Frederick Ashton: Les Patineurs / Divertissement / Scenes De Ballet (Barry Wordsworth) (1977)

Founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet, Frederick Ashton created more than 100 ballets over a 60 year career. Showcasing three of his shorter works, this disc reflects the breadth of his sophisticated, elegant and widely popular style. 'Les Patineurs' evokes the Edwardian skating rink, with all its youthful charm and humour, in contrast to 'Scènes de Ballet' where sharp geometric shapes and the music of Igor Stravinsky are combined to create perhaps Ashton's most modernist work. 'Divertissements', a collection of eight short dances, features some of Ashton's most lyrical choreography, including pas de deux set to Romantic masterpieces by Tchaikovsky and Massenet.