Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
Balletti e Suite

If you want to approach the complex genius of Tchaikovsky, ballet is probably the most convenient choice, at least based on my personal experience.
Indeed, after watching an excellent DVD edition of Swan Lake (immediately reviewed on these pages), I had to delve deeper into the subject and fill an evident gap.
Having accessed my electronic wallet, I did not hesitate to integrate (as much as possible) my discography with Ballets and their Suites. The following lines are an account of these recent listenings:

•    Swan Lake Op. 20
o    New York Philharmonic, Bernstein – CBS – 1972 (Suite in CD)*
o    Berliner Philharmoniker, Rostropovich – DG – 1979 (Suite in CD)
o    Labèque K. & M. – Philips – 1995 - (Piano four hands transcription in CD)
o    Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater, Gergiev – Decca – 2007 (Ballet in DVD)
•    The Sleeping Beauty Op. 66
o    Berliner Philharmoniker, Rostropovich – DG – 1979 (Suite in CD)*
o    The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House – Ovsyanikov - Opus Arte – 2006 (Ballet in DVD)
•    The Nutcracker Op. 71
o    New York Philharmonic, Bernstein – CBS – 1972 (Suite in CD)
o    Berliner Philharmoniker, Rostropovich – DG – 1979 (Suite in CD)
o    Munchner Philharmoniker, Celibidache – EMI – 1991 (Suite in CD)*
o    Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Mravinsky – Philips – 1981 (Suite in CD)*
o    Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Mravinsky – Dreamlife – 1982 (Suite in DVD)*
o    The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House – Rozhdestvensky – NVC Arts – 1985 (Ballet in DVD)*

Let's start with the Swans: there is no point in comparing the two Russians Gergiev-Rostropovich, nor between Gergiev and Bernstein. The audio-only listening becomes unnecessary for the first (Gergiev), essential for the second (Rostropovich), fabulous for the third. In the first part of the Suites (from “The Dance of the Swans” to the “Pas de Deux Odette-Sigfrido”), Bernstein delivers a T. of extreme elegance and refinement, expressing rare sweetness, but also magnificent lyricism and sensuality. Despite the not excellent recording (rather harsh string register, especially in solo interventions), the control over the orchestra remains impeccable; a genius orchestrator as he is, B. controls the excellent New York ensemble both in general phrasing and in rich solo interventions. The palette of colors becomes wide and devastatingly beautiful even in the second part of the Suite, where T. becomes energetic, heroic, almost triumphant, in stark contrast with the tormented story of this ballet. One cannot help but think of a sense of revenge against the vagaries of fate. The original transcription by Debussy for piano four hands of three Dances extracted from the Ballet is simply curious.

The Suite for The Sleeping Beauty is the only one among the three not to be the original work of the author. Even here, however, as with the Swans the audio-only listening of the DVD edition is qualitatively inferior to the CD edition. Ovsyanikov, while conducting with craftsmanship a performance that is overall very valid (it is always His Majesty's Ballet!), cannot withstand the comparison with a Rostropovich leading the Berliner, all the more so because the Russian in all three Suites shows an innate national pride. The German masters bring back with renowned virtuosity the full Russian vigor of his very personal interpretation. Here the key is the interplay of contrasts and dynamics: an example is in the first movement of the Sleeping Beauty Suite (“Introduction. The Lilac Fairy”) where the extreme sweetness of the Fairy's theme introduced by the harp and the winds, with the violins accompanying melodically, is contrasted by the reprise of the theme played with devastating power by the whole orchestra, with percussions and brass in evidence. The Rostropovich edition, beyond the artistic merits, has the advantage of collecting all three Suites in a single CD.

With The Nutcracker, things become more complex but, if desired, definitely more interesting. We have already discussed Rostropovich. Bernstein does not reach here, in my opinion, the heights of the Swans due to the choice of fast tempos that make part of the score's magic lost. Thus remain Rozhdestvensky, Celibidache, and Mravinsky.
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House does not seem the same as Ovsyanikov under the skilled baton of Rozhdestvensky. The Russian conductor succeeds in the not easy task of putting dance at the service of music and not vice versa; his direction faithfully conveys the different moments of the score: irony, magic, heroism, mystery. His "Arabian Dance", normally very sensual, becomes almost a requiem under his baton. Eros and Thanatos.

Grand finale: Celibidache and Mravinsky. With the Romanian Maestro, it is known, everything changes. As if under a spell, the ballet disappears. The tempos dilate, and one appreciates note by note the beauty of Tchaikovsky's music. Celibidache manages to build unique symphonic tableaux: voilà, the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” takes us back to Disney's “Fantasia”. The sound of the celesta becomes the ingredient for preparing a magical potion; the “Russian Dance” is the sequence of a western movie; the “Arabian Dance” is charged with provocative sensuality. The wind inserts become sensuous whispers in the lovers' ears. Wonderful. The “Waltz of the Flowers” is a palace celebration with dances, lights, and fireworks.

Mravinsky (in CD and in DVD) offers not the usual Suite but the final sections of the two acts, which are less spectacular but endowed with greater narrative continuity, proving that here, wherever you pick, you pick well. About this edition, I simply report what I read in an old issue of CD CLASSICA: “This music is, to say the least, transfigured at every moment... this disc remains a document to approach with wonder and to hold among the precious things (F. M. Colombo)”. The almost 10’ minutes of applause in the DVD edition are well deserved, which remains an exceptional document of the charisma, professionalism, integrity, and genius of a great conductor, then almost eighty but with still much to teach.

I apologize to the editors for the length, but on certain things, there can be no cuts.