Bartok / Alsop / Bournemouth So Miraculous Mandarin CD

To get an idea of how thoroughly Marin Alsop has studied the composer's style, check out the fourth of the Hungarian Pictures (it's title translated here as "Slightly Tipsy"). She has the orchestra playing this music with the same kind of erratic, lurch rhythm the composer used in his own piano recording, a comic effect which is difficult to reproduce in an orchestra. The performance of The Miraculous Mandarin offers the complete ballet, with it's breathtaking choral finale, not just the more commonly heard suite. Alsop gets the orchestra to play with powerful rhythmic drive (equally true in the exciting Dance Suite) and a great deal of color. Some of the power is dissipated by slightly diffuse recording, but it's still a pleasure to hear this wonderful music played with such conviction and fine style.

1. Opening: The Girl and the Three Tramps 2. First Seduction Game: The Shabby Old Rake 3. Second Seduction Game: The Young Student 4. Third Seduction Game 5. The Mandarin Enters and Remains Immobile in the Doorway 6. The Girl Begins a Hesitant Dance 7. The Mandarin Stumbles-The Chase Becomes Even More Passionate 8. The Three Tramps Leap Out, Seize the Mandarin and Tear Him Away from the Girl 9. Suddenly the Mandarin's Head Appears Between the Pillows and He Looks Longingly at the Girl 10. The Terrivied Tramps Discuss How They Are to Get Rid of the Mandarin 11. The Body of the Mandarin Begins to Glow with a Greenish Blue Light - Bournemouth Symphony Choir 12. She Resists No Longer-They Embrace 13. I. Moderato 14. II. Allegro Molto 15. III. Allegro Vivace 16. IV. Molto Tranquillo 17. V. Comodo-Finale 18. I. An Evening in the Village 19. II. Bear Dance 20. III. Melody 21. IV. Slightly Tipsy 22. V. Swineherd's Dance