2001 release. George Antheil (1900-1959) Ballet Mecanique performed by the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra conducted by Daniel Spalding. Recorded October 4-5, 1999 at the County Ballroom, the War Memorial, Trenton, New Jersey. Antheil's musical reputation rests on this ballet which represented the climax of his period with the French 'avant-garde'. It achieved massive notoriety through it's bizarre orchestra of pianos, percussion, electric buzzers & airplane propellers. Musically it's one of the masterpieces of the early 20th century & culturally represents a fine example of the "spirit of the time" that was prevalent in Paris during the early 1920's.