COMPOSERS: Tchaikovsky
LABELS: DG
WORKS: Swan Lake
PERFORMER: Boston SO/Seiji Ozawa
CATALOGUE NO: 453 055-2 ADD (1979)
Boston sheen and precision can be a fair exchange for heavyweight Russian soul, especially in Tchaikovsky’s first ballet – complete on two CDs except for the supplementary Act III ‘Pas de deux’ (only partly orchestrated by Tchaikovsky). Save for the Prince’s Tutor, the second visiting princess and the sad little swans in Act IV, characterisations are briskly dramatic and much assisted by swift-flowing presentation (few long gaps between tracks). The Boston woodwind have an attractive stake in the vivid, highly artificial sound-picture, and all the orchestral solos are stylishly if coolly taken. David Nice
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
Boston sheen and precision can be a fair exchange for heavyweight Russian soul, especially in Tchaikovsky’s first ballet – complete on two CDs except for the supplementary Act III ‘Pas de deux’ (only partly orchestrated by Tchaikovsky). Save for the Prince’s Tutor, the second visiting princess and the sad little swans in Act IV, characterisations are briskly dramatic and much assisted by swift-flowing presentation (few long gaps between tracks).
Our rating
3
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:06 pm