The Royal Ballet Gala Performances (2 LP + Book)

Ernest Ansermet

SKU: AAPC6065

Barcode: 753088606519

80.00 £80.00

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Mastered by Bernie Grundman.

In the hearts of thousands, No. 1 on the Top RCA list. While the bulk of Ansermet’s recordings were made with L’Orchestre de la Susise Romande, there were a few with the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra and the very occasional foray into recordings with London orchestras, one of these being with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1959.

Audiophilia Online Magazine wrote: “This is the stuff of which dreams are made. The Royal Ballet Gala is one of the finest RCAs recorded in London’s Kingsway Hall. The chunks of great ballet music are well served by orchestra, conductor and engineer. Performances are executed to a very high standard – the Royal Opera House Orchestra, both then and now, rank as one of the finest of opera orchestras.

“Conductor Ansermet keeps the pace moving, giving the listener the impression of a dance event rather than a dramatic concert hall reading. With the exception of some of the Tchaikovsky scenes, the music is light and remains so under Ansermet’s gentle touch. Each ballet is given full attention by the players, something not always attained at Covent Garden during long ballet nights! The threat of eternity does have it’s merits. The recorded sound is simply amazing! Lustrous is one word that comes to mind, accurate is another.

“Tonally, Messrs. Williamson and Wilkinson have used their considerable talents to capture the orchestra superbly. Woodwind and strings glow and resonate, transporting this listener to a time when simpler recording was better. Brass ring out thrillingly and percussion effects are very musical. Be it a bang, swish, rattle, crack or snap, each percussionist is situated perfectly within the beautiful Kingsway soundstage. Even the difficult-to-record sound of the celeste is captured in it’s purely mechanical form. It’s delicate sound is heard to great effect during the Nutcracker – originating stage left, the sound decays across the stage of Kingsway with sparkling beauty. Wonderful.”

Producer: Michael Williamson
Engineer Kenneth Wilkinson

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Track Listings

LP1
1. Nutcracker Suite - March
2. Nutcracker Suite - Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
3. Nutcracker Suite - Arabian Dance
4. Nutcracker Suite - Chinese Dance
5. Nutcracker Suite - Dance Of The Toy Flutes
6. Nutcracker Suite - Waltz Of The Flowers
7. La Boutique Fantasque - Tarantella
8. La Boutique Fantasque - Andante Mosso
9. La Boutique Fantasque - Can-Can
10. Coppelia - Introduction (Allegro Marcato) And Mazurka - Act 1
11. Coppelia - Introduction (Andante ) And Waltz - Act 1
12. Coppelia - Czardas - Act 1
13. Coppelia - Valse De La Poupee - Act 2
14. Giselle - Introduction And Waltz - Act 1
15. Giselle - Pas De Deux And Variation - Act 2

LP2
1. Swan Lake - Dance Of The Little Swans (Pas De Quatre) - Act 2
2. Swan Lake - Pas De Deux - Act 2
3. Swan Lake - Waltz - Act 2
4. Carnaval - Pierror
5. Carnaval - Reconnaissance
6. Carnaval - Aveu
7. Carnaval - Pantalon Et Columbine
8. Sleeping Beauty - Introduction - The Lilac Fairy - Prologue
9. Sleeping Beauty - Rose Adagio - Pase D'Action - Act 1
10. Sleeping Beauty - Waltz - Act 1
11. Les Sylphides - Overture: Prelude In A Major, Opus 28, No. 7
12. Les Sylphides - Mazurka In C Major, Opus 67, No. 3
13. Les Sylphides - Grande Valse Brillante In E Flat Major, Opus 18

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