Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Fritz Reiner Conducting: Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade for orchestra Op35 - Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale (Hybrid SACD) CD Track Listing

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Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Fritz Reiner Conducting Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade for orchestra Op35 - Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale (Hybrid SACD) (1957)
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade for orchestra Op35 - Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale (Hybrid SACD)\nChicago Symphony Orchestra - Fritz Reiner Conducting\n2005 BMG Classics\n\nRCA Living Stereo LP Originally Released 1957\nCD Edition Released February 27, 1996\nHybrid SACD Released January 25, 2005\n\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nBuy TWO, one as a backup copy., March 2, 2005 \nReviewer: M. W. (Vienna, VA United States)\nI own different copies of this production, including the JVC XRCD. I debated about getting another copy, but trust me, get TWO. The SACD version will give you a level of enjoyment that you have never experienced before. If you don't need a backup copy, buy two anyway and resell it on eBay in a few years. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nThe Best Performance in Outstanding Sound, February 12, 2005 \nReviewer: Kenneth Stuart (Northern California)\nSince a web search will give you many details about both the performance and the sound quality, I will give you merely a summary. \n\nThis 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. \n\nIt 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.) \n\nIt 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. \n\nHowever, 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. \n\nRecently, 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". \n\nSACD 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. \n\nFritz 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. \n\nWhen 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. \n\nAnd, 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". \n\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nNot the best version, despite what people say!, March 4, 2003\nReviewer: Joseph (London United Kingdom)\nOk so... yes, the sound is brilliant, especially for the time. The performance is full of passion. The chicago brass have never been surpassed. The fourth movement is so loud it gives me chills!\nBut... has no-one noticed that the all important first movement is taken way too fast. Most conductors clock in at 10 minutes for the movement. But Reiner shaves off a whole minute! Its just too rushed! As for recommending a better recording, I'm not too sure. I still haven't heard the Mackerras/LSO or the Spano/Atlanta ones, but I think the famous Beecham recording is a safer bet than this one. Thats the one I'm sticking with until I find a better one... if one actually does exist that is!\n\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nGet it for the finest Scheherazade on disc!, March 4, 2003\nReviewer: A music fan\nCertainly one of reiner's most famous recordings of the many superlative ones he made with the CSO, this remains an absolute favorite, from the time i first heard it, until now, while i currently listen to it while i type.\nI love the commanding opening the brass announce, and sidney harth, not john weicher as another reviewer said...it simply gets better, as harth doesn't indulge in the solos as many other violinsts have done, and continue to do. the first movement is a tidal wave of energy, and reiner's rubato has never been approached.\nthe second movement solos by the principal winds are inimitable as well, proving that this piece is an orchestral showoff one as if reiner were saying, "look how good my orchestra is!" He was absolutely right.\nThe third movement is wonderfully seductive in the strings, which were much better then than now, and the quirky clarinet and flute solos. Again, Reiner's rubato is unparalled.\nWhat absolutely stuns me is the last movement, played at such a dashing pace that reiner proves only the chicago symphony under his direction could do what they did. Listen to the incredible virtuosity of the strings, winds, percussion, and esp. the brass (how bout those 32nd notes, all you brass players?) any brass player ought to own this recording fo it proved that the brass of the CSO were indeed, the best of their era, and that includes the vienna and berlin philharmonics. sidney harth really does sing his heart out on the violin in the end, smartly opting to play the stratospheric high notes instead of opting for less invigorating and more dull harmonics that one usually hears. whether that was harth's decision or reiner's i don't know, but it works. oh, by the way, this movement was done in, get this...ONE TAKE! what orchestra today could do that? not many is the correct answer. Or, what conductor could make this cartoony music not sound incredibly cheesy? not many either. Hence why reiner and CSO have the best scherazade there ever will be.\nI've heard quite a bit of fritz reiner's recordings, and this, i must say, might be his finest.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nA Symphonic Masterpiece!, July 23, 2002\nReviewer: William L. Stolley "cinemabon" (Raleigh, North Carolina United States)\nThis was one of my very first "stereo" recordings when I was but a wee lad in the late 1950's. Unfortunately for LP recordings, they had the tendency to "bleed tracks". So during a 'silent' portion of a track, one might hear the next second of music to come. This was disasterous for this LP, because of some of the most dynamic moments an orchestra can achieve are the moments between complete silence and then some great crashing chord.\nWhen these recordings were finally released a few years back by RCA on CD, I thought I'd died and went to heaven. Of course, I refer to the famous non-stop fourth movement of "Scheherazade" where the CSO played straight through without a cut, and Sidney Harth played his heart out for us. No sweeter sound this side of heaven itself can probably ever be duplicated the way it was that afternoon in Orchestra Hall. "Play with glow, not perspiration." he calmly urged them. They did.\n\nDespite what some reviewers may have thought about Reiner being so called "strict" or condescending...you never met prima donnas like the New York crowd! They often came to town with an absolute hatred for the CSO, because Reiner was so "German!" Reiner was an artist and a perfectionist, just like they were! And these magnificent records brought back for all of us to hear, prove that without a doubt!\n\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nAbsolutely magnificent!, December 7, 2000\nReviewer: Jim Youngmeyer (Houston, TX USA)\nThis is *the* classic recording of Rimski-Korsakov's masterpiece. This magnificent work requires a first rate virtuoso orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchesta at its peak under Fritz Reiner delivers in spades. The playing is nothing short of breathtaking -- the woodwinds are gorgeous, the brass and percussion climaxes are thrilling, and the strings are mellifluous. The recording, although 40 years old, easily holds its own with today's digital recordings. This is truly one of the finest classical music recordings of all time.\n\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nOne of the two best recordings, May 28, 2000\nReviewer: "minnman" (Minneapolis, MN USA)\nThe Shererazade was recorded at the peak of both the CSO and Reiner's tenure with that ensemble. The playing is precise and clear. The dynamics are superb. John Weicher's violin solos are virtuoso (Weicher was Concertmaster for many years with the CSO). The recording was made at a time when CSO recordings were coming out on a regular basis from RCA with their then "Living Stereo" technique. \nAs in other CSO recordings of this period RCA was able to master the excellent accoustics of Orchestra Hall adding to the all ready outstanding playing of this orchestra based in more of a "German" traditional sound dating back to the ensemble's origins.\n\nReiner was able to keep under control his powerful brass section which was one of the world's best. The musicianship is tops.\n\nThe problem is that one almost has to have two recordings as the Beecham/RPO recording is also outstanding. It is similar to Reiner's with the outstanding ensemble that Sir Thomas was able to achieve without sneering down at his members. \n\nFor Reiner/CSO fans this is an absolute "must have". For those who enjoy the work either recording will suffice. As to which is better: that is up to the ears of the listener!
This classical cd contains 12 tracks and runs 66min 53sec.
Freedb: a60fab0c

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