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DV8 - Three Ballets By DV8 Physical Theatre

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
directed by: David Hinton, Clara van Gool

February 05, 2007

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Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake [1996]

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
starring: Adam Cooper, Scott Ambler, Fiona Chadwick, Barry Atkinson (II), Emily Piercy
directed by: Matthew Bourne, Peter Mumford

October 05, 1998
A truly wonderful interpretation of the timeless classic. Every bit as stunning as seeing it live. Probably not one for the children, so if you are looking for that seek out a more traditional production.

It is witty, excellently crafted and moving. A world wide phenomenon and and instant classic. It is difficult for a DVD to truly capture the magic of a live performance, but this does an admirable job.

Essential viewing for all of the Billy Elliot's out there!

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Tchaikovsky: Ballet Suites

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
from: Universal Classics

October 14, 1996
One might have thought that the Ballet suites have been recorded too many times, for anyone to get excited about 'another' recording! In truth these are fabulous performances, with inner detail that I have to say I haven't heard in any other recordings! At an incredibly low price, I urge anyone thinking of buying a recording of the suites to look no further.
A superb cellist and wonderful conductor, golly how we will miss him!

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Piazzolla: Tango Zero Hour

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
from: Nonesuch

April 03, 2000
This as hands down one of the most astonishing recordings I have ever heard. I bought it knowing a bit about tango, and a bit about Piazzolla, but regardless of that, this is incredible music. The music itself is gorgeous - dark, beautiful, ominous, brooding and deeply passionate. The playing is beyond compare - laser precise and yet at the same time gritty and rough. This is very much a band effort, and what a band - they swing, caress and whip up thunder.

Apparently this angered the tango purists in Argentina, as did much of Piazzollas output, and I can see why - this is modern, vital music, with clear influences from jazz, classical music and even the rush of punk. I must emphasise that you do not need to know much about tango ... Read More:

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Romeo and Juliet (Previn)

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
by: Sergey Prokofiev

October 04, 2004
Ballet scores don't come any better than this. Prokofiev's score is an order of magnitude greater than Tchaikovsky's, and this classic version by Previn and the LSO does full justice to superlative music. It is intelligent, sensual and witty and offers outstanding value.

Prokofiev's score manages to match Shakespeare's drama in its intensity, complexity and economy. A notable feature of the play is its time compression. In the world of the play, all the action takes place in three or four days. In stage-time, this is reduced to a mere trice: 'the two-hour's traffic of our stage'. In Prokofiev's version, ideas come equally thick and fast - and enough of them to last most composers a lifetime. What's more, like the play, the ballet score is ... Read More:

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Unforgettable Ballet

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
by: Various Artists

April 15, 1996
great collection of the 'well known' tunes from nutcracker, swan lake, etc.

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Stravinsky - Rite of Spring; Firebird - Suite

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
from: Sony Classics

September 13, 1999
This is one piece of music is revolutionary. Instead of harmony or "tune" as it's content it uses rhythm. Primeval and dark it shows the picture of the tradition rite of spring Stravinsky was trying to show. This is ballet at it's best and at it's most raw. I cannot recommend this music enough. This forms a sort of bridge between the romantic era and the modern movement. Mix this music with works such as Picasso or even impressionists as Renoir washed down with buckets of absinthe and you will see what a revolution in sound and vision (plus resolve!) was going on. What are you doing you are reading on you should be buying this stop reading the review goes pretty boring from now on trust me! And for those not familiar with the ballet this was the music ... Read More:

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Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
from: Universal Classics

September 07, 2001
Valery Gergiev is a passionate conductor and it is somewhat of a surprise to hear his interpretation of Stravinsky's landmark work. This is an unusally quiet, brooding birth, less the outwardly dramatic, sonic bursting performances to which we've grown accustomed. While we wait for what Salonen and the LA Phil do with this work in the new acoutically wondrous Disney Hall in Los Angeles there is much to be learned and absorbed by this magnificently understated recording. Gergiev presents the ballet score more as a symphonic poem, uncovering many delicate moments rarely heard in this masterpiece. Not that he is afraid of massive outbursts - those are captured by him in this spacious recording brilliantly. The Kirov Orchestra obviously has played this piece ... Read More:

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Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
from: Naxos

November 04, 2002
If you love Tchaikovsky (you'll already have this), ballet or classical music his is for you. Lots of well known tunes and some lesser known ones that are just as good. A good quality recording too. Top quality.

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Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet

Childrens Toy Shop > Classical Music > Ballet and Dance
by: The Cleveland Orchestra Lorin Maazel

March 16, 1998
Sometimes music becomes something else, it becomes something so gripping that it takes over your mind and intoxicates your brain.

Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet does just that.

This is some of the most emotive music you've ever heard, and presented in excellent quality.

"Dance of the Knights" is my favourite piece, I know nothing of the technical side of music. All I know is that I love Prokofiev and that I can listen to this and be absorbed by it.

Whilst listening to this you can hear signature pieces very similar to those found in Peter and the Wolf, so after listening to this you become hungry for yet more Prokofiev!!!

5 stars and well worth it.