Rimsky-Korsakov recommendations?

[ChamberNut]

Make Antar Great Again!

[Brian]

Listening to Antar again. Obviously I owe this chance momentary (?) obsession to our @Elgarian Redux with thanks. I cannot escape the conclusion that there's really no reason why this piece should not be fully as popular as Sheherazade.

I also listened again today! Knowing that the second movement represented vengeance really enhanced my appreciation. (What a heavy-metal idea for a tune, after all.) It is a testament to the quality of the primary tune that, despite all of its repetitions, you never get tired of hearing it.

[Elgarian Redux]

I cannot escape the conclusion that there's really no reason why this piece should not be fully as popular as Sheherazade.

It certainly baffles me that it isn't, and I have two things to say about it:

1. I remember when I was 16, bowled over by Scheherazade, wandering around the record shops in search of other pieces by R-K that might be similarly life-changing. In those days record shops had 'listening booths', and I remember listening to several R-K pieces - Le Coq d'Or was one I sampled. But in my quest for 'more like Scheherazade', I drew a blank. And I never saw an LP with Antar on it.

2. When I started on my recent adventure, I was a little apprehensive that in the process of submitting Antar to so many listenings over a relatively short period, I might kill it off for me. Well, I can say that once I got going there was never any fear of that happening. My admiration, indeed my love of the piece, only grew with acquaintance. I gave it every opportunity to make me tired of it - but in hindsight I can see there was never any risk of that, in fact.

Well, as @ChamberNut says: we are in the process of Making Antar Great Again. (Yikes!)

[Elgarian Redux]

It is a testament to the quality of the primary tune that, despite all of its repetitions, you never get tired of hearing it.

Yes, that is remarkable. In some of its manifestations, it's still capable (after all the grotesque exposure of recent weeks) of making the hair prickle on the back of my neck.

[Karl Henning]

Yes, that is remarkable. In some of its manifestations, it's still capable (after all the grotesque exposure of recent weeks) of making the hair prickle on the back of my neck.

Behold the Power of Art!

[Roasted Swan]

In the recent extended discussion about "Antar" I don't think this version was mentioned.....



the notes accompanying this disc are here;

https://www.naxos.com/MainSite/BlurbsReviews/?itemcode=8.573448&catnum=573448&filetype=AboutThisRecording&language=English

In essence Ravel adapted the original Rimsky for use as incidental music interpolating other works too as well as some original Ravel.  This performance here is of therefore the incidental music version and includes quite long passages played under a spoken narration (in French).  Perhaps not for every day or to replace the versions previously discussed but interesting to hear how Rimsky's musical influence lasted into the 20th Century and beyond Russia.......