The Sleeping Beauty is frequently cut, but according
to the excellent sleeve-notes, this recording is absolutely
complete. It includes, for example, the aristocratic dances
in the 1st Tableau of Act 2 and the dance of the Sapphire Fairy,
the Pas Berrichon and the Sarabande in Act 3.
Stravinsky declared The Sleeping Beauty to be Tchaikovsky's
chef d'oeuvre and he was not far wrong, for it demonstrates
many of the composer's best musical characteristics: it is tuneful,
dramatic, skilfully orchestrated and never dull. The composer
himself was 'charmed and delighted beyond all description' by
the scenario. 'It suits me perfectly and I ask for nothing more
than to set it to music.' When, after just a few weeks, he had
finished the composition, he wrote to his patron, Nadezhda von
Meck: 'I think, my dear friend, that the music of this ballet
will comprise one of my best works'. He did have trouble with
the scoring but that was because he wished to use new instrumental
combinations. This splendid recording makes it obvious that
he, for example, replaces the harp with the piano as an obbligato
instrument in the final act. It is sad that his first audience
was unimpressed, the Tsar apparently remarked that it was 'very
nice' and then haughtily dismissed the composer from his presence!
We can relax because this is far more than very nice - it is
a superb rendering. Neeme Järvi seems never to put a foot
wrong and the Bergen orchestra impresses as much, conducted
by him, as it does under its principal conductor Andrew Litton
in his many recordings for BIS. The producers have pulled out
all the stops and engaged no less a violinist than James Ehnes
to play the important violin solos, a strikingly indulgent decision
which pays dividends because Ehnes' outstanding technique makes
these sections truly memorable. The Grieghallen is obviously
a lovely venue because the 5.0 MCH recording has a high degree
of reality, not a description I often feel able to use.
Tchaikovsky's score is unusually coherent for a ballet. Of the
huge number of compositions to which choreographers regularly
work, Tchaikovsky's belong, along with those of Prokofiev and
Stravinsky, in the group of musically important creations which
succeed in the concert hall as much as in the theatre. For many
years my personal reaction to The Sleeping Beauty was
somewhat muted. I have a performance by the LSO and André
Previn recorded by EMI in 1974 and I have never enjoyed it as
much as Swan Lake or The Nutcracker. Spending
time with this new Chandos set has quite revised my opinion.
The sense of dramatic structure and urgent forward motion is
captivating. One is even propelled through the rather anti-climactic
final act, where there is really no significant action. On stage
Act 3 is really just 47 minutes of balletic bravura, properly
a Divertissement, but Järvi and the Bergen band continue
to treat the score seriously. As Tchaikovsky himself believed,
he composed some of his very best music for this ballet, worthy
to stand with the Fantasy Overture - Romeo and Juliet,
Manfred and the Fifth Symphony. David Nice's sleeve-notes
are right to emphasise the importance of the complete score
as a significant dramatic masterpiece.
This is a great work in a very fine performance beautifully
recorded.
Dave Billinge
see also review by Nick
Barnard
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James Ehnes (violin); Robert DeMaine (cello); Johannes Wik (harp)
[77:14 + 77:56] 