Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Capriccio Espagnol
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Music CD Cover
Composer: Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-KorsakovConductor: Igor Markevitch
Edition: Music CD
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 1994-10-14
Music Label: Philips/Universal
Soundtracks:
- Scheherazade, Op.35 - The Sea And Sinbad's Ship
- Scheherazade, Op.35 - The Story Of The Calender Prince
- Scheherazade, Op.35 - The Young Prince And The Young Princess
- Scheherazade, Op.35 - Festival At Bagdad - The Sea - The Shipwreck Against A Roc
- Capriccio Espagnol, Op.34 - Alborada
- Capriccio Espagnol, Op.34 - Variazioni
- Capriccio Espagnol, Op.34 - Alborada
- Capriccio Espagnol, Op.34 - Scena E Canto Gitano
- Capriccio Espagnol, Op.34 - Fandango Asturiano
- Russian Easter Festival, Overture, Op.36
Free Music Notes for Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Capriccio Espagnol
Free Music Review: Fine Performances With Concertmaster Krebbers the Soloist in the Scheherazade
Hit: 5 Stars
IMPORTANT: This same performance of Scheherazade can also be found for less money on a newly remastered CD, but with Borodin's symphony instead of the Markevitch led Rimsky-Korsakov material. (Actually there are now two (2) new remasterings, both with the Borodin. One is part of a 50th anniversary series, the other an even newer go at it. Obviously either the people at Philips or the CD buying public are wild about this recording!) The two more recent issues are listed below. The covers are derived from the original LP art, and not a CD cover, and suggest the 50th anniversary issue follows rather than precedes the most recent restoration, so I add the dates of issue after each.
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade The 2006 reissue.
Rimsky-Korsakov / Borodin: Symphonic Music The 2001.
Frankly I prefer this older coupling, which is the reason for my review, but if you are looking for just Scheherazade the newly remastered versions are a better financial choice. I have not heard either so I can not compare the remastering jobs with this 1994 CD.
Although the cover and notes may not indicate who conducts what, Kondrashin leads in Scheherazade, while Markevitch is in charge for the two other concert works. Note, the London Symphony, not the Concertgebouw, is the orchestra in the Capriccio Espagnol.
There are any number of very good Sheherazades on CD. With this one you get better than average sound from Philips of their crown jewel orchestra, then the Concertgebouw in advertising, now tagged 'The Royal Concertgebouw' in all copy. This of course is all for the good, as the orchestra's hall has always enjoyed remarkable acoustics, not always a starting point or common feature, alas, for all orchestras. Kondrashin, who is perhaps best remembered today for backing up some famous concerto recordings, was an excellent conductor who excelled in Russian music. (See his magnificent must buy CD on RCA of The Masquerade Suite, etc. - the waltz may ring familair to anyone making it to the masquerade ball in the horror flop Van Helsing.) Throughout Sheherazade Kondrashin shows an easy command of the sweep necessary for Rimsky's epic portrait of the sea and nicely brings out the filtered exoticism of Arabian nights.
A high point is concertmaster Krebbers, who plays the important violin solos. Several violinists, friends of mine, bought this CD for his playing alone!
Igor Markevitch, a conductor who excelled in modern works and brings a fiery quality (if I may slip in a bad but useful cliche) to many of his performances - just see his Berlioz Damnation of Faust! - does justice to the two other works.
A very good choice, especially for string players. Among the too numerous to count other performances of Scheherazade I remain most attached to Monteux and the San Francisco, a wondrous example of musical story-telling. The violin playing is even sweeter, and, importantly for me, more feminine, as befits someone giving musical voice to Sheherazade's bequiling tales. However, for stereo, which most people will want as their first choice, and rightfully so, other better sounding versions exist, including a very good performance superbly recorded of Reiner and Chicago on RCA Hybrid SACD.
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