9 replies to this topic

[Nanarina]

      I have been recently looking up these two ballets on YouTube, as they both are great favourites of mine, I thought I would ask other members which they prefer (if they like them!!).Or if they like them both equally as I do myself?

In connection with this thread, I have just discovered an excellent recording on CD of the complete ballet music to Etudes by Knudage Riisager(after Carl Czerny)  The recording is on Chandos, by the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gennady  Rozhdestvensky. CHAN 9432.  The work was created with the composers close collaberation with Harold Lander in 1948 for the Royal Danish Ballet.  


This music is very tuneful, and exciting, with the use of many instruments including xylophone, piano
percussion, and full orchestra.  It is light and includes  21 movements which gradually build up to a climax both in the choreography and musical score. When the ballet is danced well it is a work of technical brilliance. If you are in to Ballet music then I would really recommend this CD. Cost ordered on-line   £9.82 inc. postage  from Digical Waves - Play.com



Now to Suite en Blanc.  I have also discovered a good recording of this, it is by Edouard Lalo and is  called Namouna,  Suites from the ballet  No's 1 and 2.  Played by  The Royal Philharmonic  Orchestra, conducted by  Yondani Butt.   Recording ASV Digital.  CD DCA 878 1994  (Academy Sound and Vision Ltd) I got it from Prelude Records in Norwich.   Who ordered it specially for me. Another one for you to enjoy.

[leonid]

Nanarina, on Nov 18 2009, 05:45 PM, said:

Now to Scene en Blanc.  I have also discovered a good recording of this, it is by Edouard Lalo and is  called Namouna,  Suites from the ballet  No's 1 and 2.  Played by  The Royal Philharmonic  Orchestra, conducted by  Yondani Butt.   Recording ASV Digital.  CD DCA 878 1994  (Academy Sound and Vision Ltd) I got it from Prelude Records in Norwich.   Who ordered it specially for me. Another one for you to enjoy.

I have seen Suite en Blanc and Noir et Blanc. Has Lifar's ballet now acquired a third name?

[Nanarina]

    Sorry Leonid, no I dont think so, it was me having a "brain storm", Despite me calling it Scene on Blanc, it is still Suite en Blanc.   I KEEP GETTING IT WRONG. I must be getting very forgetful.

[leonid]

Nanarina, on Nov 19 2009, 01:50 PM, said:

    Sorry Leonid, no I dont think so, it was me having a "brain storm", Despite me calling it Scene on Blanc, it is still Suite en Blanc.   I KEEP GETTING IT WRONG. I must be getting very forgetful.

Probably no more so than any other of us when we reach certain age.

I also love this music but it is for me associated with an embarassing memory of Serge Lifar standing up in the stalls waving his hand to the audience to acknowledge the applause of a performance of this ballet and sadly few people seemed to know who he was and the applause dwindled, but that did not stop him waving.

It is the type of celebratory exhibition ballet I am happy to see, but like Etudes, it no longer gets performed in the UK.

[Lynette H]

leonid, on Nov 20 2009, 12:58 AM, said:

Nanarina, on Nov 19 2009, 01:50 PM, said:

    Sorry Leonid, no I dont think so, it was me having a "brain storm", Despite me calling it Scene on Blanc, it is still Suite en Blanc.   I KEEP GETTING IT WRONG. I must be getting very forgetful.

Probably no more so than any other of us when we reach certain age.

I also love this music but it is for me associated with an embarassing memory of Serge Lifar standing up in the stalls waving his hand to the audience to acknowledge the applause of a performance of this ballet and sadly few people seemed to know who he was and the applause dwindled, but that did not stop him waving.

It is the type of celebratory exhibition ballet I am happy to see, but like Etudes, it no longer gets performed in the UK.

English National Ballet have been enthusistic performers of Etudes in the UK for many years, notching up several hundred performances. The last one was last summer, at the Festival Hall.

Suite en Blanc is vary rarely performed in the UK.

[leonid]

Lynette H, on Nov 20 2009, 09:00 AM, said:

English National Ballet have been enthusistic performers of Etudes in the UK for many years, notching up several hundred performances. The last one was last summer, at the Festival Hall.

Suite en Blanc is vary rarely performed in the UK.

Of course you are quite right Lynette about Etudes. Because I did not see last years performances, it slipped my mind.

[Nanarina]

Lynette H, on Nov 20 2009, 09:00 AM, said:

leonid, on Nov 20 2009, 12:58 AM, said:

Nanarina, on Nov 19 2009, 01:50 PM, said:

    Sorry Leonid, no I dont think so, it was me having a "brain storm", Despite me calling it Scene on Blanc, it is still Suite en Blanc.   I KEEP GETTING IT WRONG. I must be getting very forgetful.

Probably no more so than any other of us when we reach certain age.

I also love this music but it is for me associated with an embarassing memory of Serge Lifar standing up in the stalls waving his hand to the audience to acknowledge the applause of a performance of this ballet and sadly few people seemed to know who he was and the applause dwindled, but that did not stop him waving.

It is the type of celebratory exhibition ballet I am happy to see, but like Etudes, it no longer gets performed in the UK.

English National Ballet have been enthusistic performers of Etudes in the UK for many years, notching up several hundred performances. The last one was last summer, at the Festival Hall.

Suite en Blanc is vary rarely performed in the UK.

Lynette:  Thank you, yes I know, I actually telephoned their office today to see if they had any planned for 2010/11.  But regretfully not.  They informed me it is because of the  general public's preference for well known works for example to Tchaikovsky music etc..  Which generally fill the theatre's for them.  I will look out for it in other places as I uinderstnd The Royal Danish Ballet do it, I wonder about The Royal Swedish as well?  (Etudes)  S.E.B.  Is danced in Australia, as part of it is on their 40 plus DVD.  Now that would be an expensivwe excercise.  As well as POB, evidently Englisdh National Ballet has the costumes and musical score still.  Maybe those of us in the UK could ask for it to be performed????  I missed it in Paris last time, as all the seats were sold out. Fingers crossed for the future!!!

[Nanarina]

leonid, on Nov 19 2009, 08:58 PM, said:

Nanarina, on Nov 19 2009, 01:50 PM, said:

    Sorry Leonid, no I dont think so, it was me having a "brain storm", Despite me calling it Scene on Blanc, it is still Suite en Blanc.   I KEEP GETTING IT WRONG. I must be getting very forgetful.

Probably no more so than any other of us when we reach certain age.

I also love this music but it is for me associated with an embarassing memory of Serge Lifar standing up in the stalls waving his hand to the audience to acknowledge the applause of a performance of this ballet and sadly few people seemed to know who he was and the applause dwindled, but that did not stop him waving.

It is the type of celebratory exhibition ballet I am happy to see, but like Etudes, it no longer gets performed in the UK.

What a pity the audience did not realise the choreographer was there in person.  I can appreciate it was embarassing  poor man.

[Mashinka]

I've seen ABT, ENB. RDB and Kirov all dance Etudes, though the Kirov made something of a dogs dinner of it, so I am far more familiar with the work than with Suite en Blanc which I've only seeen a couple of times, therefore a comparison would be unfair in my case.  I saw quite a number of outstanding people in Etudes too, Toni Lander with ABT, Neils Kehlet with the Danes and a whole list of stars with ENB: happy memories.

[Nanarina]

   Yes Mashinka, and we could do with a lot more happy memories. Seeing the Kirov's attempt on YouTube, they do seem to be making a hash of it, their lines are all over thr place, it totally spoils the illusiom.  It is so wonderful when danced well.

I can remember going to see Festival Ballet (ENB) dance it with Toni Lander. and other Stars, and strangly. I did not enjoy it!!  Goodness knows why, I cannot expain it at all. As I think it is really super now, with such precision and the wonderful music.  I suppose one's taste and preferences change over the years.  But why I did not see the greatness of those performances I do not understand.(I cannot think they were bad performances) I was a very keen supporter of Festival Ballet, belonged to their friends and was always at the ballet.  When I went to work with The Royal ballet I had to change my loyalty!!!