Customer Reviews

Glazunov: Raymonda - Music from the Ballet

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Although Glazunov did not exhibit the genius of his mentor, Rimsky-Korsakov, he was a talented composer in his own right with a gift for pleasing melodies as well as striking orchestrations. Glazunov's three ballet scores are among his finest works. Of these "The Seasons" is probably the best -- a melodic gem throughout its relatively-short length. The longer "Raymonda," while not as consistently inspired as "The Seasons," contains much beautiful music that no lover of ballet -- or of Russian Romanticism -- should miss. This CD contains virtually all of the best music from "Raymonda" while ommitting the less-inspired parts. I highly recommend it.

I bought this CD because, as a pianist, I played parts of this ballet in the studio with some dancers. During the same rehearsal I listened to some parts of 'Raymonda' on CD and was pleased by this music, especially the Entr'acte from the first act, which was beautifully danced by a very talented young couple. In a way, to see something like that in an empty studio with harsh light is even more impressive and moving than at the colorful stage of a nice theatre.

Anyway, I wanted to have the music myself. This performance is OK, though probably not the best: the recording is from 1986, the sound of the orchestra is not very warm or natural and the recording itself is too spatial, I prefer a more direct, detailed sound. The Scottish National Orchestra under Järvi is also OK but sometimes a bit inaccurate and dutiful. Some CD's I like because of the performance in the first place, this CD I like in particular because of the music.