Suite No. 1 opens with Fok dance (Allegro giocoso), a breezy scene from Act II when a holiday is being celebrated in the market place, cornet and saxophone lend an alfresco air. The Scene (Allegretto) belongs to the opening of Act 1, when late-night revellers are drifting home; the distinctive instruments here are the piano and xylophone, although the bassoon takes the tune.
In the Madrigal (Andante tenero) Romeo, at the Capulets' ball, contrives to meet Juliet and declare himself; they dance together. The Minuet (Assai moderato) and Masks (Andante marciale) are consecutive numbers from the ball scene, the first accompanying the arrival of the guests and their formal dancing, the second, with its steady pulse put down by the percussion at the start and maintained unchanged throughout, covering the entry of Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio, stealing masked into enemy territory.
In the Balcony Scene (Larghetto, then Andante) Juliet, at first alone dreams of Romeo (the music recalls the Madrigal). Then Romeo appears as the cellos enounce his passionate theme. The scene closes with their tender farewells. Violent action concludes the first suite, portraying in Tybalt's death (Precipitato) first the fight of Mercutio and Tybalt, then Romeo's revenge when he, in turn, kills Tybalt. The movement ends solemnly as Tybalt's body is borne off.
The opening movement of Suite No. 2 is perhaps the best-known extract from the ballet Montagues and Capulets (Andante, then Allegro pesante) presents the proud dance of the knights as the Capulets' ball commences (it follows Masks, heard in the first Suite). As Juliet dances with Paris, Romeo, looking on, is entranced.
Juliet the young girl (Vivace) takes us back to the second scene, when Juliet mischeviously teases her nurse who is trying to get her dressed for the ball. When she looks in the mirror she realises she is no longer a little girl, the flute offers the playful, tender theme that portrays her throughout the ballet. (Romeo, Tybalt and the Nurse all have their own musical motives also). Harp and saxophone show at the end that her mischief will be lost in the adult world.
In the chapel, before Romeo and Juliet come to get married, Friar Laurence (Andante espressivo) awaits their arrival. Bassoon and tuba mark out a solemn, rather Russian, theme, followed by music of miraculous warmth from the divided cellos. The Dance (Vivo) is a swift and unmistakably balletic scene for five couples in the market place, in which the interplay of dancers is almost visible in the deft orchestration.
We then move to the end of the drama. Romeo and Juliet before parting (Lento) shows the morning light shining into Juliet's bedroom and their anguished, tender parting; it also includes some of the music where Juliet, left alone, resolves to visit Friar Laurence.
The Dance of the girls with lilies (Andante con eleganza) accompanies the bridesmaids who, unknowing, await Juliet's marriage to Paris and dance around her sleeping form. But she has taken the potion and is thought to be dead. In Romeo at Juliet's tomb (Adagio funebre) Romeo returns to the vault where she lies. A great climbing theme portrays his anguish. Unaware of the potion she has taken, he takes poison and dies at her feet.