Nutcracker / Cinderella Highlights

Nutcracker / Cinderella Highlights

Nutcracker / Cinderella Highlights
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Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2007-07-31
Music Label: Class. for Pleas. Us
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
  1. Miniature Overture
  2. 1. The Decoration Of the Christmas Tree
  3. 2. March
  4. 3. Children's Galop And Entry Of the Parents
  5. 4. Arrival Of Drosselmeyer
  6. 5. Grandfather's Dance
  7. 6. Departure Of the Guests - Night
  8. 7. The Battle
  9. 8. The Forest Of Fir Trees In Winter
  10. 9. Waltz Of the Snowflakes
  11. 10. Confiturembourg (The Kingdom Of Sweets)
  12. 11. Entrance Of Clara And the Prince/12. Divertissement:
  13. a: Chocolate (Spanish Dance)
  14. b: Coffee (Arab Dance)
  15. c: Tea (Chinese Dance)
  16. d: Trepak (Russian Dance)
  17. e: Dance Of the Reed Flutes
  18. f: Mother Gigogne
  19. 13. Waltz Of the Flowers
Music CD 2
  1. 14. a: Pas De Deux
  2. b: Variation 1 (Tarantella)
  3. c: Variation 2 (Dance Of the Sugar-Plum Fairy) - Coda
  4. 15. Final Waltz And Apotheosis
  5. Fantasy Overture
  6. Marche Slave Op.31
  7. 1812 Overture Op.49
  8. 12. The Spring Fairy (Presto)
  9. 13. The Summer Fairy (Andantino Sognando)
  10. 15. The Autumn Fairy (Allegro Moderato)
  11. 16. The Winter Fairy (Allegro Moderato)
  12. 36. Pas De Deux: The Prince And Cinderella (Adagio)
  13. 37. Waltz Coda (Allegro Espressivo)
  14. 38. Midnight (Allegro Moderato)

Free Music Notes for Nutcracker / Cinderella Highlights

Free Music Review: The complete Nutcracker to own (and at a bargain price)!
Hit: 5 Stars

This was the first complete "Nutcracker" I purchased back in the mid '70s when it was recommended by a sales person in a NY Record World store (remember those?) and I believe I paid considerably more for that 2-LP set than this bargain reissue from the folks at EMI on their Classics for Pleasure label. (I have attached an image of the original '70s LP release to this listing.)

This particular performance of the "Nutcracker" is still my favorite, even though I have explored some of the more recent DDD recordings that are available. Andre Previn has a wonderful feel for this Tchaikovsky score which just overflows with memorable melodies: The Miniature Overture, March, Trepak (Russian Dance), Dance of the Reed Flutes, Waltz of the Flowers, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy... you'll recognize all these melodies. This is a wonderful performance in terms of dynamics and pacing: some of the more recent so-called "concert" recordings of this work, such as the much praised and excellent Gergiev (Pytor Illych Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker - Complete Ballet), can sound a bit rushed at times. Previn always treats this music lovingly and it comes across in the performance of the LSO. The strings sound warm and lush and there is no brashness to the horns or reed instruments. Also the remastering on this CD reissue beautifully captures all the warmth and clarity of the original analog recording.

I actually prefer this analog LSO version to the '90s era DDD recording (Nutcracker) in which Previn conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (also on EMI). Apparently EMI prefers it as well which is perhaps why you can find the LSO version in this complete recording, as part of the boxed-set of complete Tchaikovsky ballets (Tchaikovsky: The Ballets / André Previn), and on their single disc budget compilation of the ballet "highlights" (Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker; Sleeping Beauty; Swan Lake (Highlights)). The RPO performance on the other hand is not currently in print.

The Nutcracker alone is worth the price of admission but in addition to that there is another 45 minutes dedicated to some of Tchaikovsky's most popular concert works: the 1812 Overture, Marche Slave, and the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture. Again Previn proves to be a sympathetic interpreter even if the "1812" is not as fierce in the finale as some might like. Another 15 minutes of excerpts from Prokoviev's "Cinderella" ballet is just icing on the cake. And although Prokofiev's musical language is very different from Tchaikovsky's, the seven short items selected for this release are light enough that they sit alongside Tchaikovsky's works quite nicely.

The Previn complete "Nutcracker" at full price would be hghly recommendable but at this price it's a steal. And when you add in the additional hour of music, this is one set that should not be missed.

(Note: this version is already out of print: what a shame as the extra tracks make for great "filler". This is the current release of the Previn/LSO Nutcracker: Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker)
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