The original score for this ballet in four acts was rejected as "undanceable" by the Bolshoi Theatre. Fortunately, the revised one is now regarded as a masterpiece of expressive beauty and drama - one of the favourite ballet scores of the 20th century.
This was well recorded back in 1994 (the full ballet is also available on two CDs) with Andrew Mogrelia from Britain conducting. He does not allow the Ukraine orchestra its head; indeed, he reins it in hard to some unusually slow tempi and often teased-out phrasing.
This occasionally enhances the tender love scenes or gives surprising new slants to dramatic passages. But, sadly, it tones down the sheer brilliance and bravura usually expected from this spectacular, melodic music.
Opinion: Precious performance but too restrained.
Hough has made many recordings, won four Grammy Awards as well as two "Record of the Year" awards from Gramophone magazine. He has previously made English-, Spanish- and Mozart-themed albums for Hyperion.
The pianist describes this as "a sort of musical dessert trolley" but it does include non-French tasty pieces: Bach's famous Toccata Fugue in D minor and Orioso, transcribed by the Swiss Alfred Cortot, and the fine long fantasy on Halevy's opera La juive by Hungarian Liszt.
There is a Gallic ring to the album that also covers more nationalist territory from composers Faure, Ravel, Poulenc and Debussy to Massenet, Chabrier, Delibes and others, all with dazzling pianism. This is a solid repast rather than just sweet dessert.
Highlight: Pizzicati (Delius, arranged by Hough) played in brilliant style.
