Amazon.com essential recording: By the time Prokoviev came to write this great ballet in 1935, Russia was the only country that still had a tradition of "classical" ballet--that is, full-length works of several hours with a single coherent story line. Prokofiev's model was Tchaikovsky, and like his predecessor, he encountered severe problems getting the work produced. The dancers thought the music too complicated and unsuitable for dancing, and so the piece was first performed in Czechoslovakia, only later making a triumphant stage debut at the Bolshoi. It has never been out of the repertoire since. This recording set a new standard of orchestral excellence in performance of this music, and is still the version of choice for the complete ballet. --David Hurwitz
Disc 1:
Romeo And Juliet: Intro - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 1: Romeo - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 1: The Street Awakens/Morning Dance - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 1: The Quarrel - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 1: The Fight - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 1: The Prince Gives His Order/Interlude - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Preparations For The Ball (Juliet And The Nurse) - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Juliet As A Young Girl - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Arrival Of The Guests (Minuet) - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Masks - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Dance Of The Knights - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Juliet's Var - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Mercutio - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Madrigal - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Tybalt Recognises Romeo - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: The Departure Of The Guests (Gavotte) - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act I Scene 2: Balcony Scene/Romeo's Var/Love Dance - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act II Scene 1: Folk Dance - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act II Scene 1: Romeo And Mercutio - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act II Scene 1: Dance Of The Five Couples - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act II Scene 1: Dance With Mands - Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Act II Scene 1: The Nurse/The Nurse Delivers Juliet's Message To Romeo - Sergei Prokofiev
Disc 2:
Romeo And Juliet: Romeo At Friar Laurence's - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet At Friar Laurence's - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: The People Continue To Make Merry - Further Public Festivities - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Tybalt Meets Mercutio - Tybalt And Mercutio Fight, Mercutio Dies - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Romeo Resolves To Avenge Mercutio's Death - Finale - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Introduction (Act Three) - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: The Last Farewell - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: The Nurse - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet Refuses To Marry Paris - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet Alone - Interlude - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: At Friar Laurence's - Interlude - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet's Room - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet Alone - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Morning Serenade - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Dance Of The Girls With Lilies - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: At Juliet's Bedside - Prokofiev
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet's Funeral - Death of Juliet - Prokofiev
Totally transporting experience - magical Prokofiev is a genius. And his Romeo and Juliet ballet music is a totally transporting and thrilling experience. having seen this ballet many times in America and Russia, I agree with many that is the best ballet in the classical repertoire. This set of two CDs captures it all. Most recordings are of one suite of the music or the other. It takes two CDs to capture it all and this one does it very well. It is romance at the edge. It ia magical. Frederick R. Andresen, Author of "Walking on Ice, An American Businessman in Russia," over sixteen years in Russian business, six years in residence.
Thanks to previous reviewers! Thanks to the reviewers who chimed in previously I chose this version over several other available R&J CDs that were offered. I was not disappointed!
As a ballet dancer who has been in this production, I was looking for a crisp rendition with solid tempo, that was still able to touch the lyrical side as well without dragging. The Cleveland Orchestra does not fail to impress with gorgeous range and depth.
The moody dark scenes are palatable, while the early childlike Juliet part skips along in youthful exuberance. In Friar Lawrences chamber, reverance and seriousness emerge in contrast to the strong trumpeting ball scene. A big thank you to the excellent reviews of this CD which enabled the perfect purchase.
If you must own one classical CD, make this it. This is without doubt one of the best CDs I own, and surely the best contemporary one. The orchestra performs so cleanly and magically that you don't even realize that there are instruments playing the melodies, just a story being told. (which is the point, you're not listening to music, but rather a story) I think Prokofiev captured the spirit of the play really, really well; themes such as the shrill highs and unsettling lows of Tybalt Recognizes Romeo really give me the chills and develop the characters. Other highlights include the Dance of the Knights, Romeo Resolves to Avenge Mercutio (the buildup after the violent repeating percussion halfway through the track is enchantingly Prokofiev-esque--the themes building upon one another, really making the listener feel for him/herself the grief and anger), and the pretty but faintly creepy and forboding Morning Serenade. The Epilogue, luckily, tops even these, and you really feel Romeo's despair as he dances with lifeless Juliet. This is one of those CDs that I thought mediocre upon first listening, but upon second and third I fell in love. Beautiful beyond words. Now I want to see the ballet!
Maybe the Greatest 20th Century Music I grew up with this music and along with Petrushka, it seems to be right at the top of the short list of the greatest music of the 20th Century. This Maazel/Cleveland/Decca recording keeps popping up because it is so exciting and the sound is so great. The haunting, eerie quality of the music comes through and you will get chills just as you are supposed to.
A palpable hit--and, yes, from Maazel Maazel succeeded to the leadership of the Cleveland Orch. after the death of George Szell in 1971. It wasn't a happy tenure, as several of his haven't been. Maazel is a murky character as a conductor, gifted with an incredible ear and great stick technique but a strange emotional sense. Quite often his performances badly misfire through superficiality, uninvolvement, or perverse tempo choices, not ot mention his tendency to phrase in a precise, pointed, bloodless way.
But none oof these things pertian to this, one of his very best recordings in a long career. There's a lot of brazen, blatant music in Romeo and Juliet, so Maazzel isn't far form home turf. The engineers have given him excelent sound, and the Clevelanders play with utmost commitment and skill.
I would still rate Gergiev's complete set higher, and half a dozen recordings of the suites from this ballet are better--including Abbado, Salonen, Mravinsky, and Chung--but the musicianship on display here is of a high order. This is definitely to be preferred over the lackluster Previn on EMI.
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