Rimsky-Korsakov recommendations?

[Franco_Manitobain]

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.......

[Elgarian Redux]

It's been a while since I last listened to Antar, so a couple of days ago I revisited two of my own recommended recordings from last year's epic quest. I started with this one (Yondani Butt):



It was a delicious half hour. I might have thought that I'd already listened to Antar often enough for a lifetime, but no. A year ago I described this as 'The lightest, airiest, 'take me on a flying carpet' version of Antar', and I think I'd stick with that description. There is a lightness throughout that seems consistent with a musical depiction of dreams, of magical gazelles and legends. Nothing is quite real in the Antar world, and Butt seems to persuade us of that. Exquisite.

The following day, I chose to listen to this:



A year ago I described this as: 'The Cinemascope, majestic, superb, sweeping, epic Antar.' Well yes, it is that, for sure. I remember saying that I wasn't out to find a favourite, but rather to discover what range of interpretations were available and accept each on its own terms. That remains true. But I must say that if you put a gun to my head and say 'Choose one, or die', then I'd choose this tremendous performance by Gould and the Chicago SO. Yes, it is Hollywood's version of the Mysterious East. Yes, it has a touch of 'Gone with the Wind' about it. But when I'm in there listening, I can't help but be swept away by the power of it - its assertive statement that this is Antar in Cinemascope, Vistavision, and Technicolor. Quite unanswerable in its way.

As for Antar itself - any recording of it would remain in any list of favourites I care to assemble, and to my surprise, it has ensconced itself up there with Scheherazade as a worthy lifetime companion.