Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (excerpts) - Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (excerpts) - Ormandy,
Philadelphia Orchestra
Ballet | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 376 MB
April 5, 1991 | Sony | RapidShare

I cannot remember ever enjoying a Swan Lake record so much before. This is dazzling playing of the kind traditionally associated with Philadelphia. After their disappointing showing in two recent Tchaikovsky discs I was apprehensive, but the superb panache of the opening of Act 1 bowled me over, and each of the bravura numbers had just the same impact-the Danse espagnole, the Mazurka, the outrageous can-can of the Pas de deux variation. But this is far more than a slick professional job. Ormandy has judged the degree of rubato in the slow numbers very finely: with a less rich-toned orchestra than this more rubato could have been allowed, but as it is soupiness is completely avoided, I think of the violins playing of the opening of the Act 3 Pas de deux with an ecstatic little portamento up to the new phrase, perfectly judged. The melancholy, very Russian melody of the Dance of the Little Swans, too, has the most natural phrasing from the woodwind. Maybe some will want a less high-powered approach than this, but I never find it out of scale. This is highly recommended, particularly for those who have ever been jaded with this score. The choice of numbers could hardly be better : and the recording, both rich and brilliant, is particularly expansive in the stereo version.--Gramophone

CD Content

Swan Lake Suite: Act 1-Scene; Valse (corps de ballet); Pas de trois. Act 2-Scene; Scene; Danses des petits cygnes-Coda. Act 3-Danse espagnole; Dane hongroisc (Czardas); Mazurka; Pas de deux (Variation 1, Coda). Act 4-Danses des petits cygnes; Scene finale.

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