"There's no dancing here!" Neeme Järvi must have thought when he took up this masterful score by Tchaikovsky. It seems as if Järvi mainly wants to bring out the symphonic momentum of this music, as if Sleeping Beauty is more a symphonic poem than a ballet. Striking are, for example, the tempo shifts in, among others, the Valse from the first act. They are subtle nuances, but a corps de ballet
… wouldn't be happy with them. Sometimes there is also a bit of the fairytale, not to mention the aristocratic atmosphere. For example, the virtuoso showcased opening march actually no longer sounds like an intro to a reception at the court. From a purely musical point of view, however, it is exciting and compelling (Stravinsky was delighted by this music for a reason, but that aside). This version is therefore highly recommended for the CD (SACD) player. Although a real ballet performance with all the trimmings - such as the one with the National Ballet (aed0076) - is of course preferable. (HJ)more