Esther Birringer - Once Upon a Time (2021)

Esther Birringer has chosen three great Russian ballets for her recital album. All three have great stories – drama, love and tragedy in the case of Petrushka and Romeo & Juliet, and fantasy in The Nutcracker, which is based on a tale by ETA Hoffman. Tchaikovsky’s suite from ballet was arranged for piano by Mikhail Pletnev. Prokofiev, a superb pianist, arranged numbers from his ballet Romeo & Juliet for piano, and Stravinsky took three sections from his ballet Petrushka and created the Three Pieces – it is a superb showcase for any pianist and makes great demands upon the performer.
Tracklist
1. Three Movements from Petrushka, K. 12: I. Russian Dance (2:43)
2. Three Movements from Petrushka K. 12: II. Petrushka's Room (5:14)
3. Three Movements from Petrushka K. 12: III. The Shrovetide Fair (9:29)
4. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: I. Folk Dance (4:13)
5. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: II. Scene (1:29)
6. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: III. Menuet (3:02)
7. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: IV. The Young Juliet (4:00)
8. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: V. Masks (2:24)
9. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: VI. The Montagues and Capulets (3:59)
10. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: VII. Friar Laurence (2:59)
11. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: VIII. Mercutio (2:23)
12. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: IX. Lily Dance of the Maidens (2:18)
13. Romeo & Juliet, 10 Pieces for Piano, Op. 75: X. Romeo bids Juliet Farewell (8:38)
14. The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: I. March (Arr. for piano) (1:59)
15. The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: II. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Arr. for piano) (2:05)
16. The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: III. Tarantella (Arr. for piano) (1:21)
17. The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: IV. Intermezzo (Arr. for piano) (4:11)
18. The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: V. Trepak (Russian Dance) (Arr. for piano) (1:17)
19. The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: VI.The Tea (Chinese Dance) (Arr. for piano) (1:17)
20. The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: VII. Andante maestoso (Arr. for piano) (5:49)