Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Since a web search will give you many details about both the performance and the sound quality, I will give you merely a summary.

This is simply one of the best classical music releases of all time. I don't say that lightly, as a classical music fan and audiophile for over 35 years.

It has been recognized for even longer, that this is one of the finest and most emotionally satisfying performances of romantic period classical music, and likely the definitive performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. (And, in my opinion, contains the best oboe performance in classical music.)

It has also been widely recognized as one of the best recordings ever of an orchestra, the highly sought after original LP usually residing in the list of top recordings in many audiophile magazines. More recently, it has been pressed on LP by two different audiophile companies.

However, these days most of us don't want to go to the trouble of dealing with LPs, and it is generally recognized that the relatively early CD format, while having great convenience, did not quite provide the full sound quality present in a top LP playback setup.

Recently, this situation has been remedied by the introduction of two "high resolution" disc formats that give all the sound quality of a top LP playback setup in an affordable player compatible with DVDs and CDs as well. These two formats are "DVD-Audio" and "SACD".

SACD has become the format of choice for classical music fans, and so RCA (now BMG) chose to re-release all their excellent sounding "Living Stereo" series recordings on SACD. Back in the 50's and 60's, producer Richard Mohr and engineer Lewis Layton literally invented stereo recording in a celebrated series of brilliant releases.

Fritz Reiner's outstanding "Scheherazade" was recently released in the second batch of ten Living Stereo SACDs. This SACD mastering went back to the original 3-track tape and presents it as original recorded in Left, Center and Right with no mixing or processing, whatsoever. The result is as close to the original sound of Orchestra Hall as your loudspeakers and room acoustics can provide.

When you add in the factor that this is a budget-priced release, it is a must-buy for any classical music fan who has a SACD player and likes the romantic period.

And, while I have not yet auditioned the non-SACD CD-compatible layer (mixed to stereo), nor have I compared it to the previous regular CD release of this recording, nevertheless I can certainly recommend it even to someone without an SACD player, if they are looking for a great performance of "Scheherazade".

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.

What a treat for the ears!

The Living Stereo series was wonderful then and it's even better now. This hybrid SACD has fantastic sound quality and, thankfully, is completely true to both music and the original recording. Originally recorded in "3 channel stereo" that's what you get here--no, there's nothing in the rear channels of the surround mix but that's exactly the way it should be. Taken directly from the nearly 50-year old (!) masters, the engineers did nothing at all to the sound except digitize and transfer each track to the SACD/CD master. Nothing added, nothing subtracted. And the quality of those masters is astounding--clear, bright and full. No tape hiss. No loss of highs. Just wonderful music expertly performed.

Dissapointed you're only getting 3 channels and not 5-7? Don't be. You'll hear musicians across the broad but shallow Chicago Symphony Hall just as the engineers heard them in the recording sessions in 1960 and 1956. And those musicians are superb, particularly to my ears, on the Sheherazade portion. This is an excellent orchestra caught at its prime resulting in a truly world-class performance of this well known and well loved music.

In short, get this CD! Even if you don't have a universal player now, the 2 channel transfer is equally good, a faithful recreation of a classic LP. And if you can play the SACD layer so much the better because for the first time you'll hear exactly what was recorded and what the engineers heard in nearly 50 years ago.

Scheherazade is performed a LOT. Fritz Reiner was well-aware of this fact in 1960 when he conceived this historic recording. As a consequence, he fostered no desire to yield just another run-of-the-mill performance. Here's a blurp from the notes which explains his subsequent efforts more fully:

"Some weeks before the actual recording was made, most of the existing recordings of the music were studied, re-studied, judged and re-judged. The best were very good, but short of that perfection for which all mortals strive. One version reveled in buttery sound and not always accurate execution; another proferred razor-sharp execution and equally ear-rending decibel content; still a third beckoned you from afar with a 'concert-hall' pickup, and so it went. To capture the Arabian temptress in all her glittering changes was not a simple task...

Once each of the facets of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was heard [referring to the lengthy orchestra practice sessions], music making was in order. During the morning session the first two movements were recorded, the last two during the afternoon period. Throughout the six hours required, there was constant exhortation by Dr. Reiner to the men in the orchestra 'to play with glow, not perspiration'. The performance had to be supple and sensuous, the sound alternately to shimmer and stun, with clarity in its definition, sonority and intensity in its climaxes."

Folks, this is about as perfect as it's ever going to get.

Just to follow up, the 1956 recording of Stravinsky's "Song of the Nightingale" is also quite good and is a piece that, in this level of quality, isn't all that easy to find. And it's also a perfect second, complementary piece to Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade".

This is an ADD recording/CD.

A must-have for collectors and a superb choice for all others.

Best Scheherazade I ever heard. The performace was exciting and touching. The SACD provides so much details and dynamics of the recording that it makes me really feel that I was there.

"The Song of the Nightingale" is not my favorite Stravinsky...it just doesn't work that well as a piece of music, especially when compared to the opera original (which is an oddity itself). But Reiner makes it work somehow: the pacing is terrific and the playing as usual is razor-sharp. "Scheherazade" may be pretty tired by now but when you hear this performance it comes to life again and you realize why it has been such a popular score. Sure there are other ways to play it but this one is sensational...and the last movement was done in a single take!

This multichannel SACD is recorded in the front 3 channels only, as this is what the technicians and their top notch analog equipment recorded more than 40 years ago. At that time the Chicago Symphony and conductor Fritz Reiner were both at the top of their game, and this recording has not been equalled to this day. Absolutely puts the listener in the middle of the ninth or tenth row, and provides the clean dynamic sound of the best recordings made today! This is the wonderful Scheherazade I grew up with, but much better because of SACD technology and my current audio system.

Hear a new revelation in sound with this SACD.

RCA originally recorded this in 1960 using 3 channels. That makes this recording nearly 50 years old. Don't let that fool you. This is an EXCEPTIONAL recording. The fidelity is remarkable. It is not flawless and the highs can have a bit of an edge. Also, crashes on the cymbal occasionally overload the left channel. But the spatial aspects of this recording defy its half century age. In the 3 channel presentation there is a presence and dimensionality too often missing in more recent recordings. There exists a soundstage that extends beyond the left and right speakers and there is a depth of sound where the instruments have height combined with front to back spatial integration creating a convincing 3D image.

The performance itself is stellar. I have the SACD of the Kirov Orchestra recorded in 2002. The great Russian (actually Ossetian) conductor Valery Gergiev gives an invigorating reading of this score, but for me the orchestra lacks the finish of the CSO under Reiner. Reiner's performance has a mystery, that Gergiev lacks. And Reiner has fire and passion that explodes across the stage. For me, Reiner gives the definitive reading of this magnificent score.

The following FOR SACD AUDIOPHILES ONLY--

BUT--if you really want to launch your rocket, try putting your SACD player in 2 CHANNEL mode and switching your receiver into Dolby PLIIx music mode. With this setup (this ONLY works if your player AND receiver are connected via HDMI cable) you will get the full SACD dynamic range expertly and convincingly distributed into your 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 surround system. Suddenly you are not just listening from the audience, but you are quite literally in the middle of the orchestra. Now if you are a purist you will never go there, but if you want a really involving experience (and you have the system to pull it off) give this a spin. WARNING: If you try listening this way, going back will somehow sound a little FLAT. And MORE, you might even dare try this with regular CDs or other 2/3 channel SACDs. I promise, you will Hear a new revelation in sound with this SACD.

Fritz Reiner continues to amaze me with his magic, magnificent, and monumental interpretations of classical music. While I've been a constant listener of Dr. Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra through the years, it's not been until recently (close study of his recordings) that I've discovered just how great this man really was.

Despite all the negative remarks that continue to surface, even 50 years after his death, Reiner is in a class by himself. No one, and I mean no one comes close to the passion he creates and transfers to the members of the orchestra. To wit: My latest purchase. Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade." This recording, including the last movement which is "untouched, unedited, and unheard of in recorded music," along with the break-neck speed at which I'm sure Nikolai would have approved of, leaves one breathless. The soloist, the orchestra, and Dr. Reiner have created, for the ages, a recording that takes the listener on a magic carpet ride, and gradually lifts us to heights never imagined. The ending, the violin solo . . . how soft, how lovely the carpet drifts away. One must, as I did, play it again. Dr. Reiner's recording is more than "A Thousand and One Nights," it's "A Million More."

Legend has it that conductor Fritz Reiner had a very foul temperament. I'm sure there must be some truth to this, because what we have here is one of the best performances of "Scheherazade" I've ever heard. Like all great conductors, Reiner was had magnificent control over his orchestra. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra plays with a lot of passion and anyone with ears can hear this in this performance.

This is a beautiful performance and should be essential listening to anyone interested in classical music. There is also a great version of Stravinsky's "Song of the Nightingale" that is noteworthy.

I would wager that Reiner's "Scheherazade" is one of the finest I've heard so far. Highly recommended.