Esther Birringer – Once Upon a Time (2021) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

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:
01. Esther Birringer – I. Russian Dance (02:43)
02. Esther Birringer – Three Movements from Petrushka K. 12: II. Petrushka’s Room (05:13)
03. Esther Birringer – Three Movements from Petrushka K. 12: III. The Shrovetide Fair (09:29)
04. Esther Birringer – I. Folk Dance (04:13)
05. Esther Birringer – II. Scene (01:29)
06. Esther Birringer – III. Menuet (03:02)
07. Esther Birringer – IV. The Young Juliet (04:00)
08. Esther Birringer – V. Masks (02:24)
09. Esther Birringer – VI. The Montagues and Capulets (03:59)
10. Esther Birringer – VII. Friar Laurence (02:59)
11. Esther Birringer – VIII. Mercutio (02:23)
12. Esther Birringer – IX. Lily Dance of the Maidens (02:18)
13. Esther Birringer – X. Romeo bids Juliet Farewell (08:38)
14. Esther Birringer – I. March (Arr. for piano) (01:59)
15. Esther Birringer – II. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Arr. for piano) (02:05)
16. Esther Birringer – III. Tarantella (Arr. for piano) (01:21)
17. Esther Birringer – IV. Intermezzo (Arr. for piano) (04:11)
18. Esther Birringer – V. Trepak (Russian Dance) (Arr. for piano) (01:17)
19. Esther Birringer – VI.The Tea (Chinese Dance) (Arr. for piano) (01:17)
20. Esther Birringer – VII. Andante maestoso (Arr. for piano) (05:49)