Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade / Russian Easter Overture

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Composer), Robert Spano (Conductor), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra, Performer), Robert Spano (Artist)

Product Details

• Performer: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Orchestra: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Robert Spano
• Composer: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
• Audio CD (June 26, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B00005B7KC
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #225,889 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Scheherazade, symphonic suite for orchestra, Op. 35: No. 1, "The Sea and Sinbad's ship" in E major"

2. Scheherazade, symphonic suite for orchestra, Op. 35: No. 2, "The story of Kalender Prince" in B minor

3. Scheherazade, symphonic suite for orchestra, Op. 35: No. 3, "The Young Prince and the young Princess" in G major

4. Scheherazade, symphonic suite for orchestra, Op. 35: No. 4, "Festival at Baghdad - The Sea" in E major

5. Russian Easter Festival Overture (Svetlïy pazdnik), for orchestra, Op. 36

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Scheherazade is no longer the ubiquitous presence it used to be on disc and in the concert hall, but given a terrific performance, it can't fail to impress. It gets one here from the Atlanta Symphony and its new music director, Robert Spano. The big brass chords of the Sultan's theme that open the work are as malevolent as you could wish and the seductive, sensuous violin of Cecylia Arzewski in response (depicting Scheherazade) is not only beautifully played, but recorded in proper size and relation to the big orchestra. Spano characterizes each movement or episode beautifully, capturing the rocking waves lapping against Sinbad's boat and the ferocious final shipwreck with dramatic and musical instincts that make this one of the best (and best-recorded) of all Scheherazades. The colorful filler, the Russian Easter Overture, is a winner, too. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it for the Russian Easter Overture!, August 28, 2001

By	Tom Sanders "Tom Sanders" (Lansing, Mi United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Standout Scheherazade in a Crowded Field, May 30, 2004

By A Customer

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.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, July 22, 2001

By	Lord Oberon "cowslip" (Savannah, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews

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.