Customer Reviews

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade / Russian Easter Overture

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is not to say that there's anything wrong with the performance of Scherazade, quite the contrary. The violin is especially wonderful...never heard the violin part done any better. However, there are any number of wonderfully played and wonderfully recorded versions of Scherazade (though not on Telarc...be careful here). The Russian Easter Overture, the more rarely heard inclusion, is by far the definitive version. I don't think it has ever been played better and I absolutely know it has never been recorded anything like this well. The horns seem to be right in the room with you and every note is musical (this is by no means always the case in Telarc recordings, which often tend to try to sound like sound effects demos instead of musical performances). I came to the end of it with tears in my eyes it was so beautiful. You have never heard this bit of music until you have heard this performance. Highest possible recommendation.

There are over 70 available recordings of Scheherazade but this one truly stands out of the pack. The Atlanta Symphony and Robert Spano produce an amazing display of orchestral virtuosity in which every section of the orchestra--including the soloists--plays flawlessly. The result is one of the most exciting and beautiful Scheherazades you'll ever hear in knockout hi-fi sound.
The Russian Easter overture is also one of the best ones out there and probably has the best sound quality of them all. Don't listen to the negative customer reviews. The critics were unanimous in declaring this one a winner and you will too as soon as you hear it.

The Atlanta Symphony has never sounded so good, and that is quite a compliment considering the slew of grammy-winning recordings they have garnered. Often times listening to their lauded choral recordings I have found the orchestra lagging behind the choir, but in this CD the orchestra is on their own and my, how they exclaim it. They have never sounded so confident. The strings are lush yet vivid (Cecylia's solo violin is radiant), the bass and drums loud and resilient; Spano has a tight grip on the orchestra that is forceful yet resonant, proving that amidst the competing recordings, this compact disc glimmers.

With all due respect to the negative reviews, I don't understand what they didn't like about this recording. This is easily one of the best Scheherazades ever recorded(and many have been recorded), and, taking into account the excellent "hi-fi" sound, the first choice for anyone looking for a modern recording. As the critic points out, the opening brass is as menacing as you'll ever hear, which sets the stage for the rest of this piece. The first movement is very exciting, the second has the necessary exoticism and menace--and the conductor does a wonderful job increasing excitement by holding back the orchestra for just a moment before climaxes and then letting it burst out. The third movement is soothing, with beautiful solo violin. The last movement has just the right tempos and coherence to be both exciting and a recapitulation of all the themes.The last movement of all other recordings of Scheherazade just sounds like an incoherent jumble of loud noise, when compared with this one. The sound quality is amazing and creates a true concert-hall experience. The Russian Easter Overture may go down as the best one ever recorded,and here the sound quality works to create a truly magical--and sonically impressive--finale. Quite simply, this is the Scheherazade and RE Overture to own.

I own a numerous recordings by the ASO. Simply, because I am a big fan of an orchestra that can create symphonic colors through orchestral blend. In genereal, I find the ASO to be a tight, rhythmic, and exceptionally clean orchestra. But this recording of Schereazade is the most exciting that has been released by them. Spano gives members of the orchestra liscense to be musical and play with enthusiasm. Unlike the other ASO recording which tend to be more reserve and contained. Even though this recording ventures to be on the exciting side, the orchestra's blend and precision is not at all sacrificed.

When the ASO issued this recording I was reluctant to buy it but since it is one of my favorite pieces and I love the ASO, I finally did. The notes state that Telarc decided to record this piece based on a performance on May 4, 2000. I wasn't in the audience that night but I was there two days later and while I was anticipating the concert, what I heard I can only describe as sloppy. I don't think Telarc would have recorded this based on the performance I heard. Having said all this, I think that the recording is great and a worthy addition to any record library.
My favorite recording of this work is with the London Symphony and Stokowsky conducting. I don't think any other recording can match the excitement or the sonorities that Stokowsky can bring out specially considering it was first issued on vinyl and later reissued on CD for only a short while. This CD has been out of print for a long time and I can only hope London can reissue it in a new digital remastering using the latest technology.
Back to the ASO recording, it turned out I loved it for an unsuspecting reason and that is the wonderful playing of Ms. Arzewsky. I think she plays the solo violin part here better than in any other available recording of this work including my favorite Stokowsky. I think the sweetness of tone she can elicit can only be compared to the late Mr. Stern. I believe she truly feels at one with the heroine.
In general I'm not a fan of Ms. Arzewsky. Even though I think she is a first class violinist, her playing at live concerts seldom rises to her potential. I hope her success here encourages her to do her best at the live concerts.
Buy this record. You will not regret it.

I saw an episode of the Simpsons, where Bart and Lisa were asked what they thought of a theme park. Their response was a very unexcited and even mundane, "Meh". "Meh" is exactly what I would use to describe this recording. It isn't horrible and it isn't incredible. It's just, "Meh". If you love Telarc sonics, you won't be let down by this recording. Telarc is up to its consistent standard of audiophile sound (even though with DSD recordings, you usually have to crank the volume higher than with other discs). Beautiful sound aside though, this performance, in my estimation, isn't anything to get excited about. Personally, I've steered a few people the way of the earlier Telarc recording of this piece with Charles Mackerras and the London Symphony Orchestra as the performance is much much more exciting. Spano and the ASO obviously know the work, play it well, etc., but the performance just isn't exciting. When I listen, I hear wonderful segments, but in the end I'm not moved like I am with Mackerras' recording (Karajan and Reiner also have great recordings but in non-digital sound). With that being said, I'm still excited to see what the future brings us in regard to the Spano/Atlanta combination.

This is a very fine performance of the Scheherezade. However, i felt that it was just a bit too analytical to take fire and that the soloist, whilst very good, was just a bit too "thin" in tone here and there to equal the classic Krebbers contribution with the Concertgebouw (another fairly analytical orchestra). Still well worth listening to as a performance and very rewarding as a recording, with a big dynamic range and a forceful but still natural sound.

strings, including the soloist,

This is the greatest recording the ASO has put out. Robert Spano isn't afraid to let go and go with the music. The orchestra plays with feeling and electricity that has been lacking in their other recordings and in their live performances. Maestro Spano is a wonderful addition to the orchestra and proves to be a successful one. I believe the ASO may be looking at more Grammy's in their future if they put out more recordings like this one. Also, the soloists are phenomenal. Ms. Ardan makes the clarinet sing as does the concertmaster on the violin, Cecilya. This is all around the best recording of the ASO and most likely of this piece. Fantastic...everyone should own it.

This disc is so second-rate, I cannot understand the fuss. A mediocre orchestra under a mediocre conductor gives a mediocre performance, and many American critics have gone into raptures. It is incomprehensible. Stick with the classic performances by Reiner or Beecham or Karajan or Haitink, all of which provide many times the pleasure of this undistinguished release. On merit, this release should already have hit the remainder bins.