Artist: Orchestre de l'Opéra Bastille Myung-whun Chung
Title: Rimsky-Korsakov: Sheherazade, Stravinsky: L'Oiseau de Feu
Year Of Release: 1994
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (image+.cue,log,scans)
Total Time: 01:02:28
Total Size: 292 Mb
Tracklist:01. Largo e maestoso - Lento - Allegro non troppo - Tranquillo [0:09:12.00]
02. Lento - Andantino - Allegro molto - Vivace scherzando - Moderato assai - Allegro molto ed animato [0:11:05.00]
03. Andantino quasi allegretto [0:09:44.00]
04. Allegro molto - Lento - Vivo - Allegro non troppo e meastoso - Lento - Tempo come I [0:11:43.00]
05. Introduction [0:03:14.17]
06. The Firebird and Its Dance [0:00:16.58]
07. Variation of the Firebird [0:01:16.00]
08. The Princesses' Round [0:04:42.00]
09. Infernal Dance of King Kaschei [0:04:23.50]
10. Lullaby [0:03:47.02]
11. Final [0:03:12.23]
Performers:Orchestre de l'Opéra Bastille
Myung-whun Chung - conductor
This twenty-year-old release comes from a time when Myung-whun Chung, a surprise appointment to the new Opera Bastille, suddenly emerged on DG as their leading French conductor. He comes from Korea's first family of classical music and was a gifted, prize-winning pianist before taking to the podium. It's very worthwhile to backtrack and find his early CDs - they are often of very high quality even if they have more or less sliped through the cracks.
Here, for example is a clear, crisp, keen-edged Scheherazade that strikes a refreshing note. Chung favors faster, steadier tempos than one usually hears, either from the Russians or the swoony Stokowski. No chance of a sugar overdose. But he is neither literal nor brusque. There's inner vitality here, along with abundant enthusiasm. Every bar sings; the line is always moving. I especially like the light, sophisticated style of the concertmaster's solos. The Opera Bastille Orch. is quite fine, and DG's sound is resplendent. I tend to think of Scheherazade as entry-level classical music, but this kind of vibrant reading makes me realize that there's is always new life to be found. No one could dislike this reading unless they insist on being drenched in jasmine and musk. I'd have to reach back to Reiner for such clarity and to Beecham for more panache.
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