What's available? WHich one do YOU like best?
And why?

hasn't there been some discussion of this previously here?
never sure how to root this out but others will know.
or perhaps i'm misremembering - which wouldn't be the first time.

There is a wonderful recording of the Tchaikovsky PDD on the complete recording of Swan Lake with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by John Lanchbery. It's a highly expressive interpretation with lyricism, drama and excitement. The orchestra sounds terrific.

You can find the recording on Amazon. Just look up Lanchbery Swan Lake Box Set. I don't know how to paste a link here, but maybe one of our Ballet Talk friends can do it for you.

Agreed that the 1982 Lanchbery recording is lovely, and I'd add, better recorded in a large hall than the up-close version on the Choreography by Balanchine video, which is very clear for all that. Lanchbery's tempos are easier in the adagio than Robert Irving's, and I think he makes a slight cut or omits a short repeat Irving plays in the coda -- I can't nail it exactly without a score to follow -- so his running times are about a quarter-minute longer in the adagio but a half-minute shorter in the coda.

Here's that link:

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywor...p;index=blended

(Personally, I like the one conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas even better, except that he omits the music we're discussing.)

I'll bet rg is right, but I can't find the thread. BT's search function won't accept three-letter words, and gives me 2000 hits; Google seems not to be allowed to search this site.

Here's the previous discussion.

In the Dutoit's full SL...

I own that recording with the Orchestra symphonique de Montreal, and think the Tchai Pas very good.

yep, Rosa...that one.