Rimsky-Korsakov recommendations?

[Elgarian]

"young Elgarian."

Ha! I wish!

Looking forward to what you say about your new purchases.

[Karl Henning]

I've just bought the Litton Scheherazade. It's part of a 2-CD set from Virgin Classics called Russian Music ($10 on eBay – bargain!):

The stand-out in that program (in being much less frequently programmed than the rest) is the Tchaikovsky.  How do you like it?

[Ken B]

As per the Scheherazade thread my recs would be
Beecham
Silvestri
Reiner

[Jo498]

I have to admit that I have not yet heard a complete Rimsky opera although I bought a Brilliant box set a few years ago.
But I love the suites from some of the operas like Christmas Eve, Tsar Saltan, The Golden Cockerel etc. I also like the 2nd symphony "Antar" at least as much as Sheherazade (which is a little overlong for me).

[Peter Power Pop]

The stand-out in that program (in being much less frequently programmed than the rest) is the Tchaikovsky.  How do you like it?

Er, I've never heard it. A quick trip to YouTube will fix that. Hang on...

https://www.youtube.com/v/FuyyNgctv8o

Mmm: Moody. I love the rumbling cellos and fluttering woodwinds at 3:35.

While I'm listening to it, I'm not thinking of a storm at all. I'm thinking Tchaikovsky must have written a piece called Hänsel und Gretel instead, because I'm picturing Hansel and Gretel walking through a forest to the old witch's house. The cellos are the children's footsteps, the wind instruments are the birds in the trees, and the violins are the wind. At calm section starting at 4:35 is Hansel and Gretel finding the witch's house, and they think is a welcoming home. Once they're inside they're a little bit frightened (the music changes to reflect the children's apprehension), but at 8:39 the violins signify the witch reassuring Hansel and Gretel that everything's fine and they are completely safe. This bit goes on for ages, so the witch is really doing a number on them. ("Why, think of me as the granny you never had, but always wanted. I'm the best granny ever!") But at 12:53 there's a seed of doubt from Hansel or Gretel. At 13:34 one of the children realises, "Oh-oh, I think we're in trouble here", and at 13:43 the other child says, "Yep." For the next couple of minutes the kiddies are getting more and more frantic, wondering how they're going to get out of that house. ("What are we going to do?"; "This is dreadful!"; "We must do something!" etc.) At 15:28 Granny finally notices the young'uns are beside themselves, and tries to calm the junior campers by telling them everything's fine. At 18:33 Hansel and/or Gretel says to Granny, "You're lying!", and, as per the "Hänsel und Gretel" story, the anklebiters chuck Granny/The Old Witch into the oven at 18:45 (the big cymbal crash tells me that's what happened). Everything after that is the happy ending (you can hear it all in the music).

I enjoyed Tchaikovsky's The Tempest Hänsel und Gretel.

[Cato]

The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia is not only one of Rimsky-Korsakov's best works, it is one of the greatest operas ever composed.


[asin]B005G4YEE8[/asin]

[flyingdutchman]

Well well well. Fancy this. I've been hoping throughout my Scheherazade explorations to find on CD the recording that originally enchanted me (on LP) nearly 50 years ago: Kletzki with the Philharmonia, and Hugh Bean on violin:



I think maybe it was never transferred to CD. Certainly I can't find one. But I discovered the other day that it can be had as an Amazon download:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005Q3SWSS/ref=dm_sp_alb?ie=UTF8&qid=1338019663&sr=1-1-catcorr.

The Kletzki is on Spotify.

I'm really not interested in downloading music, but in this case beggars couldn't be choosers; and Amazon had given me some promotional downloading points, which would otherwise be wasted, so I took the plunge. The experiment cost less than £2, so nothing to lose. Burned the tracks onto CD, took it into the garden, and sat in the sunshine, prepared to be ravished by Kletzki's  Scheherazade.

Well there was always a chance that my memory had deceived me into elevating this ('my first Scheherazade') to a status it didn't really deserve; but no, it really is a smashing performance. Maybe not quite up to Beecham, Svetlanov or Muti, but I certainly hadn't been deceived as a mere stripling. Even so, at the end I felt rather flattened. Not because of the performance, but because of the recording quality. This was obviously transferred from a vinyl LP. And it showed, in the continuous surface rustle apparent in the quiet bits, spits and pops, lack of dynamic range, and slightly unpleasant 'boxy' sound. I doubt if I shall want to listen to this very often. Despite the performance, I can't recommend this download , for these very reasons.

Curiously, I don't have this problem with recordings from 78 (eg Elgar's conducted stuff) because I can approach it differently; it doesn't offer anything like a hifi experience, and one can settle for that. But a bad transfer from vinyl does raise hifi expectations - and then goes on and on disappointing, to exhaustion.

For the record, Kletzki's timings are 10.24, 11.14, 10.31 and 12.20. (44.29 altogether.)

[KevinP]

The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia is not only one of Rimsky-Korsakov's best works, it is one of the greatest operas ever composed.


[asin]B005G4YEE8[/asin]

Does this particular release include the libretto? I have this recording on the five-opera box set where there is, as you'd expect, no libretto, but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere in English. Not sure, but I think the Naxos is the only other complete recording (and no lib there), so it's safe to say any other recording wouldn't include the complete text.

[Cato]

Does this particular release include the libretto? I have this recording on the five-opera box set where there is, as you'd expect, no libretto, but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere in English. Not sure, but I think the Naxos is the only other complete recording (and no lib there), so it's safe to say any other recording wouldn't include the complete text.

Yes, it has the libretto!   A great work and performance!

[KevinP]

Good to know. Not sure I really want to buy the recording again just for the libretto, but I'll keep an eye out for used copies.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Have not read all the posts here, but...

you MUST go find the Jennie Tourel performance of the song "A Flight of Passing Clouds". Her recordings of Russian songs were issued on Columbia LP in the 60s/70s. I would assume they are also available on CD

[Que]

 

Yes, it has the libretto!   A great work and performance!

These are two different issues,  the reissue pictured on the left has no libretto (but offers a link to a download).
Just follow the link and read the comments....

Q

[Elgarian Redux]

This thread already contains a lot of my enthusiastic musings about Scheherazade from over 10 years ago, but now I find that something new is happening. I'm becoming captivated by Antar. I don't know it well, yet, but I'm determined to get to know it better. I have two recordings, both conducted by Svetlanov, with different orchestras. One is with the Philharmonia Orchestra, on Hyperion (Helios), and this sounds pretty marvellous to me. The other is in the 5CD Svetlanov/Rimsky Warner box set, with the USSR Symphony Orchestra.

My question is: what other recordings of Antar are out there that might shed extra light on it, or even blow me away into the higher realms of Antarland? All suggestions will be gratefully received.

I've read conflicting reviews of the recording by Bakels with the Malaysian PO. It can still be found on CD but costs quite a bit - is it worth having?

[JBS]

This thread already contains a lot of my enthusiastic musings about Scheherazade from over 10 years ago, but now I find that something new is happening. I'm becoming captivated by Antar. I don't know it well, yet, but I'm determined to get to know it better. I have two recordings, both conducted by Svetlanov, with different orchestras. One is with the Philharmonia Orchestra, on Hyperion (Helios), and this sounds pretty marvellous to me. The other is in the 5CD Svetlanov/Rimsky Warner box set, with the USSR Symphony Orchestra.

My question is: what other recordings of Antar are out there that might shed extra light on it, or even blow me away into the higher realms of Antarland? All suggestions will be gratefully received.

I've read conflicting reviews of the recording by Bakels with the Malaysian PO. It can still be found on CD but costs quite a bit - is it worth having?

I have this one--not listened to in a while but I remember liking it


ETA
The complete Bakels set is available on Amazon MP for about $35US from Rarewaves

[Elgarian Redux]

I have this one--not listened to in a while but I remember liking it


ETA
The complete Bakels set is available on Amazon MP for about $35US from Rarewaves

Thanks Jeffrey. Impatient as ever, I decided to go for the Bakels/Malasian Antar/Scheherazade coupling on BIS. I'll look out for a cheap copy of the Maazel too.

[Brian]

I have it with Morton Gould and the Chicago Symphony, a classic RCA recording. In the small box set for his legacy as a conductor. Exciting and colorful, but I have no experience with other performances to make comparisons. It seems like the kind of music where you find one performance you like, that really lets 'er rip and brings contrast to the frequent repetitions.

[Cato]

By chance I just this morning put a mini-comment about Rimsky's First and Third Symphonies under the topic "The Worst First."

Check for a 2-CD set with Neemi Jarvi conducting the Scottish National Orchestra in all of the best suites from the operas.  I also have his DGG set with all 3 symphonies and the Russian Easter Overture and the Capriccio Espagnol.

Although you said orchestral CD's, the ultimate Rimsky-Korsakov work to have is the opera The Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya.

I need to give the Symphony #3 another test drive!  I have always found the first two symphonies superior to the Thirdbut perhaps things will be different now!

[San Antone]

Rimsky-Korsakov recommendations?

To be avoided, if possible.

[Karl Henning]

Yowch!

[Kalevala]

This is a set which I've enjoyed over the years:

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2010369

K