Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (and Igor Stavinsky) - Scheherazade

[TomDac]

Genre: Classical
Composers: Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (and Igor Stavinsky)
Pieces: Scheherazade (and The Firebird Suite)
Conductor: Myung-Whun Chung
Performer: Frederic Laroque
Label: Polygram Records / Deutsch Grammophon
Catalog #: 437818
Year: 1994

General Comments
[size=-2]February 2004 Dan Prorok [/size]
This is one of those recordings that just sings through my SL-3’s. I am always convinced after hearing the first violin solo that I must be in the hall of listening to a live performance. Yes, it has that characteristic, powerful brassy and percussive Rimksy-Korsakov sound, but this particular performance also dedicates ample attention to the strings, which lyrically deliver a delicate performance and build the tension before the brass and percussion ultimately build crescendos to the much-anticipated climax. I especially appreciate how after a note is held in a quiet passage how there is just enough ambient acoustics of the hall recorded to allow the note to “hang on” in my living room as well. I find it very convincing and never tire of this disc.​

 

[pat17]

Tom,

If you are a real fan of Sheherazade, I would recommend you to have a look at Gergiev's recording in Decca (Kirov Orchestra)

 

[miljac]

What about this:

Vienna State Opera Orchestra/Hermann Scherchen: Deutsche Gramophon/Westminster
Rimski-Korsakow: Scheherezade/Tschaikowsky: 1812

I have a CD only (471 215-2) - but I have read somewhere that somebody has made a re-issue of the LP in 180 or 200g.

Wonderful performance and great recording from 1958.

 

[DTB300]

Tom....This is a favorite classical piece of mine too. I have the RCA Living Stereo on SACD and for CD versions, have you had a chance to compare the version you have to the RCA or others? The RCA is 3 Channel SACD.

I also had the chance last year to hear the NSO perform this piece, and it was a great show.

Dan

 

[TomDac]

Hey guys,

even though it shows that I posted this, I really just copied this post into the new site from the old forum. Dan Porok is the author who submitted that review, as it shows in the post comments.



Tom.