Essential Ballet

This 2 CD mid-price series, drawn from the catalogues of EMI Classics and Virgin Classics, presents a selection of the best-loved and most popular ballet music by the great composers, performed by the world’s leading artists.

This is a collection of many of the best-known and most familiar items from across the whole spectrum of classical ballet. It starts with the swan theme from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and encompasses other famous ‘white’ ballets like Adam’s Giselle and Chopin’s Les Sylphides as well as Prokofiev’s two favourites love stories: Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella.

Lively and colourful music is heard from Coppélia, La Fille mal gardée and Gayaneh, and witty sophistication is represented by Poulenc’s Les Biches and Satie’s Monotones. Stravinsky's unique musical style is heard in extracts from Petrushka and Apollo and pure dance is not neglected in Franck’s Symphonic Variations and the waltz from Tchaikovsky’s Serenade.

Contents:
CD 1
1. Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Op.20: No.10: Scene (Moderato)
John Lanchbery

2. Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Op.20, Act II, 13. Dances of the Swans: IV. Dance of the Cygnets (Allegro moderato)
John Lanchbery

3. Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Op.20, Act II, 13. Dances of the Swans: V. Andante - Andante non troppo - Allegro (Ch
John Lanchbery

4. Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Op.20, Act III: 21. Spanish Dance (Allegro non troppo: tempo di bolero)
John Lanchbery

5. Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty Op.66, Act I: 'The Spell', 8. Pas d'action:: Rose Adagio (Andante - Adagio maestos
John Lanchbery

6. Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty Op.66, Act I: 'The Spell': 6. Waltz (Allegro: Tempo di valse)
John Lanchbery

7. Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Op.71, Divertissement: Variation 2: Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy - Coda [to Pas de
John Lanchbery

8. Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Op.71, Divertissement: Dance of the Reed Flutes
John Lanchbery

9. Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Op.71, Divertissement: Waltz of the Flowers
John Lanchbery

10. Minkus: Don Quixote: Pas de deux: Kitri and Basilio (Act III) - I. Entree
Robert Irving

11. Minkus: Don Quixote: Pas de deux: Kitri and Basilio (Act III) - II. Adage
Robert Irving

12. Minkus: Don Quixote: Pas de deux: Kitri and Basilio (Act III) - III. Basilio's Solo
Robert Irving

13. Minkus: Don Quixote: Pas de deux: Kitri and Basilio (Act III) - IV. Kitri's Solo
Robert Irving

14. Minkus: Don Quixote: Pas de deux: Kitri and Basilio (Act III) - V. Coda
Robert Irving

15. Herold: La Fille mal gardèe: Widow Simone - Clog Dance (Act II)
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

16. Herold: La Fille mal gardée, Act II: 29. Pas de deux
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

17. Prokofiev: Cinderella: Fairies: No.12 Spring Fairy (Allegro)
London Symphony Orchestra

18. Prokofiev: Cinderella: Fairies: No.13 Summer Fairy (Andantino sognando)
London Symphony Orchestra

19. Prokofiev: Cinderella: Fairies: No.15 Autumn Fairy (Allegro moderato)
London Symphony Orchestra

20. Prokofiev: Cinderella: Fairies: No.16 Winter Fairy (Allegro moderato)
London Symphony Orchestra

21. Prokofiev: Cinderella - Ballet in three acts Op.87, Act II: Pas de deux: The Prince and Cinderella (Adagio)
London Symphony Orchestra

22. Khachaturian: Spartacus_Ballet Suite No.2: Adagio
John Fraser

23. Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet: Dance of the Knights
London Symphony Orchestra

24. Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet: Balcony Scene (Act1) ((3 tracks as one))
London Symphony Orchestra
 
CD 2
1. Adam: Giselle: Valse (Act I)
Robert Irving

2. Adam: Giselle: Pas de deux (Act II)
Robert Irving

3. Adam: Le Corsaire - Pas de deux and Variations - I. Pas de deux
Terence Kern

4. Adam: Le Corsaire - Pas de deux and Variations - II. Variation 1
Terence Kern

5. Adam: Le Corsaire - Pas de deux and Variations - III. Variation 2
Terence Kern

6. Adam: Le Corsaire - Pas de deux and Variations - IV. Coda
Terence Kern

7. Delibes: Coppélia: Waltz
Sir Charles Mackerras

8. Delibes:Coppélia: Czárdás
Sir Charles Mackerras

9. Offenbach: Gaîté Parisienne: Overture (La Vie Parisienne)
Manuel Rosenthal

10. Delibes: Sylvia (Suite): Pizzicati
Sir Charles Mackerras

11. Stravinsky: Petrushka - Scènes burlesques en quatre tableaux, Première tableau: Le tour de passe-passe - Danse russe
City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

12. Stravinsky: Apollo - Ballet en deux tableaux (1947 revised version), Deuxième tableaux: Coda (Apollon et les Mus
City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

13. Chopin: Les Sylphides: Grande Valse brillante in E flat, Op.18
Robert Irving

14. Poulenc: Les Biches: Rondeau
Ambrosian Singers

15. Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, Part III: 4. Danse générale - Bacchanale
London Symphony Chorus (Lsc)

16. Franck: Variations symphoniques
Jean-Philippe Collard

17. Satie: Monotones: Gnossienne No.1 (Lent)
John Lanchbery

18. Lanchbery: Tales of Beatrix Potter - Music from the Royal Ballet film: Mrs Tiggy-Winkle's Laundry
John Lanchbery

19. Sullivan/Mackerras: Pineapple Poll - Suite: I. Opening Dance
London Philharmonic Orchestra

20. Copland: Rodeo: Hoe-Down
Leonard Slatkin

21. Tchaikovsky: Serenade in C Op.48: II. Valse
City Of London Sinfonia

22. Faure: Shylock - incidental music Op.57: Final
Orchestre Du Capitole De Toulouse