Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Nutcracker

by Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hit: Ultimate Nutcracker

Overview

BMG's Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Nutcracker uses the same approach as their Ravel's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Bolero: the beloved Nutcracker Suite is interpreted by a traditional orchestra, a mandolin quartet, and comedian Spike Jones, among others. Since most of the performers cover the whole suite, instead of just a single piece as they did on The Ultimate Bolero, The Ultimate Nutcracker has more consistency and flow than the previous collection did. Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra turn in a lovely, traditional performance of the Nutcracker, with Russian Dance, Chinese Dance, and Waltz of the Flowers among the standouts. Spike Jones & His City Slickers add slapstick and swing to their version of the Nutcracker, especially on Nutcracker Suite, Pt. 3 -- The Chinese Dolls/The Fairy Ball and Nutcracker Suite, Pt. 4 -- The Mysterious Room. The collection's most pleasant surprise, however, is the gorgeous, utterly fresh-sounding rendition of the Nutcracker by the Modern Mandolin Quartet. The delicate, courtly sounds of the mandolins add to the suite's faraway, fairytale quality, particularly on Russian Dance and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. A couple of Nutcracker pieces by the First Piano Quartet round out this charming album, which features equally charming album artwork by Mutts comic strip creator Patrick McDonnell. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	10/26/2004
Label:	SONY MASTERWORKS
UPC:	0828766282122

Tracks

1. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Suite: Overture  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman
2. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Suite: March  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman
3. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Suite: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman  - William Smith
4. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Suite: Russian Dance  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman
5. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Suite: Arab Dance  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman
6. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Suite: Chinese Dance  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman
7. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Suite: Dance of the Mirlitons  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman
8. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Suite: Waltz of the Flowers  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman
9. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Overture  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman  - Dana Rath  - Paul Binkley  - John Imholz
10. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~March  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman  - Dana Rath  - Paul Binkley  - John Imholz
11. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman  - Dana Rath  - Paul Binkley  - John Imholz
12. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Russian Dance  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman  - Dana Rath  - Paul Binkley  - John Imholz
13. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Arabian Dance  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman  - Dana Rath  - Paul Binkley  - John Imholz
14. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Chinese Dance  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman  - Dana Rath  - Paul Binkley  - John Imholz
15. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Dance of the Mirlitons  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman  - Dana Rath  - Paul Binkley  - John Imholz
16. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Waltz of the Flowers  - Oliver Di Cicco  - Paul Goodman  - Daniel Guss  - Mike Marshall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  -  Modern Mandolin Quartet  - Eugene Ormandy  -  Philadelphia Orchestra  - Max Wilcox  - Paul Zinman  - Dana Rath  - Paul Binkley  - John Imholz
17. The Nutcracker Suite (after Tchaikovsky)~Part One: The Little Girl's Dream (Miniature Overture; March)  - Foster Carling  - Daniel Guss  - Garry Harris  - Spike Jones  -  Jones  - Reiner Kuhl  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  - Susan Scott  - Joseph "Country" Washburne  - Paul Zinman  -  City Slickers  - Susan Scott  - Country Washburne
18. The Nutcracker Suite (after Tchaikovsky)~Part Two: Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Lemon Drop Waltz; Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy)  - Foster Carling  - Daniel Guss  - Garry Harris  - Spike Jones  -  Jones  - Reiner Kuhl  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  - Susan Scott  - Joseph "Country" Washburne  - Paul Zinman  -  City Slickers  - Susan Scott
19. The Nutcracker Suite (after Tchaikovsky)~Part Three: The Chinese Dolls / The Fairy Ball (Chinese Dance; Dance of the Flutes)  - Foster Carling  - Daniel Guss  - Garry Harris  - Spike Jones  -  Jones  - Reiner Kuhl  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  - Susan Scott  - Joseph "Country" Washburne  - Paul Zinman  -  City Slickers  - Susan Scott
20. The Nutcracker Suite (after Tchaikovsky)~Part Four: The Mysterious Room (The Forbidden Room; Arab Dance)  - Foster Carling  - Daniel Guss  - Garry Harris  - Spike Jones  -  Jones  - Reiner Kuhl  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  - Susan Scott  - Joseph "Country" Washburne  - Paul Zinman  -  City Slickers  - Susan Scott
21. The Nutcracker Suite (after Tchaikovsky)~Part Five: Back to the Fairy Ball (They Dance on the Seat of their Pants; Russian Dance; Waltz of t  - Foster Carling  - Daniel Guss  - Garry Harris  - Spike Jones  -  Jones  - Reiner Kuhl  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  - Susan Scott  - Joseph "Country" Washburne  - Paul Zinman  -  City Slickers  - Susan Scott
22. The Nutcracker Suite (after Tchaikovsky)~Part Six: End of the Little Girl's Dream (Granny Speaks; Goodnight, Sleep Tight)  - Foster Carling  - Daniel Guss  - Garry Harris  - Spike Jones  -  Jones  - Reiner Kuhl  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  - Susan Scott  - Joseph "Country" Washburne  - Paul Zinman  -  City Slickers  - Susan Scott
23. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Dance of the Reed Flutes  -  First Piano Quartet  - Daniel Guss  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky  - Ronald Wise  - Paul Zinman  -  First Piano Quartet  - Adam Garner  - Edward Edson  - Frank Mittler  - Vladimir Padwa
24. Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, Op. 71a~Waltz of the Flowers  -  First Piano Quartet  - Daniel Guss  - Ray Hall  - Patrick McDonnell  - Rebecca Meek  - Richard Mohr  - Paul Zinman  -  First Piano Quartet  - Adam Garner  - Edward Edson  - Frank Mittler  - George Robert

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Eugene Ormandy   Primary Artist,Conductor
The Modern Mandolin Quartet   Primary Artist,Ensemble
Spike Jones & His City Slickers   Primary Artist
George Robert   Piano,Piano
Mike Marshall   Mandolin
Vladimir Padwa   Piano
John Imholz   Mandocello,Mandolin
Frank Mittler   Piano
William Smith   Celeste
Edward Edson   Piano
Paul Binkley   Mandola,Guitar,Mandolin
Susan Scott   Vocals
Spike Jones   Conductor
Adam Garner   Piano
Dana Rath   Mandolin
Philadelphia Orchestra   Ensemble,Orchestra
City Slickers   Ensemble
First Piano Quartet   Ensemble,Ensemble
William McLeish Smith   Celeste

Technical Credits

John Imholz   Arranger
Paul Binkley   Arranger
Country Washburne   Arranger
Susan Scott   Musician
Daniel Guss   Liner Notes,Series Coordinator
Rebecca Meek   Design
Foster Carling   Composer,Lyricist
Patrick McDonnell   Illustrations
Reiner Kuhl   Producer
Garry Harris   Engineer
Ronald Wise   Producer
Spike Jones & His City Slickers   Musician
Paul Zinman   Reissue Engineer
Mike Marshall   Producer
Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky   Composer
Oliver di Cicco   Engineer,Producer
Gary Harris   Engineer
Spike Jones   Musician
Paul Goodman   Engineer
Max Wilcox   Producer
Ray Hall   Engineer
Joseph "Country" Washburne   Lyricist
Richard Mohr   Producer