Karajan's Scheherezade

[Beetzart]

I believe that this is the best recording of Scheherezade. What about you?

[DarkAngel]

I love this work and have many versions, top 3 shown above.........if I could keep only one: Kondrashin

Best sound is MacKerras/Telarc, dynamic range is demonstration class on full range stereo
Beecham has great filler with sparkling Borodin Polovtsian Dances

HVK is elegant beautiful, but lacks the dramatic excitement and contrast of 3 versions above.........

[Beetzart]

But the violin solos in HVK is superior, and this is very essential here!

[DarkAngel]

But the violin solos in HVK is superior, and this is very essential here!

I will not concede that HVK has superior solo violinist.............Kondrashin for instance has Herman Krebbers who has beautiful soulful tone and Kondrashin brings authentic Russian style to the mix.

Nothing wrong with Karajan version, just not the best for me

[Holden]

Michel Schwalbe is the violinist in the HvK Scheherezade and combines well with the conductor to make this a memorable recording. It stood alone as my #1 choice until I got this from the library.



Unfortunately this particular recording is now long oop but there is this alternative.



Stokie's violinist in this recording (he made more than one) is the equally redoubtable Erich Gruenberg. Stokie also made recordings with the Philharmonia (Testament), and the Philadelphia but neither matches his work with the LSO.

[dirkronk]

I find myself fully in Dark Angel's camp here.

I heard Karajan's Scheherazade twice, many years ago in its vinyl incarnation, and it did nothing at all for me. Sorry. My evaluation at that juncture was that the performance was good, the solo violinist quite lovely (as were the strings in general), and the overall presentation was refined and elegant and--again--not at all what I was looking for. I felt much the same way about the admittedly very fine Beecham, whose violinist Staryk was also at his best and honestly whose recording was more appealing.  Karajan's DGG recording left a lot to be desired, IMO.

In this, of course, I was bucking testimony of a number of critics of the time who recommended Karajan and/or Haitink. However, I was already besotted with too many fine (and I still think finer) alternatives--starting with Kletzki/Philharmonia (Hugh Bean violin) on EMI, Monteux/LSO (on RCA LP but originally recorded for them by Decca and later reissued by that label), and Stokowski/LSO on London as well as his version with RPO on RCA (both with Gruenberg--and Holden is right...both are well worth hearing).

Yet when I finally heard Reiner/Chicago, even all of these luminaries pretty much got demoted a tad; it wasn't that Harth's solo violin was any better than any other one might name, but that the entire orchestra (individually and collectively) turned in virtuoso performances along with sonics so utterly natural yet powerful, they simply left me breathless. I thought I'd found my ONE version for all time.

Until I heard Kondrashin and the Concertgebouw. The sonics are completely different from those of Reiner, not as fully clear and point-specific, yet they convey the power and beautifully describe the concert venue. (I have the original analog LP and two different CD transfers, both very good, yet to this day I find the analog version more satisfying.) The orchestra is every bit as skillful as the Chicago, but they are responding to Kondrashin's vision, and it is truly a wonder of color and power. But if there's one factor that MIGHT give this a real edge over Reiner, it's in the solo violin. Krebbers was in some magical zone that day. I have heard no one who outdoes him. Equal? Maybe. But outdo? No.

So...
regardless of what criteria you want to set, for the me choice is Kondrashin and Reiner. I cannot and will not choose, since I love both so much. If orchestral color is a real must for you, then you should by all means add in one of Stokowski's (but NOT his Philharmonia Orch. on Testament, which is nowhere near as vital and exciting as the ones listed by Holden above). I would then list almost any of the other ones I've noted. And then I'd put Karajan in there.

But hey, that's just me. You're entitled to have your favorite, no matter who it is.

I should also add that I've heard portions of (and been fairly impressed by) Gergiev but have not heard it all the way through yet. And oddly enough, I've not yet heard MacKerras at all...an omission that I must correct.

FWIW.

Dirk

[Holden]

I find myself fully in Dark Angel's camp here.

I heard Karajan's Scheherazade twice, many years ago in its vinyl incarnation, and it did nothing at all for me. Sorry. My evaluation at that juncture was that the performance was good, the solo violinist quite lovely (as were the strings in general), and the overall presentation was refined and elegant and--again--not at all what I was looking for. I felt much the same way about the admittedly very fine Beecham, whose violinist Staryk was also at his best and honestly whose recording was more appealing.  Karajan's DGG recording left a lot to be desired, IMO.

In this, of course, I was bucking testimony of a number of critics of the time who recommended Karajan and/or Haitink. However, I was already besotted with too many fine (and I still think finer) alternatives--starting with Kletzki/Philharmonia (Hugh Bean violin) on EMI, Monteux/LSO (on RCA LP but originally recorded for them by Decca and later reissued by that label), and Stokowski/LSO on London as well as his version with RPO on RCA (both with Gruenberg--and Holden is right...both are well worth hearing).

Yet when I finally heard Reiner/Chicago, even all of these luminaries pretty much got demoted a tad; it wasn't that Harth's solo violin was any better than any other one might name, but that the entire orchestra (individually and collectively) turned in virtuoso performances along with sonics so utterly natural yet powerful, they simply left me breathless. I thought I'd found my ONE version for all time.

Until I heard Kondrashin and the Concertgebouw. The sonics are completely different from those of Reiner, not as fully clear and point-specific, yet they convey the power and beautifully describe the concert venue. (I have the original analog LP and two different CD transfers, both very good, yet to this day I find the analog version more satisfying.) The orchestra is every bit as skillful as the Chicago, but they are responding to Kondrashin's vision, and it is truly a wonder of color and power. But if there's one factor that MIGHT give this a real edge over Reiner, it's in the solo violin. Krebbers was in some magical zone that day. I have heard no one who outdoes him. Equal? Maybe. But outdo? No.

So...
regardless of what criteria you want to set, for the me choice is Kondrashin and Reiner. I cannot and will not choose, since I love both so much. I orchestral color is a real must for you, then you should by all means add in one of Stokowski's (but NOT his Philharmonia Orch. on Testament, which is nowhere near as vital and exciting as the ones listed by Holden above). I would then list almost any of the other ones I've noted. And then I'd put Karajan in there.

But hey, that's just me. You're entitled to have your favorite, no matter who it is.

I should also add that I've heard portions of (and been fairly impressed by) Gergiev but have not heard it all the way through yet. And oddly enough, I've not yet heard MacKerras at all...an omission that I must correct.

FWIW.

Dirk

Very eloquently stated Dirk and it has piqued my interest in the Kondrashin. Don't bother with the Mackerras. When it came out the critics were so effusive in their praise that I rushed out and bought it without even an audition. What the critics were really gushing about were the stunning sonics that Telarc can produce and confused this with great music making. What ruins this totally is the way the engineers have recessed the violinist too far into the background. It's like getting the story teller to go and mumble to herself in a corner

[Cristofori]

I believe that this is the best recording of Scheherezade. What about you?

I have this recording on LP, but I never listened to it yet!

I'll listen to this and compare it to Zubin Metha's version on London (another LP I haven't listened to yet).

Regardless, I'd be very surprised if I liked either one better than my Reiner/SACD, which is a rather unfair comparison as far as formats go, but I'll try to keep a "performance only" perspective.

[Beetzart]

What about Ferenc Fricsay's Scheherezade?

[Cristofori]

I have this recording on LP, but I never listened to it yet!

I'll listen to this and compare it to Zubin Metha's version on London (another LP I haven't listened to yet).

Regardless, I'd be very surprised if I liked either one better than my Reiner/SACD, which is a rather unfair comparison as far as formats go, but I'll try to keep a "performance only" perspective.

I have since listened to and compared this performance by Karajan, along with Zubin Mehta's on London. Both are first time hearings for me.

I was initially not overly impressed upon the first hearing, but comparing Karajan's recording with that of a lesser one brought it more into focus.

Karajan's recording displayed the typical polished sheen he is known for, with excellent colorization of sound.  His violinist (Michel Schwalbe) is indeed a superior one, as the OP had stated. His playing beautiful, and the sound is gorgeous and upfront.
Mehta's violinist (Sidney Harth) was rather uninspiring, by comparison, and his sound seemed too distant.

Mehta's version was a good but merely average one. Karajan's was a more convincing Scheherazade, with his use of oboe instead of clarinet more "Arabesque" sounding than Mehta's. The tempi in Mehta's version also seemed a bit to fast in places.

Both of these comparisons were on LP, but my Karajan original DG "Tulip" pressing, which appeared to look near mint, had some minor surface noise throughout. I'd like to have this one on CD, or a newer LP reissue, which may reveal even more hidden nuances I haven't noticed.

I've happily given Karajan's version a vote of excellent.

[Lilas Pastia]

I haven't heard the Karajan, but I'm quite confident I'd like it. I'd certainly not expect it to be very dramatic though. Just reasonably powerful and richly beautiful. Rimsky's music can stand the treatment.

Ormandy is also of the rich and beautiful school of playing, and the Philadelphians are at their sophisticated best. Big, blowsy recording. I've heard Ormandy makes cuts, but I couldn't tell where they occur. Timings are average, so if anything is missing, it must not amount to much. Easy to recommend.

Stokowski's LSO version is indeed spectacularly colourful and brilliant. On the podium, probably bronze or silver medal material. The GOLD MEDAL of all Scheherazade entrants is - has been ever since its original issue - the Kondrashin Concertgebouw. This disc defines perfection: playing, sound, conducting. Never have the winds (clarinets in particular) been so alluring. The whole orchestra creams their collective pants. It doesn't sound as beautiful and sexy on any other recording I know. The shipwreck is jaw droppingly engulfing and yet, there's nothing cheap or frenzied.

Although I'm impressed by the Reiner, I find it too controlled. There's none of the spontaneity and naturalness of Kondrashin, or the flair and panache of the Stokowski. It's mightily impressive, but it leaves me emotionally unsatisfied. Lots has been said about the virtues of Jos van Immerseel's Anima eterna version. I haven't heard it, but certainly wish I did. The Bakels on BIS is beautifully recorded but not that well played and quite tepid emotionally.

Wouldn't a Karl Böhm - VPO version be an interesting prospect?

[Beetzart]

Wouldn't a Karl Böhm - VPO version be an interesting prospect?

It seems that Karl Böhm didn't like the Russian repertoire in general. But, there are a great recording of Tchaikovsky's last three symphonies by Karl Böhm and the London Symphony Orchestra.   

[Lilas Pastia]

Absolutely, I had them on LP, have them now on cd. Very hard to find, tough IMO his 4th is one of the more interesting versions around, and his Pathétique is simply up there with the very best. Other than that you're right, I can't think of anything russian by KB 

[Beetzart]

I can't think of anything russian by KB

An exception is his recording of Stravinsky's The Firebird suite:

[Lilas Pastia]

Hmmm... Look at that !