Rimsky-Korsakov: Great Orchestral Works

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Rimsky-Korsakov is universally acknowledged as a great master of the orchestra. He even wrote a textbook on the subject consisting entirely of examples from his own music! He needed some sort of pictorial or literary stimulus to really get his imagination going, however. His "abstract pieces," like Symphonies No. 1 and 3, are comparative failures specifically because he believed that symphonic thought was incompatible with orchestral brilliance (he wasn't the only Romantic composer to succumb to that fallacy). So all of his best music is either obviously illustrative, or taken from one of his colorful "fairy tale" operas. This two-disc set gives you an excellent selection of works of both types at a great price. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Exceptional sound and knowing interpretation.......2006-03-01

Jose Serebrier assisted Stokowski in their days with the American Symphony Orchestra, the memory and motivation for the coductor to record his mentor's version of "Pictures At An Exhibition" in up to date 21st century sound, coupled with a number of other Stoki specialties.

Aside from the more Russian sounding "Pictures", what I enjoyed most here were "Night on Bald Mountain", the "Khovanshchina" conglomeration and the symphonic synthesis on "Boris Godunov". This adds up to about 40 minutes of exciting Russian music delivered with gusto in great sound.

The Bournemouth Symphony hardly play like understated Englishmen in this recording, which will tear a hole in your speaker or knock some dishes off the shelves if you aren't careful with your volume or subwoofer controls when you first play this thing.

This 5.0 SACD is the real thing right from the first few notes of "Night On Bald Mountain" that begin the program. On my 5.1 surround sound system it about knocked down the walls of my house. It brings new definition to the term "demonstration recording"!

Not long ago I wrote a review of Stoki's last remaining CD of his version of "Pictures At An Exhibition" in his own orchestration and scoring. Stoki dropped two of the French paintings and made everything else sound Russian by emphasizing low strings and deemphasizing brilliant brass. Serebrier carried the memory of his mentor's work forward in this recroding, which is destined to wind up on some "best sounding CD of the year" lists.

Pictures, as a Revelation.......2005-11-12

This recording of "Pictures at an Exhibition" came on the radio today as I was waking up. I had not heard the Stokowski orchestration before (is it true that the principal clarinet of the Philadelphia Orchestra was his ghost orchestrator?) and it was a revelation. The tried-and-true Ravel instrumentation will never be replaced, but this is a "Pictures" from a distinctly different corner of the hall, and a welcome departure. Serebrier and Bournemouth perform with exemplary precision and freshness, digging in where Stokowski's excesses can withstand some enthusiastic wrangling. If you love this Mussorgsky and want to hear it with new ears, here's your chance.

Average customer rating:

A good choice for a classical music library
Gran Seleccion
Excellent Recordings of Rimsky-Korsakov's Best Music
A little stiff, but with some great aspects
Best

Rimsky-Korsakov: Great Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade for orchestra Op35; Russian Easter Festival Overture Op36
Rimsky-Korsakov: Suites
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade/Capriccio Espagnol
Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2
Dvorák: The Symphonies

ASIN: B0000041AO
Release Date: 1995-02-21

Tracks:

Capricio espagnol, Op. 34: Alborada -
Capricio espagnol, Op. 34: Variazioni -
Capricio espagnol, Op. 34: Alborada
Capricio espagnol, Op. 34: Scena en canto gitano
Capricio espagnol, Op. 34: Fandango asturiano
May Night: May Night - Overture
Sadko, Op. 5: Sadko, Op. 5 - Musical Picture
The Snow Maiden (Suite): 1. Introduction
The Snow Maiden (Suite): 2. Danse des oiseaux
The Snow Maiden (Suite): 3. Cortege
The Snow Maiden (Suite): 4. Danse des bouffons
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: 1. Tsar's Farewell And Departure
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: 2. Tsarina In A Barrel At Sea
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: 3. Flight Of The Bumble-Bee
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: 4. The Three Wonders

Tracks:

The Golden Cockerel - Suite: 1. Tsar Dodon In His Palace
The Golden Cockerel - Suite: 2. Tsar Dodon On Campaign
The Golden Cockerel - Suite: 3. Tsar Dodon As Guest Of The Queen Of Shemakha
The Golden Cockerel - Suite: 4. The Wedding And Lamentable End Of Dodon
Symphony No. 2, Op. 9 Antar: 1. Largo - Allegro giocoso - Adagio - Largo - (Tempo I) - Alegretto vivace - Adagio - Allegretto vivace - Largo (Tempo I)
Symphony No. 2, Op. 9 Antar: 2. Allegro - Molto allegro - Meno mosso, allargando - Allegro (Tempo I)
Symphony No. 2, Op. 9 Antar: 3. Allegro risoluto alla marcia
Symphony No. 2, Op. 9 Antar: 4. Allegretto vivace - Andante amoroso - Animato assai - Tempo I
Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op. 36

Amazon.com

Rimsky-Korsakov is universally acknowledged as a great master of the orchestra. He even wrote a textbook on the subject consisting entirely of examples from his own music! He needed some sort of pictorial or literary stimulus to really get his imagination going, however. His "abstract pieces," like Symphonies No. 1 and 3, are comparative failures specifically because he believed that symphonic thought was incompatible with orchestral brilliance (he wasn't the only Romantic composer to succumb to that fallacy). So all of his best music is either obviously illustrative, or taken from one of his colorful "fairy tale" operas. This two-disc set gives you an excellent selection of works of both types at a great price. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A good choice for a classical music library.......2007-01-21

An excellent selection of Rimsky-Korsakov's works, faultlessly performed and recorded.

Gran Seleccion.......2004-12-10

De Rimsky-Korsakov escuchar el Capricho espagnol, la obertura para la Pascua Rusa, el vuelo del moscardon y otras de sus obras son cosa de todo los dias, pero unir a ellos la sinfonia Nº2 Antar, la bellisima Dama de las nieves, la exquisita Sadko o la sublime Noche de Mayo es genial y todos en un Cd grandioso.
Son interpretaciones geniales con espiritu ruso, con animo universal, con fuerza con sublimidad con fervor si se quiere y de esplendida forma, la Sinfonica de Rotterdam suena genial y David Zimann se esmera en asombrarnos con obras comunes y otras no tanto, que lograran nuestra grata atencion.
Donde disminuye el puntaje y el gran logro de Zimann como siempre es en las comparaciones, el capricho español mas notable y recomendado es el de Ormandy, al igual que la Gran Pascua Rusa (de la que Järvi tambien tiene una gran version), para la Sinfonia Antar nadie mejor que Evgevni Svetlanov con la Orquesta del Estado Ruso.
De lo demas una gran coleccion en un CD de coleccion.

Excellent Recordings of Rimsky-Korsakov's Best Music.......2004-05-26

This two-CD set contains excellent recordings of Rimsky-Korsakov's best orchestral works (aside from Scheherazade, which they assume you already have) in demonstration-quality digital sound. The Cappricio Espagnole is probably the best recording I've ever heard of this work, with perfect tempos and a colorful orchestral pallette. The sound quality here is really outstanding. The May Night Overture and Sadko are done very well--exciting and colorful--and the Snow Maiden excerps are very well played. The Tsar Sultan Suite is very menacing and atmospheric--Zinman's conducting is flawless. The Golden Cockrel is very exotic and colorful, with just the right tempos(unlike Jarvi) and superb sound. The Antar is a very fine performance, if not the best one out there(try Kees Bakel and Malaysian PO). Although I understand what the customer who said it's the worse performance ever didn't like, I still respectfully disagree. Although Zinman does rush through the second and third movements, they still sound exciting and the Rotterdam Philharmonic are in top form throughout. The outer movements fare much better. The Russian Eater Overture is one of the best out there, probably second only to Spano/Atlanta(better than Zinman's Baltimore performance). Overall, this CD set is a must own for those looking for great performances of RK's best orchestral music.

A little stiff, but with some great aspects.......2001-03-28

The interpretations are a bit thick, and the conducting is a little distasteful. Its one of the worst performances of Antar I've ever heard. The third movement is moved so quickly and without any sense of majesty, and the second movement gives no sense of anticipation -- there's no buildup or satisfying apex. Overall, I think it is performed here as an ordinary symphony, ignoring the fact that Antar is actually a series of tone poems.

A few other disappointments, like a meandering "Sadko" and a few surprisingly tepid portions of "The Tsar Sultan."

I do think, however, that Capriccio Espagnol is performed very well, with great attention spent on percussion (great percussion pervails throughout both discs). The Russian Easter Overture is played with careful attention to its cultural origins and rates among the better performances I've heard. And Le Coq D'Or is overall pretty decent.

I would recommend this one to anyone who isn't offended by lukewarm performances of Rimsky, and is who is just looking for a collection of his orchestral works for less-involved purposes.

Best.......1999-02-18

It is basically the only cd pack that I am happy with that features Rimsky-Korsakov's suites on.

Average customer rating:

Great Pianists Of The Century (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004XNF2

Tracks:

Carnaval, Op.9: Preambule - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Pierrot - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Arlequin - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Valse Noble - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Eusebius - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Florestan - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Coquette - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Replique - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Sphinxes - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Papillons - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: A.S.C.H.-S.C.H.A. (Lettres Dansantes) - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Chiarina - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Chopin - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Estrella - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Reconnaissance - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Pantalon Et Colombine - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Valse Allemande - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Paganini - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Aveu - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Promenade - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Pause - Sergei Rachmaninov
Carnaval, Op.9: Marche Des 'Davidsbundler', Contre Les Philistines - Sergei Rachmaninov
Berceuse in D flat, Op.57 - Arthur Rubinstein
Scherzo No.3 in c#, Op.39 - Arthur Rubinstein
Waltz in c#, Op.64, No.2 - Arthur Rubinstein
Mazurka in A flat, Op.59, No.2 - Arthur Rubinstein
Etude in g#, Op.25, No.6 'Thirds' - Josef Lhevinne
Blue Danube Waltz - Josef Lhevinne
Funerailles - Vladimir Horowitz
Etude in F, Op.10, No.8 - Vladimir Horowitz
Mazurka in f, Op.7, No.3 - Vladimir Horowitz
Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54 - Vladimir Horowitz
Flight Of The Bumblebee - Vladimir Horowitz

Tracks:

Liebestraum - Frederic Lamond
Un Sospiro - Frederic Lamond
Pno Son No.2 in b flat, Op.35: Grave-doppio Movt - Alfred Cortot
Pno Son No.2 in b flat, Op.35: Scherzo (Presto Ma Non Troppo) - Alfred Cortot
Pno Son No.2 in b flat, Op.35: Marche Funebre - Alfred Cortot
Pno Son No.2 in b flat, Op.35: Finale (Presto) - Alfred Cortot
Tannhauser Ov - Benno Moisiewitsch
Venetian Gondola Song - Ignaz Friedman
Duetto - Ignaz Friedman
Etude in G flat, Op.10, No.5/Etude in G flat, Op.25, No.9 - Leopold Godowsky
Poem in F#, Op.32 - Vladimir Sofronitsky
Poem in D, Op.32 - Vladimir Sofronitsky
Nocturne in D flat, Op.27, No.2 - Solomon

Tracks:

Pno Con in a, Op.54: Allegro Affetuoso - Dinu Lipatti
Pno Con in a, Op.54: Intermezzo, Andantino Grazioso - Dinu Lipatti
Pno Con in a, Op.54: Allegro Vivace - Dinu Lipatti
Pno Son in B flat, K570: Allegro - Walter Gieseking
Pno Son in B flat, K570: Adagio - Walter Gieseking
Pno Son in B flat, K570: Allegretto - Walter Gieseking
Pno Son in A, Op.101, 1st Movt - Artur Schnabel
Pno Son in B flat, D960, 1st Movt - Artur Schnabel
Toccata in C, Op.7 - Emil Gilels
Isalmey, Oriental Fant - Claudio Arrau

Tracks:

Prld in D, Op.23, No.4 - Sviatoslav Richter
Prld in g, Op.23, No.5 - Sviatoslav Richter
Prld in b, Op.32, No.10 - Sviatoslav Richter
Prld in g#, Op.32, No.12 - Sviatoslav Richter
Scherzo No.2 in b flat, Op.31 - Sviatoslav Richter
The Seasons (Selection): May, White Nights - Sviatoslav Richter
The Seasons (Selection): June, Barcarolle - Sviatoslav Richter
The Seasons (Selection): November, Troika - Sviatoslav Richter
The Seasons (Selection): January, By The Fireplace - Sviatoslav Richter
Images 1: Reflets Dans L'eau - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Images 1: Hommage A Rameau - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Images 1: Movt - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Images Book 2: Cloches A Travers Les Feuilles - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Images Book 2:Et La Lune Descend Sur Le Temple Qui Fut - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Images Book 2: Poissons D'or - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli