Scheherazade

[The fatgoat]

Does any one have a digital copy of the full score for the piece? I can't seem to find one, and I'm fairly certain it's in the public domain by now.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Does any one have a digital copy of the full score for the piece? I can't seem to find one, and I'm fairly certain it's in the public domain by now.

http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/symphonic.html

[The fatgoat]

Thanks!

[Ken B]

Bump.

The competition in Scheherazade recordings is fierce, and there are many splendid ones. I have always rated Beecham first. There's a famous Reiner and no end to digital spectaculars.
But I just discovered Silvestri. He is leading the orchestra he trained, the Bournemouth, in 1966. He gets them to play beyond -- way beyond -- themselves. This is a spectacularly good performance. You can hear the orchestra playing its best. And the reading, Silvestri's approach, is wonderful. Mercurial without ever seeming rash, careful with details, careful with the play between sections, rhythmically precise and driven without rushing. The whole thing sounds fresh, alive spontaneous. This is brilliant conducting. I won't say it tops Beecham, but it at least is close, and with an orchestra normally two cuts below the 1957 RPO. The remastered sound, in the Icon box, is good for the period, with an excellent spatial image.

[Jo498]

If only I cared more about this piece this review might have been an incentive to finally get that Icon box I have had on my wishlist for 2 years...

[Ken B]

If only I cared more about this piece this review might have been an incentive to finally get that Icon box I have had on my wishlist for 2 years...

I will report back. So
This
Stravinsky Symphony in 3. Excellent, really first class. I had it on vinyl. Rossignol. a controversial performance from what I read, but I like it a lot.
Franck. Another old friend from vinyl. Another excellent performance.
Bartok Divertimento. Excellent, slightly off beat.

[Gurn Blanston]

I have both of these and they are more than tolerable.




I also have the famous Reiner, a Celidibache and Ansermet. At least. Clearly I like the work, but I will say, along with Jo, all you need is one good version, not a panoply of options. Options are for Beethoven 9. Or Rimski collectors. 0:)

[Ken B]

I have both of these and they are more than tolerable.




I also have the famous Reiner, a Celidibache and Ansermet. At least. Clearly I like the work, but I will say, along with Jo, all you need is one good version, not a panoply of options. Options are for Beethoven 9. Or Rimski collectors. 0:)

In general I agree that, like La Mer, one is enough. Maybe two.  But in the age of boxes you often end up with more. It's nice to be able to think of a purchase as just a chance to hear a new performance, not a long term commitment. Cheap boxes enable that.
This so far is a darned good box.

[Gurn Blanston]

In general I agree that, like La Mer, one is enough. Maybe two.  But in the age of boxes you often end up with more. It's nice to be able to think of a purchase as just a chance to hear a new performance, not a long term commitment. Cheap boxes enable that.
This so far is a darned good box.

Yes, I see that. I haven't been able to make the commitment to the box concept yet. I suppose I should, just to be able to get some of those OOP gems before CD's leave the scene entirely, awaiting their own 'vinyl renaissance'.   

[bigshot]

Schehrezade is one of my favorite pieces... Two recordings stand out... Previn and Bakels. None of the others come close to those two. Previn is better if you like a more controlled balance. Bakels is one of the most dynamic and exciting recordings that I've ever heard. Don't miss his Antar either.

[flyingdutchman]

Scheherazade is one of my favorite pieces of music ever and I have many but the following are the best ever:

Stokowski on Cala
Reiner

Also like Ansermet, Beecham, and Kondrashin.

All others?  Nah.

[Holden]

Another vote for Stokowski/LSO

[PerfectWagnerite]

My favorite is this one:


for the great bassoon playing of the NYPO principal bassoon Judith Leclair. She combines a robust tone with a lot of colors. Another favorite is this one:



The playing is not as good but the recording is crisp and clear and has a nice haunting feeling to it.

[Gurn Blanston]

My favorite is this one:


for the great bassoon playing of the NYPO principal bassoon Judith Leclair. She combines a robust tone with a lot of colors. Another favorite is this one:



The playing is not as good but the recording is crisp and clear and has a nice haunting feeling to it.

I could see myself quite enjoying the NYPO/Temirkanov , I have enjoyed them otherwise. The coupling with Russian Easter Overture is tempting too. I'll have to find that one, thanks!

[Peter Power Pop]

The competition in Scheherazade recordings is fierce, and there are many splendid ones. I have always rated Beecham first. There's a famous Reiner and no end to digital spectaculars.
But I just discovered Silvestri. He is leading the orchestra he trained, the Bournemouth, in 1966. He gets them to play beyond -- way beyond -- themselves. This is a spectacularly good performance. You can hear the orchestra playing its best. And the reading, Silvestri's approach, is wonderful. Mercurial without ever seeming rash, careful with details, careful with the play between sections, rhythmically precise and driven without rushing. The whole thing sounds fresh, alive spontaneous. This is brilliant conducting. I won't say it tops Beecham, but it at least is close, and with an orchestra normally two cuts below the 1957 RPO. The remastered sound, in the Icon box, is good for the period, with an excellent spatial image.

Ken: I'm currently listening to a pile of Scheherazades (Schwarz, a couple of Svetlanovs, four Stokowskis, and others), and courtesy of your enthusiasm I made a beeline to the Silvestri. Now that I've heard it, all I can say is "Amen, brother!" It's fabulous. I'm now on my second listen.

All the other Scheherazades I heard had been enjoyable enough (I don't think I've ever heard a bad one), but this one's in a class of its own. I find it immensely engaging. It's the kind of performance that makes me want to keep listening to it.

Thanks, Ken, for pointing out the Silvestri. And I think I'll be listening to it for the third time in a row shortly.

[Ken B]

Ken: I'm currently listening to a pile of Scheherazades (Schwarz, a couple of Svetlanovs, four Stokowskis, and others), and courtesy of your enthusiasm I made a beeline to the Silvestri. Now that I've heard it, and all I can say is "Amen, brother!" It's fabulous. I'm now on my second listen.

All the other Scheherazades I heard had been enjoyable enough (I don't think I've ever heard a bad one), but this one's in a class of its own. I find it immensely engaging. It's the kind of performance that makes me want to keep listening to it.

Thanks, Ken, for pointing out the Silvestri. And I think I'll be listening to it for the third time in a row shortly.

Glad you share my enthusiasm! It's a piece I used to love, and then kind of lost interest in. Until I heard this performance.

[Elgarian]

In general I agree that, like La Mer, one is enough. Maybe two. 

It might be enough ... but I found that it took me a dozen shots to find the two I most wanted to live with. I'm sure I wrote a heap of stuff about the search at the time .. but where... where?
[He disappears into the labyrinthine dark tunnels in the GMG cellars...]

Here we are. It starts here with some preliminary discussion culminating in a paean of praise for Beecham:
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg600643.html#msg600643

and then I wrote detailed-ish reviews as follows

Ormandy
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg601388.html#msg601388

Svetlanov
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg602465.html#msg602465

Stokowski
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg602701.html#msg602701

Litton
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg603426.html#msg603426

Leinsdorf
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg605774.html#msg605774

Reiner
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg606810.html#msg606810

Dutoit
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg607239.html#msg607239

Muti
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg609136.html#msg609136

Kletzki
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,4892.msg632438.html#msg632438

I know I worked my way through over a dozen recordings, but those are the ones I wrote most about. Looking back on all this activity, it's interesting to see that the two that survived - the 'necessary' two that I suppose I now feel are enough - were Beecham and Muti.

[Karl Henning]

Hey, look! Someone has cleared away the cobwebs in these labyrinthine dark tunnels!

[Elgarian]

Hey, look! Someone has cleared away the cobwebs in these labyrinthine dark tunnels!

Keep talking Karl. It may help me to find my way out!

[Karl Henning]

I'm humming "The Young Prince and the Young Princess" over this way!