Customer Reviews

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Highlights)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not many people know about John Lanchbery. He was a wonderful ballet conductor in the '60s and he was a composer too: he wrote, among other things, the music for a ballet film called "Tales Of Beatrix Potter". (Now, if you don't know that film or that music, you have to check it out - be ready to make a friend for life. It's Frederick Ashton and the Covent Garden and boy is it something. It was, as if this weren't good enough, directed by Reginald Mills, who edited THE dance film: Michael Powell's "The Red Shoes"). Now - as to this disc: a fine hour-long condensation of this long and variegated score. It's a
well-articulated, even idiosyncratic performance - not exactly smooth and creamy like Ormandy and the Philadelphia's, and this is a good thing. We've all heard this music so many times, the last thing we want is something nondescript. Lancbery swings the hell out of this music, and he gives us detail, depth, and cogency too. The Philharmonia sound great, particularly the brass, as well as the woodwinds (who get a lot to do in this score). In short, it's a winner - maybe not as polished as some others, but tons of heart, which is ultimately what counts with this music. Get it and trip the light fantastic.

Since a small child, I have loved the music from "The Nutcracker." This CD does not disappoint, more importantly, it is a good value with all the full body of a professional orchestra, all the many different pieces are performed, and I was flooded with pleasant memories as I listened raptly. I'm glad I bought it. This will be a wonderful addition to anyone's classical music CD library.

As a previous reviewer said, the English Gigue is a hard-to-find song, and few people know of its existence. This is actually because it was the first thing that Tchaikovsky wrote (according to ballet lore), and the first thing that he threw out. That said, this is a good album. The Divertissements sound a tiny bit fast, but every orchestra has a different spin on it, and all-in-all, this was worth buying. Many Nutcracker albums out there are an embarrassment, so this is refreshing.

I have never heard of John Lanchbery but I was looking for a recording of "Nutcracker" highlights that featured more than the suite to play in my car this Christmas. This recording seemed to fit the bill so I ordered it and haven't been able to stop playing it since it arrived! The peformance is beautifully conducted with lots of feeling for the music. It is lively and vivacious, yet sweet and sentimental as well-I especially like his performance of the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". The tempo is a little slow on the "Waltz of the Flowers' but the end result is quite pleasing. It also includes a selection I have never heard before and did not even know existed: The "Gigue(English Dance"). All in all I am thrilled with this recording. It will get alot of use both in my car and in my home stereo system.