Today we revere Tchaikovsky primarily as a composer of highly romantic orchestral music, but he was perhaps even more a man of the theatre. True, only two or three of his many operas remain in the standard repertoire of the world’s opera houses, but with the arrival of increasing numbers of outstanding Russian musicians on the international scene, his reputation as an opera composer is becoming deservedly enhanced. Perhaps because there are no words to provide an obstacle, the popularity of his three great ballets, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker has been constant. In the theatre they represent the pinnacle of the Russian ballet tradition, and the concert suites continue to draw capacity audiences to the great concert halls of the world. Performed by L’Orchestre De La Suisse Romande and Conducted by Ernest Ansermet.

CD1

Prologue

1. Introduction – March
2. No.2: Scène dansante (Entrance of the Fairies)

Pas de six

3. No.3a: Intrada – Adagio (Allegro vivo)
4. No.3c: Variation I (Candite)
5. No.3d: Variation II (Coulante)
6. No.3e: Variation III (Falling crumbs)
7. No.3f: Variation IV (Songbird Fairy)
8. No.3g: Variation V (Violente)
9. No.3h: Variation VI (Lilac Fairy) (Waltz)
10.No.3i: Coda
11.No.4: Finale (La Fée des lilas sort)

Act One

12.No.5: Scène (The Palace Garden)
13.No.6: Valse
14.No.7: Scène (The Four Princes)

Pas d’action

15.No.8a: Introduction (Andante) – Adagio (Rose Adagio)
16.No.8b: Dance of the Maids of Honour and the Pages
17.No.8c: Aurora’s Variation
18.No.8d: Coda
19.No.9: Finale (La Fée des lilas partait)

CD 2

Act Two

1. No.10: Entr’acte et scène
2. No.11: Colin-maillard (Allegro vivo)

Scenes and Dances

3. No.12a: Scène (Moderato)
4. No.12b: Dance of the Duchesses (Minuet)
5. No.12c: Dance of the Baronesses (Gavotte)
6. No.12d: Dance of the Countesses
7. No.12e: Dance of the Marquises
8. No.13: Farandole: Scène – Danse
9. No.14: Scène – Arrival of the Huntsmen
10.No.15a: Pas d’action – Vision of Aurora
11.No.15b: Variation d’Aurore (Allegro comodo)
12.No.15c: Coda
13.No.16: Scène(Allegro agitato)
14.No.17: Panorama (Andantino)
15.Nos.19/20: Scène and Finale

Act Three

16.No.21: Marche
17.No.22: Polacca (Allegro moderato)

Pas de quatre

18.No.23a: Intrada (Allegro non tanto)
19.No.23b: Variation I: Valse (The Golden Fairy)
20.No.23c: Variation II: Polka (The Silver Fairy)
21.No.23e/f: Variation IV (The Diamond Fairy) and Coda
22.No.24: Pas de caractère (Puss-In-Boots and the White Cat)

Pas de quatre

23.No.25a: Adagio
24.No.25b: Variation 1: Valse (Cinderella and the Prince)
25.No.25c: Variation II (Bluebird and Florisse)
26.No.25d: Coda
27.No.26: Pas de caractère (Red Riding Hood)
28.No.27a: Pas berrichon (Hop o’my thumb)
29.No.27b: Pas de caractère (Cinderella and Prince Fortune)

Pas de deux

30.No.28a/b: Intrada: Adagio
31.No.28c: Variation I (Prince)
32.No.28d: Variation II (Aurora)
33.No.28e: Coda: Allegro vivace (The Three Ivans)
34.No.29: Sarabande

Finale and Apotheosis

35.No.30a: Allegro brillante – Mazurka
36.No.30b: Allegro brillante – Apothéose