cd review – Page 2

CD Review: David Plumpton’s “West End to Broadway” Vol. 3

December 26, 2014 by Rachel Hellwig

West End to Broadway Vol. 3
David Plumpton

Jetés and all that jazz.

The energy and drama of musical theater songs makes them ideal for ballet class.

David Plumpton’s “West End to Broadway” Vol. 3 fills 36 tracks with piano arrangements from popular shows like Wicked, Jekyll and Hyde, and various Disney musicals. It also contains many pieces that you might not recognize unless you closely follow theater. But that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy these selections or find them wonderful for barre and center.

The spunky accents of “When I Grow Up” from Matilda are perfect for almost any tendu combination. The delicate (yet not-too-sugary) version of “A Whole New World” from Aladdin is dreamy for développés. “Welcome to the 60s” from Hairspray is a fun way to begin center tendus. “Popular” and “Dancing Through Life” from Wicked will add spark to petit and medium allegro combinations.

This CD is a great way to bring the magic of one performing art to another.

CD Review: “More Sounds of Christmas”

November 24, 2014 by Rachel Hellwig

More Sounds of Christmas
Christopher Hobson

by Rachel Hellwig

‘Tis the season to frappé to Jingle Bells.

Christopher Hobson’s “More Sounds of Christmas” is full of familiar favorites like “Frosty the Snowman”, “Feliz Navidad”, “Sleigh Ride”, “White Christmas”, and “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year”. It also includes some less-well-known pieces like Nat King Cole’s “Take Me Back to Toyland” and the Irish-themed “Christmas in Killarney”.

Hobson’s arrangements show taste and sensitivity to the musical needs of different ballet exercises. “O Christmas Tree” is perfectly adapted for pirouettes. “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” is lyrically channeled for pliés. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” becomes a buoyant piece for grand battement en cloche. “The Chipmunk Song” is tamed into a peaceful melody for rond de jombe. And, throughout the collection, Hobson finds the balance between arranging a song and changing it into a different piece.

“More Sounds of Christmas” features 24 tracks and is sure to bring holiday cheer to any ballet class.

Disclosure: 4dancers accepts compensation for promoting More Sounds of Christmas

CD Review: Music for Ballet Lovers Vol. 7 “Precious Holiday Moments”

November 16, 2014 by Rachel Hellwig

Music for Ballet Lovers Vol. 7 “Precious Holiday Moments”
Yoshi Gurwell

by Rachel Hellwig

Holiday music is always an enjoyable addition to November/December ballet classes. Yoshi Gurwell’s “Precious Holiday Moments” offers 28 tracks of Nutcracker melodies and traditional carols for intermediate+ center practice, in addition to 20 tracks of original music for barre. Some of the compositions for barre more engaging than others, but, overall, they are effective.

The Nutcracker selections are the highlight of the CD. They stand out for their creative arrangements and often cleverly combine pieces from Act I and Act II. If you want to add a little Nutcracker magic to everyday class, this suite should do the trick. Or, if you feel your students have grown tired of Nutcracker tunes from rehearsals, these arrangements may revive their interest in the music by showcasing it in a different light.

The traditional carol tracks are delightful as well. Gurwell adapts their speed and rhythms to suit different exercises, but, for the most part, they retain their easily recognizable melodies.

Overall, this collection makes a fun supplement for the holiday season.

CD Review: Reimagined For Ballet Class: Pop Volume Two

September 19, 2014 by Rachel Hellwig

Reimagined For Ballet Class: Pop Volume Two
Andrew Holdsworth

by Emily Kate Long

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When REM and RAD collide, you get a mashup like Reimagined For Ballet Class: Pop Volume Two. In this 2014 release by British composer Andrew Holdsworth, many of the pop tunes (Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” or David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”) are so well disguised they almost disappear—a plus for a pop-themed ballet CD, where too-obvious melodies can easily overwhelm. That isn’t to say most songs don’t jump right out, but more than many pop CDs I’ve encountered, Holdsworth’s keeps the music functional for a ballet class setting. I also found humor here—nobody would mistake Katy Perry for Strauss in the “California Gurls” waltz, but the transformation in style for this and other tracks is pretty tongue-in-cheek.

In terms of content, the disc has music for a full ballet class, plus longer versions of the allegro tracks and some samples from Holdsworth’s Classical series. The tempi are well-suited for an intermediate to advanced-level class. If you’re looking for a pop-meets-ballet CD, this is one of the better selections out there.

DVD / CD Review : Sur Les Pointes avec une Etoile and Ballet Class Music

September 8, 2014 by Rachel Hellwig

Sur Les Pointes avec une Etoile
Ballet Class Music
Sylvain Durand, pianist
Andrey Klemm, producer
Isabelle Ciaravola, dancer

by Emily Kate Long

This DVD/CD pair highlights the articulate pointe work of Paris Opera etoile Isabelle Ciaravola and the exceptional musical talent of accompanist Sylvain Durand. In the 72-munite Sur Les Pointes DVD, Andrey Klemm leads Ciaravola through a fast-paced, advanced-level barre and center. The accompanying CD features all of Durand’s music from the DVD, 52 tracks for 39 exercises.

Klemm’s combinations showcase Ciaravola’s exquisite footwork. The barre is quite typical, but several center exercises are a pleasing hybrid of Russian and French style, which the Bolshoi-trained Klemm discusses further in a short interview.

Sylvain Durand plays passionately throughout, and the fact that the CD was recorded live gives it tremendous energy. The sensitivity and attention to the subtle differences in dynamic is stellar, especially for the barre and allegro selections. Unfortunately, the short tracks limit the album’s overall usefulness. Only ten are longer that ninety seconds, making longer combinations or reversals inconvenient. In center, there are just a handful of pieces long enough to accommodate more than one or two groups of dancers without restarting the music.

Durand and Klemm both have other music and DVD releases available. This is their only collaboration to date.

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