Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale [Hybrid SACD]

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale [Hybrid SACD]

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale [Hybrid SACD]
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CD Details

Composer: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Composer: Igor Stravinsky
Conductor: Fritz Reiner
Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
Format: Hybrid SACD - DSD
CD Release Date: 2005-01-25
Music Label: RCA
Soundtracks:
  1. The Sea And Sinbad's Ship
  2. The Story Of The Kalender Prince
  3. The Young Prince And The Young Princess
  4. Festival Of Bagdad/The Sea/The Ship Goes To Pieces On A Rock Surmounted By A Bronze Warrior (Shipwreck)/Conclusion
  5. Presto
  6. Chinese March
  7. Song Of The Nightingale
  8. The Mechanical Nightingale
  9. The Emperor's Displeasure At The Departure Of The real Nightingale
  10. The Emperor's Sickroom
  11. The Real Nightingale Returns To Thwart Death
  12. Funeral March And Finale

Music reviews of Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale [Hybrid SACD]

Music Review: Never sounded better than this
Rating: 4 Stars

Rimsky-Korsakov's kaleidoscopic sea adventure "Scheherazade" is one piece of classical music that, more than most others, screams for the highest level of sonic production. The classic Reiner-Chicago Symphony version gets it in this SACD treatment. The sound is more vivid here than I can ever recall with great clarity exposing orchestral details -- the snare drum in the third movement and coincidental timpani and cimbal beats in the finale -- never before so apparent in the recording.

This SACD, unlike some other re-releases of RCA classic performances, plays in three channels. I like all this and it sounded wonderful in my living room. I was somewhat disappointed with violins coming from the center right channel, a position opposite of their setting in orchestral format. Still this is an update of a classic performance of the music that is still considered by some critics the benchmark in this music.

The makeweight Stravinksy piece is a delightful 22 minute excursion into that composer's fine mind. Hearing that music for the first time on this recording, I made a quick link between this and the film music of Bernard Herrmann in the way both composers used portamento strings for effect, as opposed to musical value.

Having said this, I still think the best version of Rimsky-Korsakov's wonderful music goes to either of the modern recordings led by Leopold Stokowski, a conductor with far more imagination and influence on musicians than the stern and hard-driving Reiner, who was often hated while respected by his players.

Stokowski's two modern stereo versions -- on the Decca/London label with the London Symphony and on BMG/RCA with the Royal Philharmonic -- are both superior readings, in my opinion. Stoki leads a more leisurely and luxuriant adventure than Reiner, a noted literalist with great projection. While Reiner focuesd on orchestral detail, precision playing and generating excitement in big moments, I think Stokowski's renderings are more in tune with the romantic nature of this wonderful music.

Stoki's Decca/London reading was re-released a few years back to much critical accalim. I believe the BMG/RCA recording is a more "Russian" rendering of the music. Both recordings are in manufactured sound, meaning the recordings were made with many microphones and mixed by the conductor and technicians to present a personalized Stokowski sound that may or may not reflect reality. In this respect, the Reiner recording is far more honest.

Whether or not the Reiner-Chicago rendering is your favorite or one you've never sampled, there can be no question this is a classic performance that sounds better than ever in its current dressing.
More Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale [Hybrid SACD] free music reviews:
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