Streaming the Classics: Scheherazade—Rimsky-Korsakov
Do you ever type a streaming query in Roon or your streaming service for a classical work and are overwhelmed by the choices? Rather than clicking on any old recording or the first one you see, Audiophilia will make things a little easier for you and do the heavy listening.
These choices are for streaming only. Is the best in streaming also the best vinyl or CD recording and performance? That’s for another article.
A few criteria:
The recording must be on Qobuz and/or Tidal HiFi.
It does not have to be HiRes or MQA but at least Red Book CD quality.
No more than ten recommendations. This time, the order is from top preference through ten. Note, the two most famous performances have been battling it out for almost 70 years and occupy spots 1 and 2. They may be reversed according to your preference.
Scheherazade is one of the great symphonic works and has been recorded many, many times. It’s a tricky work to bring off well due to its challenging and important solos (even the 2nd trombone gets a famous solo) and its fiendishly difficult ensemble passages. And though most youth orchestras can play it today, you’ll notice a list below of the world’s greatest orchestras and conductors. All are great performances and most have equally fine recordings.
If your favourite is not here, please let us know yours in the comments below.
