10 Great Ballet Scores

Ballet tells a story through dance, accompanied by music. Many composers have composed music for the dance stage, and I have selected 10 great ballet scores that I recommend to all classical music listeners. These ballet scores not only help to tell the story of each ballet, but also stand alone as great pieces of music, even without the ballet.

1. Tchaikovsky – Swan Lake

• Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake is one of the most performed ballets in the world.

2. Tchaikovsky – Sleeping Beauty

3. Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker

• The Nutcracker is performed each year at Christmas time by many ballet companies throughout the world.

4. Stravinsky – The Firebird 

5. Stravinsky – Petrushka 

6. Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du printemps )

• The shocking choreography and music of the ballet caused an uproar in the audience during the premiere of The Rite of Spring.

7. Ravel – Daphnis et Chloe

8. Prokofiev – Romeo and Juliet

9. Aaron Copland – Rodeo  

10. Aaron Copland – Appalachian Spring

Related Articles: 11 Great Overtures, The Best Symphonies