Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com essential recording
Swan Lake was the first of Tchaikovsky's three great ballets-- works which added a new level of depth and sophistication to what had been a purely superficial art form. Today the music is so well-known and popular that it's impossible to comprehend the difficulties the composer experienced at early performances. Audiences found the music "too symphonic," and the dancers were put off by the prominence given to the orchestra which, they felt, distracted ballet fans from the action on stage. Of course, all of these supposed "defects" are precisely what we admire about the music today, and this elegant but exciting performance reveals the music in all of its glory. --David Hurwitz |
Customer Reviews
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 ...if you're a violinist, May 12, 2023
...then you MUST make a point of listening to this recording. Silverstein's performances of the black/white swans and the Danse Russe are simply spectacular. If anyone needed a reminder as to why he's possibly the greatest concertmaster in recording history (and high on the list of violinists, as well), here it is.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Yes, This 2 CD Set is edited, slightly, from the 3 LP Set., Sep 15, 2023
No numbers have been deleted. But for DG to have made room for this onto 2 CD's, a few of the numbers had to be edited down. However, no music has really been deleted either. All which has been edited, is of music previously heard. Just repeated sections have been deleted. All in all, only four minutes of music is missing from the original 3 LP set. DG has done a most intelligent job of the editing which they were faced with. In no way does it distract from the enjoyment of this performance. It remains the most exciting complete "Swan Lake" out there. The only complete "Swan Lakes" which are more exciting than this, are the live Ozawa/Boston performances, dating just a week or two before this recording was made by DG; and those live performances are locked in The Boston Symphony Orchestra archives!!
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Perfect!, Jun 29, 2023
Perfect all around! This score is nicely done, all the music is there, and the musicianship is TOP notch. The violin player, especially, is VERY good. The violin parts that are meant to dazzle REALLY come off that way.
The quality of recording is really good too, albeit possibly too quiet.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a complete score of Swan Lake, possibly Tchaikovsky's best work.
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
 Swan Lake, Mar 12, 2023
If you are a fan of Tchaikovsky and Swan Lake you will appreciate this cd. I think the music is beautiful and it evokes all of the emotions of the ballet. I love this.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Only one flaw, Feb 28, 2023
This is an excellent recording. However, the Black Swan pas de deux is not in the where most companies place it. It seems buried in the middle, when it is usually the culmination of the third act. However, this is easily correctible in rehearsal and performance, and everything else is stunningly beautiful.
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Based on 12 reviews.