Solor

thats the CD I put the link up to I was under the impression that Glazunov actually orchestrated more Chopin numbers especially for the ballet

Glazunov's Opus 46 (Chopiniana) is different....Fokine took Glazunov's work on the Chopin music for his ballet, at first. Then Glazunov orchestrated more Chopin numbers for Fokine's "Les Sylphides"....I was wondering if anyone knew of all of the specifics. There is this recording of Glazunov's work on the Chopin music for "Les Sylphides"/"Chopiniana" - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000013O...v=glance&n=5174 I do not have this recording, though I am going to get it! Im sure the liner notes give alot of good info.

I was wondering role Glazunov played in the orchestration of Chopin's music for Fokine's "Chopiniana"/"Les Sylphides"...... I know that in 1893 Glazunov first orchestrated some Chopin numbers that formed the basis for Fokine's ballet, but did Glazunov later return to the Imperial Ballet for one of Fokine's revivals (1907/1908) of the work to orchestrate more numbers? (is it not the Polonaise by Chopin that Glazunov orchestrated that functions as a sort of "introduction" for the Mariinsky's version of the work?) Also, is "Chopiniana" performed by the Mariinksy in Glazunov's arrangements?

I think only Doug can answer my question here, but maybe some else can - I was wondering......are the 2 variations notated in the Sergeyev Collection for Gulnare and Medora in the scene 'Jardin Anime' (danced by Preobrajenskaya and Legnani in 1899-from "Thetis and Peleus" and "Pygmalion") the same variations that are still danced by the Kirov/Mariinksy?

I was lucky enough to get a hold of Bonynge's recording of Johann Strauss II last work - the 1899 ballet "Cinderella", which I got through Ebay (along with the loooong out of print recording by Lanchbery of the full-length "La Fille Mal Gardee", which included Bonynge's recording of "Mam'zelle Angot"). The music was absolutly beautiful, in the manner of his best waltzes and polkas - passionate, beautiful ballet music. I could not compare it to Prokofiev's score, as I find them both to be masterpieces. But also, I think they are so different from one another that a comparison cannot be made. All balletomanes should really hear this music - it is beautiful!

Thanks for replying.......If you ever do find out what exactly this CD is titled, what label its on, etc., please let us know - a disc with music from "The Pharoah's Daughter" is something I must add to my collection!!!!

The variation (in polka time) that turns up in all of the ''new'' productions of ''Le Corsaire" is the real variation that Riccardo Drigo composed for the pas de deux. This is danced by Altynai Asslymoratova in the Kirov film of the full-length "Le Corsaire", as well as Julie Kent in ABT film. (Riccardo Drigo created the 'Pas de Deux a Trois' (which later became a just a pas de deux in Soviet times) in 1899 for Pierina Legnani, as she was dancing Medora for Petipa's last revival fo the ballet. I am having DAY-JA-VOO (spelling??) as this topic has come up many times. That variation (in triple time - violin solo) that Fonteyn danced when performing the pas with Nureyev is by the composer Anton Simon. That variation was added into "Don Quixote" by Alexander Gorsky for his 1900 re-staging of Petipa's "Don Quixote" (which was subsequently staged at the Mariinksy in 1902, much to Petipa's chagrin). Everyone that was taught this Anton Simon variation as true, real "Le Corsaire" pas de deux variation for the female", was learning it from a teacher who learned the pas as it was staged by Nureyev. When I was at a Summer camp at the Rock school about 7 years ago, a ballerina conducting variations class taught us the 'Fonteyn Corsaire variation'...... I got into a heated argument with her about the variation's orgins, with her telling me that Fonteyn's variation was written by Drigo, etc. and that Nureyev staged it, etc. (the part about Nureyev was the only part she had right) - she was even more P.O.ed because here was this 17 year old smart a** kid telling HER about ballet history. Well, me an her ended up betting 20$ on it, and one of the other teachers that was there, from the Kirov (forgot his name) told her I was right....so I got my 20$ ! For the rest of the time I was there, any variation she taught us she asked me all about. I think the pants in the Pas d'Esclave on the ballerina is from the 1992 Sergeyev/Bolshoi staging......as a tutu is traditional.

Who was the first danseur to take the first part of the 'Danse de Enfants' from Act III in "Raymonda" and fashion it into a variation for Jeanne de Brienne? Was it Sergeyev for his 1948 revival of the ballet, or was it Chabukiani?

So did Doug have a dancer perform the stuff on video and the sent it to Lacotte? Just curious how one gets the notation to the feet of a dancer. WOW - 7500 bucks isnt much for so priceless a collection....... Speaking of the 'Songe du Rajah', did the ballet Russe ever stage a Bayadere - isnt that where that came from? I really hope that those notations dont just sit and collect dust if you get my meaning.....besides the research and valueable info they provide, what use are they if they just sit in a library? By the way, can anyone just go to the Harvard Library and make copies of stuff from the collection?

I noticed when watching Makarovas Bayadere on film that during the opening credits it said 'music by minkus, arr Lanchbery, editions Mario Bois, Paris'. Wondering who or what 'Mario Bois' was, I decided to dig around online. I found a web page - http://perso.wanadoo.fr/mariobois/Mariobois_eng/welcome.htm It seems to me to be a foundation that protects Nureyev and Lanchbery's work as well as other artists....but I could be wrong. It also had lists of Tchaikovsky's compositions as well as others - do they also sell complete parts for orchestra of scores?? There was a list of Lanchbery's work, - http://perso.wanadoo.fr/mariobois/Marioboi...n_lanchbery.htm it basically gave me the impression that one has to get rights to perform his arrangements of scores? I never thought in a million years that a companyperforming a work by Tchaikovsky or Minkus had to pay royalties, but I could be wrong........

Thanks for the info Doug, I was curious.

What issue is this?!? I would love to purchase it!.....I just purchased the 11/04 issue which had an article on 'Jardin Anime'....havnt gotten it in the mail yet though. THANKS RG! I have long wanted to know what was in the collection. I really hope that all of the notations are put to use to resurrect the old works.......and are not just left to collect dust if you get my meaning.

I just bought a copy of the January 1976 issue of the Harvard Library Bulletin solely for the purpose of reading the article by Roland John Wiley 'Dances From Russia: An Introduction to the Sergeyev Collection" (I was very lucky, as the booklet turned 30 years old this month and is in excellent shape. According to the librarian I spoke to, there are only a couple copies left of this issue!) The article was very insightful and fascinating, with valueable information. I had hoped however that there was a list of sorts of the things that are inlcuded in the collection. As well, I had hoped that there was an explanation as to how and why Harvard University got a hold of all the parts that make up the Sergeyev Collection......but there was not. I think Ive asked this before - does anyone know, what ballets and dances are in the collection? --how/why did Harvard get a hold of all of the things in this collection, and for how much?

I was wondering what variations were danced in thier performance? I have a recording of the music from 'Le Corsaire' by Richard Bonynge - his recording includes the complete original music for the scene 'Le Jardin Anime' by Dleibes. Included in his recording are 2 variations no longer danced, as [Petipa used other variations in place of them. Since it was Petipa's version that was notated, what variations were used? I read a newletter on the PNB site that announced the performance of the scene 'Le Jardin Anime'. In it, is said - quote: ""they perform the reconstructed choreography to an orchestral recording of Leo Delibes’ charming score, in its original 1867 orchestration""..........was it Bonynge's recording?

yes I have that film, and I find the Grigorovich's staging and Virsaladz's decor to be horrific. I was wondering when the other versions staged after the orignal Petipa staging in 1898 took place, such as any that took place at the Mariinksy prior to Sergeyev's 1948 re-staging, and any that were mounted at the Bolshoi following the turn of the 20th century. Also, what was the 1st staging outside of Russia?

Ive got a few questions about the POB's "La Sylphide" starring Aurelie Dupont and Mathieu Ganio - is this performance a reconstruction of the original by Taglioni? Is it set to the original music of Schnietzhoeffer?

Hers a great pic I found while looking around online - http://img473.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sbttahb18924zb.png

really think that that photo is of someone else other than Marius Petipa.....It looks NOTHING like him. Hers some pix of Marius Petipa - http://img374.imageshack.us/my.php?image=m...spetipa32at.jpg http://img374.imageshack.us/my.php?image=m...spetipa29yx.png http://img374.imageshack.us/my.php?image=m...spetipa14bu.png http://img374.imageshack.us/my.php?image=m...spetipa42ma.png

I found this page on Petipa on the Wikipedea free encyclopedia web site, and the pic someone put up doesnt look a thing like him to me.........

I was wondering if anyone knew, the revivals of "Raymonda" that tookplace at both the Kirov and the Bolshoi since its 1898 premiere. I know that the version danced by the Mariinksy today is of Sergeyev's 1948 version, but what of the version that came before that by Vaganova, Gorsky (was there one?). How about Nureyev's revivals? Balanchine's? All info would be helpful.

Myrtha - you stated in the following post - ( http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...topic=21170&hl= ) that you thought you might have purchased a CD called "Egyptian Nights" that contained some snippets of Pungi's music from "The Pahraoh's Daughter", thogh you were not certain and could not check being that you did not have you disc with you. I found a CD on Amazon.com that was titled "Egyptian Nights" - ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000468...v=glance&n=5174 ). Is this the CD you were reffering to?

Actually Minkus's first venture into the world of ballet music wasnt "Paquita"....this is a mistake that began long ago in those "Composer Encyclopedias" and has lingered as one source of information spread to another. I have seen this claim made in a few liner notes of recordings of Minkus works. According to Parisian press accounts of the time, Deldevez's own memoirs, and Theophile Gautier's own account of the premiere of "Paquita", Deldevez was alone the author of the score of "Paquita". Minkus composed the Act I pas de trois, Children's Polonaise and Mazurka and the Grand Pas Classique in 1881 for Petipa's revival of the ballet, and probably revised much of the score, as was his job. Minkus was a virtuoso of the violin and teacher (which is probably why the majority of the melodies in his ballet scores are carried by the violins in the orchestration). He was later the concert master at the Moscow Bolshoi Thetare, as well as conductor from time to time. Later he was the inspector of orchestras for the Imperial Theatres. His first venture into ballet was in fact a ballet called "The Salamander", AKA "The Flame of Love", AKA "Nemea", AKA "La Fiametta" in 1864 to St. Leon's choreography at the Bolshoi Thetare. Then, for the ballet in Paris in 1866, he composed jointly with Delibes the ballet "La Source" set to St. Leon's choreography. He went on to compose, for St. Leon, "The Goldfish" in 1867, and "The Lily" in 1869". And then "Don Quixote" for Petipa in 1869 in Moscow, which was re-staged in St. Petersburg in 1871. Cesare Pugni, who was the 'Official Ballet Composer' to the Imperial Ballet died in 1870. This, along with the fact that "Don Quixote" was such a success, is probably why Minkus was named the next 'Offical Ballet Composer' in 1870. Next, Minkus composed the ballet music for the opera "Mlada" - an opera that was to be a joint project with Alexander Borodin, Cesar Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. This work was not completed, and the music Minkus composed was used in 1879 for another ballet (anyone got any info on this whole "Mlada" ordeal? As well as what ballet Minkus's music for it ended up in?). More ballets followed, "Camargo" in 1872, "Le Papillon" 1874, "The Bandits" 1875, "Peleus and Thetus" 1876, and of course, his masterpiece "La Bayadere" in 1877. Then there was "Roxana - The Beauty of Montenegro" 1878, "The Daughter of the Snows" 1879, "Soroya - A Moorish Girl in Spain" 1882, "Night and Day" 1883, "The Offerings to Love" 1886, "The Magic Pills" 1886, and "Kalkabrino" 1891. He revised the music for many ballets that he did not compose originallyfor Petipa's revivals, among them "Giselle" in 1884, which, at least in Russia, is still presented in his arrangements. He composed a few numbers that were added into the ballet and are still there, including a pas de deux rarely heard these days. As well he revised the Peter-Ludwig Hertel score for "La Fille Mal Gardee" in 1885 for Petipa and Ivanov's revival of it. He also composed the orignal version of what is now known as the "Thaikovsky pas de deux" for the ballerina Anna Sobeshanskaya when she danced in the orignal Moscow staging of "Swan Lake". She disliked Tchaikovsky's music and the orignal choreographer Julius Resinger, so she went to Petipa for a new pas de deux, which was set to new music from Minkus. Tchaikovsky wanted no other composers music in his ballet, but the ballerina did not want to change the choreography. So, according to history, Tchaikovsky composed a new pas that corresponded with the Minkus pas bar for bar, and note for note. The first variation was not even touched by Tchaikovsky, and is a typical Minkus solo for a male dancer. I think, however, that Tchaikovsky just re-orchestrated the music. There are not many recordings of Minkus's music in its orignal form. I go to a music store and I see about 100 different recordings of the same old Mozart piece, but no Minkus or Drigo (I think that Drigo was far superior to Minkus as a composer).......sad. I hope that one day in the future, that someone will record a massive boxed-set of nothing buy Minkus, all in his orignal hand, even the old ballets of his that are no longer perfomed. Drigo to! ***Heres a list of recordings of Minkus's music in its orignal form "Don Quixote" - See CD Capriccio 10 540 for another recording of the "Full-Length" "Don Quixote" (titled "Don Quijote"), again with the Sofia National Opera Orchestra, but instead under the baton of Boris Spassov. I do however think that the Todorov recording is the better conducted of the two, though there are a few numbers in the Spassov recording that are better conducted and recorded. Both of these recordings are pretty much the same as far as the music available goes. I dont think its 100% "original" though, as parts of the music sound lot different when compared to the Kirov's version of music, which is probably the one that is the most authentic as far as orchestration goes. "La Source" - Also, see the set "Delibes: The 3 Ballets" conducted by Bonynge (Decca 460 418-2) for a recording of the Minkus/Delibes "La Source". This recording omits a few numbers, which are inlcuded on a CD that includes a recording of the full-length "Coppelia" and excerpts from "La Source" conducted by Mogrelia (Naxos 8.553356-7). The "La Source" excerpts are, strangely enough, the ones not included in the Bonynge recording. The "La Source" recording was orignally released on its own with a recording of Riccardo Drigo's "The Magic Flute" (Decca 421 431-2), conducted by Bonynge, though its out-of-print. It can probably be purchased though Amazon.com used. Heres a pic of it - "La Bayadere", "Paquita", and "Giselle" - See CD Cappriccio 10 544 for a magnificently conducted recording of 'The Kingdom of the Shades' from "La Bayadere", and the complete additions Minkus composed for "Paquita" (the Grand Pas, the Childrens Poloniase and Mazurka and the Pas de Trois) as well as the variations of other composers. This recording is again played by the Sofia National Opera Orchestra and conducted by Boris Spassov and is completely in Minkus's orignal hand. It recently went out-of-print, but can be purchased on Ebay. There is the 6 CD Boxed set "The Orignal Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra" that includes the Russian version of the music for "Giselle" as revised by Minkus (Pilz 44 1003-2) , 'The Kingdom of the Shades' from "La Bayadere" (Pilz 44 1005-2), and the Grand Pas Classique from "Paquita" (Pilz 44 1006-2). The set itself is hard to find, and of course, out-of-print. But one can purchase each individual CD through Amazon.com used. There is a recording of the ballet "Giselle" on the label Melodiya which was released in 1978 (only on LP) that has the pas de deux Minkus added to "Giselle" in 1884. Heres a pic of it - ***Revised versions - "La Bayadere" and "Paquita" - Bonynge's recording of "La Bayadere" as revised by Lanchbery (Decca 436918-2) for Makarova's staging in 1980 for ABT. There is the Bonynge conducted set "Fete du Ballet" (Decca 465 578-2) that contains pieces from "La Bayadere" (kingdom of the Shades), "Paquita" (Grand Pas), and "Don Quixote" (pas de deux). The "La Bayadere" and "Paquita" excerpts are presented as they were when danced by Pavlova, in versions of the music that were, I think, re-orchestrated by Riccardo Drigo. All these recordings come from various Bonynge releases that went out-of-print, and were compiled for this set. The "Don Q" pas as recorded here is presented in Peter March's dreadful re-orchestration. His style of orchestration reminds me of Glazunov. Not that I dont like Glazunov...... There is a recording that was only released onto cassette and LP of Lanchbery's revised version of the Shades from "La Bayadere" and some of "Paquita" (Lanchbery's version of the "Paquita" Grand Adagio reminds me of Gershwin's "Raphsody in Blue"!). His orchestration of the Shades from "La Bayadere" is really great. Just like his reorchetration of "Giselle", his revision is merely an expansion of the original rather than a butchering of it. I think, next to "La Fille Mal Gardee" and "Giselle" its his best work on an old ballet score (however good his revision of "Giselle" is, I dont think it was all that necessary to rearrange Adam's score. This version of the music was never recorded to CD in its full-length form (though there are a few recordings of Lanhcbery's version of the Grand Pas), but can be heard on the 'Live from Lincoln Center' film of ABT's "Giselle" with Baryshnikov and Makarova). His version of "Paquita" is alright, though it sounds really futuristic, particularly the entree, as it seems to me Lanchbery really strove to get every single instrument in the orchestra something to play, to the point of it sounding really weird - the original Minkus is far better. Lanchbery does not include any numbers that he thought were by other composers, so there are quite a few variations missing. For some reason, the "Paquita" excerpts are called the "Paquita Pas de Dix".....? (See EMI Angel ASD 1834251 - LP) Heres a pic of it - "Don Quixote" - A recording of Lanchbery's revision of the music of "Don Quixote", which can only be purchased through the Orchestra Victoria web page (ABC Classics 465 172-2). I think that Lanchbery did a fine job with this score as well. I dont think it sounds better or worse than the original Minkus, just different.

I was wondering if the Dancing Times or any other such publication had ever done an article detailing the Kirov/Mariinksy reconstructions of Bayadere or Sleeping B.

What great photos! I have only seen a picture of Drigo once, it was on a piano booklet when I was studying in NY, as well I think that Balanchine included a photo of him in his book "Balanchine's Tchaikovksy". You found these on the web? What web pages were these