Released with Christmas in mind, this new Nutcracker also marks the completion of Neeme Järvi’s cycle of Tchaikovsky’s ballets. It’s a distinguished achievement in many respects, though it’s hampered by the decision to cram the work, yet again, onto a single disc: while Järvi admirably manages to avoid the sense of scramble that has previously characterised similar efforts, this is still way too fast for comfort. His conducting is characterful throughout, and particularly effective in the second half of act one, when the fairytale atmosphere turns scary. The Bergen Philharmonic’s playing, meanwhile, is both virtuosic and impeccably detailed – all the more remarkable given those often hectic speeds. But if you want to know how this great score should sound when given the requisite space to live and breathe, then you need to listen to the classic recordings by either Ernest Ansermet or André Previn – both on two discs, and both stunning.
