Brilliant Russian Repertoire on Period Instruments
Matthaeus | 02/09/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The need for 'mainstream' 19th century works recorded on period instruments remains critically unmet. This release fills a gaping hole in that market and does so brilliantly. The sound of period winds makes this dazzlingly novel and exciting. The performance can be recommended on its merits, in addition to the value of being played on period instruments. The programming and sonics of the album are also well done. This was my personal album of the year when it came out."
A pretty good period traversal of Rimsky's masterpiece
Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 02/26/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"One doesn't have to look hard or far to find magnificent recordings of Rimsky-Korsakov's rendition of Scheherazade. There have been the cadre of recordings famous for years that include two in stereo by Stokowski Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Russian Easter Overture and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade / Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky: Marche Slav, Beecham Great Recordings Of The Century - Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Borodin: Polovtsian Dances / Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Reiner's Chicago Symphony version that came back in super audio Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale [Hybrid SACD]. Of versions from more recent vintage, the leader may perhaps be Gergiev Scheherazade (Hybr) (Ms), whose fast pace, passion and sound left commentators and purchasers with froth on their lips.
However, until now, there wasn't a period practice version to select until this one came along. Jos van Immerseel and his period band Anima Eterna have in recent years specialized in recording masterpieces of romantic music. They did the first period recording of Tchaikovksy's Symphony 4 Tchaikovsky: Symphonie No. 4; Suite de Casse-Noisette, recorded all the Schubert symphonies Schubert: Symphonies, and just released a recording of the Berlioz Symphonies Fantastique Berlioz: La Symphonie Fantastique.
Immerseel is a fortepianist turned conductor whose tendencies on the keyboard have carried over to his conducting vision. He was a moderate keyboard player without eccentricities and his work as conductor never veers too far from center. When the Tchaikovksy came out, most reviewers said it sounded just like any other traditional reading of the music. His Schubert was released over a number of years to almost no critical commentary, good or otherwise. Now, he and his hand-picked band have ventured into the competitive world of Scheherazade.
How do they do? I think this is a pretty good reading of the music with a lot of excitement and interesting sounds emanating from the period band. The important tubas carry all the weight a modern instrument would and the trombones, especially in the Russian Easter overture that accompanies the main item on the the disk, are a lot of fun to hear.
In some ways, this is a lot like the Immerseel-Anima Eterna collaboration on the Tchaikovksy symphony. There, I thought their performance of the suite from the Nutcrakcer was more characterful than their playing of the symphony. In some ways, the additions on this disk -- the overture, Borodin's In the Steppes of Central Asia and Rimsky's completions of orchestral selections from his opera Prince Igor -- are more characterful than their work in Scheherazade. This is not to say the main piece is a letdown, for it is not, but the additional items perhaps better display the maturity of Immerseel's orchestra.
This recording has very good forward sound and comes with interesting notes and bios. It's a good package that adventurous collectors and period performance mavens will probably most apperciate. If you've been on the sidelines of the now more than four decade old period movement and have resisted it, there may or may not be something in this recording that could alter your stance."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1