Ballets Russes: Russian Dances and Ballets

• Main performer: Paavo Järvi
• Booklet languages: French, English, German
• Time: 69:52
• Release Date: 2004

Review

Because Ballets Russes covers much familiar material, this collection of Russian dance favorites is perhaps best suited for beginners, and serious balletomanes may pass it by. Some pieces, such as Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers and the Polonaise and Waltz from Eugene Onegin, Khachaturian's Sabre Dance, and Prokofiev's "Dance of the Knights" from Romeo and Juliet are so well known that their inclusion here is merely obligatory and are of little interest. Somewhat more intriguing are the Polka from The Age of Gold, the "Waltz No. 2" from the Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2, and the Tahiti Trot by Shostakovich, which lend a taste of the modern to this heavily Romantic program. The light pieces by Glazunov, Lyadov, and Glinka, seldom found on such ballet collections, are also welcome offerings. Missing from the mix, though, are any dance pieces by Stravinsky, surely the greatest Russian ballet composer since Tchaikovsky and one who deserves at least a token of recognition. Paavo Järvi and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France give vigorous performances, but their energies seem scattered because of the brevity of the selections and the disc's random program. Virgin's recording is decent, but a little flat, lacking sonic depth and resonance. ~ Blair Sanderson, Rovi

Performances

Composer	Title	Time
Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky	Eugene Onegin, opera, Op. 24 (Polonaise)	4:54
Aram Khachaturian	Masquerada, suite from the incidental music for orchestra (or piano) (Waltz)	4:16
Dmitry Shostakovich	The Age of Gold, ballet, Op. 22 (Polka)	2:15
Sergey Prokofiev	The Love for Three Oranges, opera, Op. 33 (March)	1:48
Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky	Nutcracker, ballet, Op. 71 (Waltz of the Flowers)	7:13
Aram Khachaturian	Gayane, ballet in 4 acts (Sabre Dance)	2:30
Alexander Glazunov	Raymonda, ballet, Op. 57 (Entracte)	4:07
Anatol Lyadov	Dance of the Amazon, Op. 65	3:37
Dmitry Shostakovich	Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2 (Waltz No. 2)	3:51
Sergey Prokofiev	Romeo and Juliet, ballet in 4 acts, Op. 64 (Dance of the Knights)	3:57
Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky	Eugene Onegin, opera, Op. 24 (Waltz)	6:04
Dmitry Shostakovich	Tahiti Trot, for orchestra (arr. of Youmans "Tea for Two"), Op. 16	3:36
Mikhail Glinka	Valse-Fantaisie, for orchestra in B minor, G. ii213	8:28
Alexander Borodin	Prince Igor, opera (completed by Rimsky-Korsakov & Glazunov) (Polovtsian Dances. Dance I)	2:11
Alexander Borodin	Prince Igor, opera (completed by Rimsky-Korsakov & Glazunov) (Polovtsian Dances. Dance II)	2:23
Alexander Borodin	Prince Igor, opera (completed by Rimsky-Korsakov & Glazunov) (Polovtsian Dances. Dance III)	1:15
Alexander Borodin	Prince Igor, opera (completed by Rimsky-Korsakov & Glazunov) (Polovtsian Dances. Dance IV)	2:07
Alexander Borodin	Prince Igor, opera (completed by Rimsky-Korsakov & Glazunov) (Polovtsian Dances. Dance V)	5:20

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