Our Summer BAL 59: Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade

[Pabmusic]

Yes - and affect to like Music they don't because they think it makes them "look good"! Don't understand it - people are much more interesting when (trying to) talking about what they genuinely enjoy.

I have always been drawn to music, or been put off it, in the inverse to what someone has said about it - especially if they were pompous or arrogant about it. I suppose it's a sort of arrogance on my part: "Don't tell me how I should think or feel!"

I've ended up enjoying so many unfashionable composers.

[BBMmk2]

This reminded me of the discussion around whether music could be about place, or other stuff beyond itself, here et seq...... I like it without having ever read or tried to follow the story beyond knowing in general what it is. I'm sure I used to have a recording but don't seem to still have it.....

Rodney Friend told a story in an interview about working with Haitink - the LPO played Heldenleben which led RF to hope they might be going to record it, only to discover BH had just recorded it, or was in the process of recording it, with the Concertgebouw. He let his disappointment be known, and was very touched when shortly afterwards BH put the LPO down to play and record Scheherezade.....

What a nice gesture from BH, RT! Have to look up that recording now!

[Braunschlag]

Reiner/CSO if you must. I do know of fhg's dislike of this work but it's a nice noise nonetheless.
Can anyone concur that there is a whispered 'bravo' from Reiner in this recording? Possibly at the start of the fourth movement. I'm sure there is and I'll dig it out. It would easily have been obscured in old LP technology but I'm convinced I heard it when I bought the CD.
Great tambourine part if nothing else.

[Barbirollians]

I should like to see the Kletzki re released and remastered the early CFP CD was rather bright compared to the LP. Great performance though - it seems we are now getting an Icon Bix once every couple of years . A Kletzki box is long overdue .

[richardfinegold]

Reiner/CSO if you must. I do know of fhg's dislike of this work but it's a nice noise nonetheless.
Can anyone concur that there is a whispered 'bravo' from Reiner in this recording? Possibly at the start of the fourth movement. I'm sure there is and I'll dig it out. It would easily have been obscured in old LP technology but I'm convinced I heard it when I bought the CD.
Great tambourine part if nothing else.

Can't say that I've ever detected the 'bravo' and I think I've owned the recording in every format....

[Barbirollians]

Have listened to the Reiner now and it is indeed a cracker of a performance but the Kletzki has the edge for me the gorgeous vintage Philharmonia playing and a real sense for me of the tales being told - truly lovely middle movements and s thrilling without being rushed finale .

Second hand copies on CD can be found on Amazon very cheaply but you need to search for rimsky Kletzki and read the reviews there is no photo of the CD cover until you read them.

Kondrashin won when it was on BAL in 2005

[Barbirollians]

Thanks for the reference to the Haitink recording .

In my first visit to a charity shop post lockdown I found it the other day in the Silver Line remastering - at £3 quite expensive for my local but what a cracking symphonic version it is . It may not have the extraordinary verve and colour of the Kletzki but Haitink brings out the intricacies of RK's wonderful orchestration quite marvellously and builds tension splendidly. Rodney Friend plays the solo violin part with great delicacy.