philadelphia Orchestra did such a splendid job with this Tchaikovsky classic. There are very few COMPLETE ballets around here and I am glad I purchased this.

Ravel Bolero

Superb concept--ten version of Bolero by ten groups one after the other. Four symphonic orchestras mingled with six others all coming on withy the same powerful insistence of the composition. Excellent, exciting.

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The best rendition

I enjoyed this cd because all the other "complete versions" had parts missing. To my big surprise, this also has a big cut in it concerning the music for the black swan. I was, to say the least, a bit taken aback because of this, but comparing the time on these discs, this version surpasses any other in length so I guess I'm satisfied as well as miffed. This rendition is clear, crisp, and moves at a the correct pace a very good recording. You can't beat it for the price that its being sold for.

reviews: page 1, 2

Tracks
Act 1. Introduction: Moderato assai - Allegro ma non troppo | Act 1. No. 1 - Scène: Allegro giusto | Act 1. No. 2 - Valse: Tempo di valse | Act 1. No. 3 - Scène: Allegro moderato | Act 1. No. 4 - Pas de trois: I. Intrada: Allegro | Act 1. No. 4 - Pas de trois: II. Adagio: Andante sostenuto | Act 1. No. 4 - Pas de trois: III. Allegro semplice | Act 1. No. 4 - Pas de trois: IV. Moderato | Act 1. No. 4 - Pas de trois: V. Allegro | Act 1. No. 4 - Pas de trois: VI. Coda: Allegro vivace | Act 1. No. 5 - Pas de deux. I. Tempo di valse ma non troppo vivo, quasi moderato | Act 1. No. 5 - Pas de deux. II. Andante - Allegro | Act 1. No. 5 - Pas de deux. III. Tempo di valse | Act 1. No. 5 - Pas de deux. IV. Coda: Allegro molto vivace | Act 1. No. 6 - Pas d'action: Andantino quasi moderato - Allegro | Act 1. No. 7 - Sujet | Act 1. No. 8 - Danse des coupes: Tempo di polacca | Act 1. No. 9 - Finale: Andante | Act 2. No. 10 - Scène: Moderato | Act 2. No. 11 - Scène: Allegro moderato - Allegro vivo | Act 2. No. 12 - Scène: Allegro. | Act 2. No. 13 - Danse des cygnes. I. Tempo di valse | Act 2. No. 13 - Danse des cygnes. II. Moderato assai - Molto più mosso | Act 2. No. 13 - Danse des cygnes. III. Danse des cygnes: Tempo di valse | Act 2. No. 13 - Danse des cygnes. IV. Allegro moderato | Act 2. No. 13 - Danse des cygnes. V. Pas d'action (Odette et le Prince): Andante - Andante non trop | Act 2. No. 13 - Danse des cygnes. VI. Tempo di valse: Tout le monde danse | Act 2. No. 13 - Danse des cygnes. VII. Coda: Allegro vivo | Act 2. No. 14 - Scène: Moderato | Act 3. No. 15 - Scène: Allegro giusto | Act 3. No. 16 - Danse du corps de ballet et des nains: Moderato assai - Allegro vivo | Act 3. No. 17 - Scène: Sortie des invités et valse: Allegro - Tempo di valse | Act 3. No. 18 - Scène - Allegro - Allegro giusto | Act 3. No. 19 - Pas de six. I. Intrada: Moderato assai | Act 3. No. 19 - Pas de six. II. Variation I: Allegro | Act 3. No. 19 - Pas de six. III. Variation II: Andante con moto | Act 3. No. 19 - Pas de six. IV. Variation III: Moderato | Act 3. No. 19 - Pas de six. V. Variation IV: Allegro | Act 3. No. 19 - Pas de six. VII. Coda: Allegro molto | Act 3. Appendix 1: Pas de deux. I. Moderato - Andante | Act 3. Appendix 1: Pas de deux. II. Variation I: Allegro moderato | Act 3. Appendix 1: Pas de deux. III. Variation II: Allegro | Act 3. Appendix 1: Pas de deux. III. Coda: Allegro molto vivace | Act 3. No. 20 - Danse hongroise - Czardas (Moderato assai - Allegro moderato - Vivace) | Act 3. Appendix 2: Danse russe: Moderato - Allegro semplice - Allegro vivo | Act 3. No. 21 - Danse espagnole: Allegro non troppo, Tempo di bolero | Act 3. No. 22 - Danse napolitaine: Allegro moderato - Andantino quasi moderato - Presto | Act 3. No. 24 - Scène: Allegro - Valse - Allegro vivo | Act 4. No. 25 - Entr'acte: Moderato | Act 4. No. 26 - Scène: Allegro non troppo | Act 4. No. 27 - Danses des petits cygnes: Moderato | Act 4. No. 28 - Scène: Allegro agitato - Molto meno mosso - Allegro vivace | Act 4. No. 29 - Scène finale: Andante - Allegro agitato - Alla breve - Moderato

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