BaL 7.10.23 - Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade

[Barbirollians]

I hope NS mentions the missing Kletzki .

[visualnickmos]

Maybe the moderators of the Church of Scotland objected to it on the grounds that it's a 'pagan' work. They succeeded in banning the Missa Solemnis in 1956 onthe grounds thatit was a 'catholic mass' .

The ever-present forces of the dogma of religious tolerance,...

[Darloboy]

By coincidence I was wondering the other day if this had ever been chosen for BaL.

It has been featured on the programme a few times, although not since 2005: first off were Arthur Jacobs in 1958 and Richard Osborne in 1974 (I don't know which recordings either chose I'm afraid) and then the following:

Richard Osborne (again) (March 1979): RPO/Beecham + also recommended: Chicago SO/Reiner & LPO/Haitink & Boston SO/Ozawa
Stephen Johnson (June 1990): RPO/Beecham + also recommended: Philadelphia O/Muti & LPO/Haitink
Anthony Burton (Sept 2005): Concg O/Kondrashin

[MickyD]

I'd like to put in a word for the nicely recorded HIP version from Jos Van Immerseel, with the excellent Midori Seiler as soloist. In addition you get the Great Russian Easter Festival overture, sounding quite magical on period instruments. And Borodin's Polotsvian Dances!

[Lawrence]

I couldn’t disagree more. These are young lovers here, not doddering octogenarians out on date night. One expects a certain passion and animation from them, even during a slow dance. And the playing is simply unbelievable. Above all, Scheherazade is Concerto For Orchestra

I'm an octogenarian but haven't made it to the doddering stage (yet). I have Kondrashin (my favourite) and Sascha Goetzel.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I’m listening now through slightly gritted teeth as I have an aversion to the piece largely because it was massively overplayed at my primary school assembly. It all comes flooding back - the ever so slightly sharp solo violin and the screechy first violins with that awful echoey dink- donk at the end of the phrase - all shown perfectly in that Beecham RPO recording.
The BSO are doing it in Exeter in a few weeks . Guess I’ll be leaving after a no doubt immaculate Mozart K595 with Stephen Osborne in the first half .

[HighlandDougie]

I’m listening now through slightly gritted teeth as I have an aversion to the piece largely because it was massively overplayed at my primary school assembly. It all comes flooding back - the ever so slightly sharp solo violin and the screechy first violins with that awful echoey dink- donk at the end of the phrase - all shown perfectly in that Beecham RPO recording.
The BSO are doing it in Exeter in a few weeks . Guess I’ll be leaving after a no doubt immaculate Mozart K595 with Stephen Osborne in the first half .

Much enjoyed this episode so many thanks to Makropoulos for his sterling work in sorting out rather a lot of wheat from maybe not so much chaff. Kletzki gets an honourable mention for those who didn't listen - and the winner (Mackerras/LSO) will have me immediately seek out a copy, ditto the Golovanov. Pleased that Krivine got an illustration - it's a CD which cost me the princely sum of 3 euros and which I have much enjoyed.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Much enjoyed this episode so many thanks to Makropoulos for his sterling work in sorting out rather a lot of wheat from maybe not so much chaff. Kletzki gets an honourable mention for those who didn't listen - and the winner (Mackerras/LSO) will have me immediately seek out a copy, ditto the Golovanov. Pleased that Krivine got an illustration - it's a CD which cost me the princely sum of 3 euros and which I have much enjoyed.

Yes the Mackerras was a superb performance and well done Makropoulos for shifting through it all.
But what followed was ABSOLUTELY incredible what an amazing recording .

Nielsen
Symphony No. 4, Op. 29 "The Inextinguishable" iv) Allegro

Orchestra: Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fabio Luisi

absolutely Fabioluisi you might say ….

[Alison]

Pleased the LPO/Haitink was included and with enthusiasm.

Its available on a Presto CD.

[Alison]

A Building a Library thread wouldn’t be the same without a HIPP suggestion from Micky and an overlooked Haitink recording from Alison.

Must check if we’ve had the BBCMM message from dear Pulcinella.

[Pulcinella]

A Building a Library thread wouldn’t be the same without a HIPP suggestion from Micky and an overlooked Haitink recording from Alison.

Must check if we’ve had the BBCMM message from dear Pulcinella.

Thanks for the epithet.

Standards are slipping! For once not, though as you probably suspected, there is indeed one, apparently 'A thrilling performance': BBCSSO/Titov, recorded in Aberdeen on 19 April 2002.

The spelling on the cover is SHEHERAZADE.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rimsky-Korsakov-Sheherazade-Lyadov-Baba-yaga-Enchanted/dp/B012LL053W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=147KFWE0GA2C9&keywords=Titov+lyado v&qid=1696677551&s=music&sprefix=titov+lyadov%2C po pular%2C50&sr=1-1

[Alison]

Ah, thanks dearest. What happened to Titov? Now Im wondering if Sir John recorded the piece. Barbs?

[richardfinegold]

Richard I wonder if there are two Reiner/CSO performances. I've just listened via Spotify to a performance of the the movement in question from 1960 remastered and issued under the Artemesia label and it would be hard to find a slower initial tempo, almost stopping in places as Reiner lingers lovingly over Rimsky's score, it has some strange balances too with woodwind almost dominating strings rather than supporting the line - to my ears at ;least!
By the way, I hope that you enjoyed Belgium, frites and all.

AFAIK there is only one Reiner/CSO recording. Perhaps Spotify was playing an earlier recording he made with Pittsburgh?

[richardfinegold]

Yes the Mackerras was a superb performance and well done Makropoulos for shifting through it all.
But what followed was ABSOLUTELY incredible what an amazing recording .

Nielsen
Symphony No. 4, Op. 29 "The Inextinguishable" iv) Allegro

Orchestra: Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fabio Luisi

absolutely Fabioluisi you might say ….

I listened to the Luisi Nielsen set set during my plane ride to Belgium. It isn’t bad but I thought that he misses a considerable amount of the composer’s coarse humor ((not that much on evidence in #4/5, to be sure) and indulges in to much rubato for my taste. I had read in Gramophone that Luisi is relatively new to Nielsen while obviously the orchestra is not, and it would be interesting to rehear him a few years down the pike

[Pulcinella]

I listened to the Luisi Nielsen set set during my plane ride to Belgium. It isn’t bad but I thought that he misses a considerable amount of the composer’s coarse humor ((not that much on evidence in #4/5, to be sure) and indulges in to much rubato for my taste. I had read in Gramophone that Luisi is relatively new to Nielsen while obviously the orchestra is not, and it would be interesting to rehear him a few years down the pike

Continuing off topic (), the DSNO/Luisi Nielsen 4 and 5 is Gramophone's Recording of the year according to the Awards issue that's just dropped through the letter box. Perhaps this is why it got an airing this morning.