BRAHMS-SCHOENBERG QUARTET 4rth Mov. (Balanchine)

Here's the finale movement from Balanchine's masterful ballet to the Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet. Danced by former Los Angeles Ballet's Damian Woetzel who was a major principal dancer with the New York City Ballet after the closing of that LA company, and Wendy Whelan, along with the NYC Ballet.

[@brendadufaur37]

I love Damian's dancing. He reminds me of Edward Villella. Damian has such style and flare and vibrance. He is a wonderful dancer - handsome and charismatic and so musical. This piece is so alive. It's so great to see this ballet. I have never seen it before, though I've heard of it all my life.

[@fluffywuffykinsies]

Brilliant! I love coming across new balanchine ballets that I've never discovered. What a creative genius. BEAUTIFULLY danced. Bravo!

[@johnnauman347]

Thank you, John Clifford! Magnificent!

[@ukrainianballet_unofficial1344]

Superb technique and energy from the leading dancers. Never seen this piece before. Thank you!

[@lazarocedeno5270]

So fabulous. Great dancing. Great dancers.

[@giuliorenzobighin8165]

Di grande decisivita' e sicurezza euritmica questo balletto con intervento costante e sensibile del corollario danzante che rende al tutto il senso del continuum. MOLTO.BRAVI.BIGHIN GIULIO RENZO

[@lazarocedeno5270]

Simply amazing and marvelously dancing.

[@nan2kaye]

Thank you so much, Mr. Clifford, for posting all your amazing videos! I love all of them!

[@kathymyers7279]

love the costumes for this ballet and wild gypsy feel

[@erpollock]

Beautiful, and visible in video. They were technically amazing and musical, and thanks to you for posting. May I add: They are Wendy Whelan and Damian Woetzel!

[@rezashayesteh9718]

If you look closely, you can see a young Sara Mearns in the corps-de-ballet!

[@bettymaines6305]

Wow!!

[@uptownsunni3560]

I see a young Amar Ramasar in the corps as well.

[@carolynwalker339]

Beautiful!

[@lazarocedeno5270]

Such marvelous dancing.

[@simaraft7373]

Wow terrific. How wonderful to see all this stuff I’d never seen before!

[@mariapetras2654]

Thank you for posting this jewel !✨☺️✨✨✨✨✨✨✨🙏💘

[@kathycahill1698]

Thank you so much for posting this John. I know the piano quartet well and love it, but have never seen the ballet. It's a great piece.

[@MrJcristof]

Awesome. Thank you Mr. Clifford!

[@lazarocedeno5270]

Heaven.

[@ErnestSDavis1]

Thanks very much for posting. I'd love to see the other movements (other than the silent version of the first movement you posted). The music is one of my favorite pieces.

[@rezashayesteh9718]

wendy whelan REALNESS

[@bettymaines6305]

Bravo

[@kathymyers7279]

Joyful!

[@eliothahn7983]

Sheer Joy !

[@lazarocedeno5270]

Bravos

[@vincentparisi2644]

Mr Clifford a question for you. In Mike Todd Jr's book on his father in discussing the Todd AO film process he says that test filming before Oklahoma was filmed was done using the NYCB. If this film still exists it would be stupendous to have film of City Ballet in stock of this brilliance and clarity from such a golden age. I would love to know the whereabouts of this material. Has anybody researched this?

[@highroadsinstitute6157]

Fred Zinnemann’s Oklahoma is a masterpiece of screen choreography.

[@barbaralemere5183]

Braaaavvvvoooo!

[@nataliejohnson508]

W So wonderful, Mr. Clifford! What year?

[@barbaralemere5183]

Bravo!

[@2snowgirl520]

I miss Wendy!!!!!😭

[@kendanziger8072]

Thanks for posting, Mr C., though half hoped for your vintage....

[@jcliff26]

Sorry I don't have that too. That would have been with Farrell and d'Amboise and they were absolutely amazing in it.

[@kendanziger8072]

Indeed, you catch my drift entirely. Never equaled.

[@lazarocedeno5270]

Simply. Delicious.

[@balletmaster]

Great! You have it all?

[@bettymaines6305]

So agree! NYC Ballet has about 4 DVDs available , of which one is the worst quality I have ever seen in my life. Need to come into the modern age. Though I suppose there are some copyright issues, which is a real shame. Ballet needs to be attracting the next generation of ballet lovers and yesterday ‘s ways will not work.

[@francescadarimini1430]

John, Who are these principal dancers. Great clip. Hello from Sydney Australia

[@jcliff26]

Sorry. Thought it said. Damian Woetzel (who I trained and danced with my LA company before NYCB) and Wendy Whelan.

[@fayhigham2835]

Thank you John 🌹

[@evaandreamarina]

They are superb dancers but I don't think they are able to give it the folksy flavor that is in the music. Gorgeous choreography and music.

[@jcliff26]

Yes. Excellent dancers of course. I trained Damian after all. But, unfortunately they never saw the originals and know how wild this should/can be. Peter Martins was the director then, and he never really took Balanchine’s class nor understood him.

[@susannevollmer2347]

@@jcliff26 Is that realy sure: Mr. B, gave Mertins the artistic direction? Incomprehenseble!

[@jcliff26]

@@susannevollmer2347 No. Balanchine didn’t. The board and Lincoln Kirstein did.

[@jimlees2550]

Thank you, Mr. Clifford, for posting so many fabulous examples of Mr. Balanchine's work. It kills me that ballet is so far behind the times in utilizing today's technology in presenting itself to the public. There seems to be such a richness in choreography today, continuing Mr. B's legacy, but, unfortunately, there are only tantalizing snippets available online. There are many of us who would love to see all the exciting things happening in ballet today (and in the past) but don't have the luxury of living in a major city with a world-class ballet company. Thanks for standing in the gap! I can think of at least a couple dozen Balanchine ballets I have wanted to see all my life and, at the age of 63, wonder whether I will ever get to.

[@nan2kaye]

Jim Lees I couldn't agree more!

[@kathymyers7279]

Jim Lees ditto.

[@jcliff26]

Jim Lees I agree. I wish NYCB would do live video like some Opera co’s and the Bolshoi Ballet is now doing, or even a paid online subscription service.

[@nan2kaye]

The Royal Ballet is streaming now as well! Get with the program, NYCB!

[@BytomGirl]

Great choreography with a Hungarian feel and fantastic dancing...

[@BuddyDean]

Thanks for posting Mr. Clifford! Was hoping someone would since I saw this on PBS years ago. Balanchine choreography at the height of his powers! Whelan and Woetzel are in fine form, Damian retiring from NYCB a few years later. Exciting dancing and rhythmic virtuosity from these two and a great corp de ballet.

[@barbaralemere5183]

I haven't seen this ballet in such a long time! I like Wendy and Damien in this piece. Lots of energy.

[@vikid1111]

Thank you!

[@rachelberiault3769]

magnifique la créativitéde Balanchine est infinie

[@avesraggiana]

Go, Damian!!!

[@Misscopi]

Thank you!!!!

[@vincentparisi2644]

When I would see it back in the day it was like Balanchine's dancers could set the State theater aflame. You would leave the theater both exhilarated and wiped out. I know from experience that even what we see of Balanchine's own dancers on video or film is a fraction of their impact live. I'm sorry but what I see today is disappointing. The nuance and spirit is lost. But that is inevitable. It could only come from the direct inspiration of one person molding his dancers. I feel lucky to have attended the City Ballet when Balanchine was alive. Incomparable life altering experiences which can in no way be recreated. And this at almost every performance! People who weren't there have no idea. Such is life. Balanchine and Stravinsky were the last geniuses.

[@jcliff26]

Very true. Having Balanchine in front of you daily for class, rehearsals, and performances, was a uniquely inspiring experience. The dancers of today do their best of course, but having Mr. B in the wings for every show set us on fire.

[@danwikler9093]

What you write is nothing but the exact truth. Those hours (hundreds, in my case) in the State Theater remain among the most vivid and enchanting I've experienced in my 71 years. The videos are really just souvenirs. Still, they can be thrilling, and it's scandalous that there is not a complete edition of Balanchine's work available on DVD or the internet. In fact, there's hardly anything. Those who have the rights to these works and who order that videos posted by others be taken down are, no doubt despite their best intentions, ensuring that this great, great artist will have little or no following in the years to come.

[@laurafrenkeltarrio3020]

Gracias!!!!!!!!!

[@toeknee1965]

thats our boy from Boston !!!!

[@vincentparisi2644]

I saw this with Farrell partnered with d'Amboise and then with Martins. This performance should be called The Brahms Schoenberg Snooze.Sheesh. Balanchine was right. He said after he died his ballets would become nothing more than steps and that is what happened.

[@jcliff26]

Vincent Parisi yes of course. After Farrell and d'Amboise it's really hard to match those great artists. But we must be grateful for what others bring to the table. Also this is a video, so lacks the excitement of the live show. In any case. It's still a great ballet.

[@Marta44339]

I loved Farrell. However, the great Whelan and the great Woetzel were two whom I saw many many times. They are true artists.

[@dirgesinthedark5637]

What year was this?

[@jcliff26]

DIRGES in the DARK 1993.

[@rr4real712]

How is that possible? Sara Mearns (apprentice year 2003, corps member 2004) and Adrian Danchig-Waring (apprentice year 2002, corps member 2003) are both in the corps of this piece (likely along with other current dancers I can't recognize) -- as are Rebecca Krohn (apprentice year 1998, corps member 1999), Craig Hall (apprentice year 1999, corps member 2000), and Amar Ramasar (apprentice year 2000, corps member 2001).

[@abrillanteri5583]

@@rr4real712 this should be between 2004 and 2006, when Sara was promoted to soloist

[@kevalev12]

wow 93 i thought this was 96 97

[@jcliff26]

Kevin Johnson Pretty sure it was for the Balanchine Celebration 1993.

[@ricknelson1867]

@@jcliff26 this was at a gala performance in 2004 or 2005, i was fortunate enough to be in the audience at the State Theater that evening. Thanks for posting this, the Rondo alla Zingarese has always been a favorite.