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July 2004 Film Music CD Reviews

Film Music Editor: Gary S. Dalkin
Managing Editor: Ian Lace
Music Webmaster Len Mullenger

index page/ monthly listings / July /

Angelina Ballerina Presents Classic Ballet Favourites  
Various
  Various orchestras and conductors
  Avaliable on Decca 4761291
CD Running time: 78.30
DVD running time not known
Crotchet   Amazon UK

angelina ballerina

  1. Colin Towns - Angelina Ballerina Theme
  2. Tchaikovsky - Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker)
  3. Tchaikovsky - Dance Of The Mirlitons (The Nutcracker)
  4. Tchaikovsky – Rose Adagio (Sleeping Beauty)
  5. Delibes - Prelude and Mazurka (Act 1) (Coppelia)
  6. Tchaikovsky - Dance Of The Little Swans (Swan Lake)
  7. Tchaikovsky - Final (Act 1) (Swan Lake)
  8. Stravinsky - Russian Dance (Petrushka)
  9. Adam - Entre e de Giselle (Act 1) (Giselle)
  10. Prokofiev - Dance Of The Knights (Romeo and Juliet)
  11. Delibes - Pizzicati (Act 111) (Sylvia)
  12. Chopin - Waltz (Les Sylphides)
  13. Prokofiev - Shawl Dance (Cinderella)
  14. Sullivan, arranged Mackerras - Grand Finale (Pineapple Poll)
  15. Offenbach - Overture (Orpheus In The Underworld)
  16. Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice
  17. Show Must Go On (Full Length Story)
  18. Mad Bad & Dangerous (Full Length Story)

DVD

  1. Episode 1 - Ballet Tickets
  2. Episode 2 – Angelina The Mouse Detective

Angelina Ballerina is a popular children's animated TV series about the titular ballet dancing mouse, based on books by Katharine Holabird and engaging the voice talent of Dame Judi Dench. This 2 disc set contains a CD of famous ballet highlights drawn from various Decca, Polydor, Universal and DG recordings together with Colin Town's engaging title theme, two full length audio adventures, and a DVD featuring two episodes from the programme itself. I can't comment on these as the review set did not include the DVD.

However, for fans of the programme the CD makes a wonderful introduction to famous ballet music, with a clear emphasis on light, accessible melodic pieces which will have particular appeal to the youthful target audience. The sound does vary, as recordings span the period 1949 to 2003. Nevertheless, these are all top recordings with such orchestras as the LSO and London Philharmonic.

Each piece is introduced by Finty Williams – who voices Angelina on television – and the insert provides notes on each piece and a fold-out guide to introductory ballet steps. The CD ends with Finty Williams reading two Angelina Ballerina stories, Ballet Tickets and Angelina The Mouse Detective, the tales totalling around 14 minutes playing time of a generously filled 78 minute disc.

An excellent value set which is sure to delight Angelina Ballerina fans, this is just the way to introduce young children to the delights of classical music, and anything which gets the little ones away from the caterwauling racket which is today's media soundscape can only be a very good thing!

Gary Dalkin

***** 5

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