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Piano Classics

Iconic Ballet Music for Piano

$21.99

Details

Composer
Sergei Prokofiev, Igor Stravinsky, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Artist
Ekaterina Litvintseva
Format
CD
Label
Piano Classics
Released
Nov 28, 2025
Catalog #
PCL10338
UPC
5029365103381

About

The piano dances: new recordings of ballet classics in sparkling keyboard arrangements. Born in Russia, living and working in Germany, Ekaterina Litvintseva has made a string of critically acclaimed recordings for Piano Classics, featuring the music of Chopin, Rachmaninoff and more. On her latest album, she turns to a trio of ballet scores which have always captivated audiences for the particular genius of their marriage between story and music. She opens with Prokofiev's own arrangement of 10 pieces from Romeo and Juliet, followed by Guido Agosti's arrangement of the Suite from Stravinsky's Firebird, and Mikhail Pletnev's virtuoso transcription of dances from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. As in any popular recital, there are three encores: a waltz from Delibes' Coppelia (arranged by Erno Dohnanyi), Les Sauvages by Rameau, and finally another foot-tapping dance from the French Baroque, extracted from an opera by Lully. In these transcriptions, the pianist becomes more than just a substitute for the orchestra; she takes the role of a storyteller and a conduit for the expression of the ballet. The reduction of forces brings a more intense focus on the melodic lines, the harmonic progressions and the rhythmic subtleties of the music. Prokofiev chose to recompose and distil the essence of pivotal moments in Romeo and Juliet rather than making straightforward arrangements. In their own ways, Agosti and Pletnev also demonstrate that the essence of ballet can be captured and reimagined in the hands of a skilled pianist. While their versions of Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky have become crowd-pleasing pianistic tours de force in their own right, they also retain the elegance and the fundamental pulse of the original dances. 'The 30-something Ekaterina Litvintseva has been amassing a distinguished discography, and this... is a fine addition, exhibiting the combination of sensitivity and self-assurance that have marked her playing up until now... you owe it to yourself to make the acquaintance of Dora Pejacevic.' (Fanfare, reviewing PCL10226)

Tracklist 23 tracks

  1. 1 No. 1. Folk Dance 04:11
    Track
    1
    Title
    No. 1. Folk Dance
    Duration
    04:11
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  2. 2 No. 2. Scene: The Street Awakens 01:16
    Track
    2
    Title
    No. 2. Scene: The Street Awakens
    Duration
    01:16
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  3. 3 No. 3. Minuet: Arrival of the Guests 02:53
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 3. Minuet: Arrival of the Guests
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  4. 4 No. 4. Juliet as a Young Girl 03:13
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 4. Juliet as a Young Girl
    Duration
    03:13
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  5. 5 No. 5. Masquers 02:13
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 5. Masquers
    Duration
    02:13
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  6. 6 No. 6. Montagues and Capulets 03:31
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 6. Montagues and Capulets
    Duration
    03:31
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  7. 7 No. 7. Friar Laurence 02:03
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 7. Friar Laurence
    Duration
    02:03
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  8. 8 No. 8. Mercutio 02:02
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 8. Mercutio
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  9. 9 No. 9. Dance of the Girls with Lilies 02:08
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 9. Dance of the Girls with Lilies
    Duration
    02:08
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  10. 10 No. 10. Romeo and Juliet before Parting 06:55
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 10. Romeo and Juliet before Parting
    Duration
    06:55
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  11. 11 Coppélia, Act I: Waltz (arr. E. Dohnányi for piano) 06:43
    Track
    11
    Title
    Coppélia, Act I: Waltz (arr. E. Dohnányi for piano)
    Duration
    06:43
    Composer
    Léo Delibes
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  12. 12 I. March: Tempo di marcia viva 02:00
    Track
    12
    Title
    I. March: Tempo di marcia viva
    Duration
    02:00
    Composer
    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  13. 13 II. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy: Andante ma non troppo 02:00
    Track
    13
    Title
    II. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy: Andante ma non troppo
    Duration
    02:00
    Composer
    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  14. 14 III. Tarantella 01:17
    Track
    14
    Title
    III. Tarantella
    Duration
    01:17
    Composer
    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  15. 15 IV. Intermezzo: Andante 04:16
    Track
    15
    Title
    IV. Intermezzo: Andante
    Duration
    04:16
    Composer
    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  16. 16 V. Trepak - Russian Dance: Molto vivace 01:20
    Track
    16
    Title
    V. Trepak - Russian Dance: Molto vivace
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  17. 17 VI. Tea - Chinese Dance: Allegro moderato 01:25
    Track
    17
    Title
    VI. Tea - Chinese Dance: Allegro moderato
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  18. 18 VII. Andante maestoso 05:41
    Track
    18
    Title
    VII. Andante maestoso
    Duration
    05:41
    Composer
    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  19. 19 Les Indes galantes: Les sauvages (arr. for piano) 01:52
    Track
    19
    Title
    Les Indes galantes: Les sauvages (arr. for piano)
    Duration
    01:52
    Composer
    Jean-Philippe Rameau
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  20. 20 Infernal Dance 05:04
    Track
    20
    Title
    Infernal Dance
    Duration
    05:04
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  21. 21 Berceuse 03:54
    Track
    21
    Title
    Berceuse
    Duration
    03:54
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  22. 22 Finale 03:34
    Track
    22
    Title
    Finale
    Duration
    03:34
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva
  23. 23 The Flames of Paris: Gavotte - Rondeau (arr. for piano) 04:14
    Track
    23
    Title
    The Flames of Paris: Gavotte - Rondeau (arr. for piano)
    Duration
    04:14
    Composer
    Jean-Baptiste Lully
    Performer
    Ekaterina Litvintseva