# Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov



## Conductor

What do you think of this Russian great?

His "Capriccio Espagnol" was amazing, and I quite enjoyed his "Scheherazade."


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## Chi_townPhilly

*Props for Rimsky-Korsakov!*

He is probably my favorite of the "Russian Five" (a.k.a.: Mighty Five/Mighty Handful).

In additional to the obvious (but still great) _Scheherazade_ & _Capriccio Espagnol_, there is a considerable opera literature, apparently thriving in Russia and overdue for advocacy here.


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## david johnson

i greatly enjoy his music.

dj


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## Moldyoldie

I've long had an infatuation with the _Russian Easter Overture_ as well as _Scheherazade_.


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## oisfetz

IMHO,his piano trio and his string sextet are some of the best of the 19th,century.
The mouvements he wrote for "Birthday","B-La-F" SQ and "Fridays" are just lovely
But all of then drank too much.


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## Chi_townPhilly

oisfetz said:


> ...all of them drank too much.


I have an off-topic anecdote concerning this, but I think it's good enough to share...

Excessive drinking in the Motherland continued (continues) to be an issue. During the time of Communist rule, former world chess champion Mikhail Tal received advance notice of a government sponsored campaign titled "State vs. Vodka." In response to this, he replied "I'll play for the VODKA team!" 

(And now for something on-topic...) Some of the seminal Mussorgsky compositions became well-known via workings arranged by Rimsky-Korsakov- though in the current spirit of originalism, it seems that the first thoughts of Mussorgsky are working their way back to the preferred choice in the repertoire.


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## tahnak

*Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov*

What do I think of him? He is one of the greatest orchestrators of all time despite his limited output. If he had written nothing but Scheherazade, he would have still remained a legend.
Few days back, I was listening to Ernest Ansermet conducting his Christmas Eve Suite with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande on Decca. The suite is beautiful.
And, as you say, his Capriccio Espagnol is probably one of the most colourful capriccios ever written along with Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien and Dvorak's Scherzo Capriccioso.


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## jhar26

Chi_town/Philly said:


> He is probably my favorite of the "Russian Five" (a.k.a.: Mighty Five/Mighty Handful).
> 
> In additional to the obvious (but still great) _Scheherazade_ & _Capriccio Espagnol_, there is a considerable opera literature, apparently thriving in Russia and overdue for advocacy here.


I LOVE his opera _Sadko_. His second symphony _'Antar'_ is also interesting and one that fans of _Scheherazade_ should check out because I think they would enjoy it.


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## bassClef

Do people here have a clear favourite interpretation of Scheherezade?


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## Mirror Image

jezbo said:


> Do people here have a clear favourite interpretation of Scheherezade?


My favorite is this one by Fritz Reiner and the CSO:










I would also check this one out with Yuri Temirkanov and the NY Philharmonic:


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## Sid James

He was also a great teacher, nurturing the future generation of Russian composers. Many of his pupils would become the leading composers later such as Ippolitov Ivanov, Lyadov, Glazunov, Myaskovsky, Stravinsky & Prokofiev.

&, in parts, _Scheherazade _sounds almost as impressionistic as something composed by Debussy. So he not only absorbed the Western European influences of his time, but pointed towards future developments.


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## Tapkaara

I want to pick up his book on orchestration. Has anyone read it?


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## handlebar

Very underrated composer. I value his Symphonies very much.Scheherazade is a bit over played but nice.

Jim


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## JSK

One of my favorite composers. A sublime orchestrator and an excellent tunesmith. His opera Sadko is extremely beautiful.


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## Weston

It's odd. In spite of the popularity of Scheherazade, I can barely remember many melodies from it. I remember the Sinbad crashing the ships on the rock segment, but I can't hear the rest of it in my head -- maybe the opening few seconds. I should listen to it again soon.

I really enjoy the _Le Coq d'Or_ suite, it being among the earliest music I ever heard as a toddler -- in a scratchy mono LP! I have a much better version today, and I still love it, though it's not considered his best.

He was a great orchestral colorist and had a knack for the exotic. I think there was a big fad of Orientalsim in the arts during that time. It had its own separate genre in painting. I wonder if Rimsky-Korsakov was tapping into that.


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## Tapkaara

JSK said:


> One of my favorite composers. A sublime orchestrator and an excellent tunesmith. His opera Sadko is extremely beautiful.


Yes, a great orchestrator. But a great tune writer....hmmmm, I will have to respectfully disagree. I think his two most tuneful works are Sheherezade (which is also is most popular, probably due to its tunefulness...everyone knows that violin solo) and the Capriccio espagnol, but I figure he was boring from traditional tunes that he did not write himself.

Other than that, I cannot, for the life of me, think of any great melodies from the works I have heard: Golden Cockerel, Snow Maiden, Maid of Pskov, Fairy Tale, Tsar Sultan. OK, Tsar Sultan I think has some good tunes, but I definitely think orchestration was his strong suit.


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## Taneyev

Maybe you haven't sensibility for the russian music. I'm of russian ancestors, and the music of RK move me deeply. As in general german music let me cold. Each one have his feelings.


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## Tapkaara

Taneyev said:


> Maybe you haven't sensibility for the russian music. I'm of russian ancestors, and the music of RK move me deeply. As in general german music let me cold. Each one have his feelings.


I love Russian music! I love Mussorgsky, Shostakovich, Prokofiev...much of Glinka is good, there is much good Tchaikovsky. And I did not say I did not like Rimsky-Korsakov. Just that I think his talent was more in orchestrating that in writing memorable tunes.


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## Evoludo

Tapkaara, you can get his book on orchestration free on the internet, just search for it (there's an online version that even has all the music examples from the book digitised so you can actually hear the examples he's talking about).

R-Korsakov produced loads of great melodies! Granted, many of these are reworkings or approximations of russian folk tunes, but nonetheless he has a panoply of great melodies. Most of them are from either his operas or his songs for voice and piano.


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## emiellucifuge

Taneyev!

All my favorite music comes from russia or soviet bloc!


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## Taneyev

Same with me. And for violin fans, try to find v.c.No.1 by the Georgian Otar Taktakishvilii. IMO one of the most
beautiful neo-romantic works of the past century. And don't forget the huge Taneyev's Suite for violin and orch.


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## Aramis

Listened to his piano trio in C today. Nice stuff.


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## emiellucifuge

I cannot disagree with the fact that he is perhaps the greatest orchestrater ever.

I also think he was a good tune writer, though it didnt come out often. Scheherazade is the best example, the melodies are fantastic.


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## Sebastien Melmoth

Has anyone heard Rimsky's Trombone Concerto?

Heard Glier's Harp Concerto the other evening: it was amazing!


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## bassClef

Sebastien Melmoth said:


> Has anyone heard Rimsky's Trombone Concerto?
> 
> Heard Glier's Harp Concerto the other evening: it was amazing!


I used to play Rimsky's trombone concerto - pretty difficult (well, at the level I got to which wasn't professional). I've never heard it with full orchestra though.


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## Sebastien Melmoth

I now gather it's for trombone with brass band.
Rimsky was band inspector for a while it appears.


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## Delicious Manager

Interesting that _Sheherazade_ has been spelt in English for so many years with the unnecessary 'c' at the beginning (rather like the useless 'T' at the beginning of 'Tchaikovsky'). English seems to have favoured quasi-French and -German transliterations if words deriving in Cyrillic script instead of adopting more accurate ones of its own. Happily (for a geek like me!), _Sheherazade_ is now being spelt more and more without the offending extra 'c'. Hurrah for that!

I love some of the suites to Rimsky's operas - particularly _Le coq d'or_ (The Golden Cockerel) and _The Tale of Tsar Saltan_ (from which comes the ubiquitous and overplayed _Flight of the Bumble Bee_, curiously omitted from the suite. I would also put-in a vote for the colourful _Russian Easter Festival Overture_.


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## Mahler7

i think his best work (of which i have the full version) has not been mentioned... the tale of the invisible city of kitezh.


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## Delicious Manager

For my money the most satisfying _Sheherazade_ (that 'c' at the beginning really has no place in an English transliteration) is that with Kirill Kondrashin conducting the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra. It was the only one of a projected series of studio recordings due to be made by Philips following Kondrashin's appointment as joint principal conductor of the orchestra (invited by Haitink) after he left the USSR in December 1978. Sadly, his premature death in March 1981 put a stop to all those plans. This recording seems to get it all just about right. Thge couplings are also fantastic. One of my most treasured CDs.


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## newromantic

Another Sherhazade fan here, I remember my dad playing it to me and really getting the nautical imaery and being blown away by the belting horns.


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## myaskovsky2002

*Omg!*

You all speaking about Sheherazade, suite of operas...Is like speaking about the symphobies of Wagner. Rimsky-Korsakov was mainly an Opera composer, he composed 15 marvelous operas...People speaking here do not know Rimsky-Korsakiov at all!!!! You just like light classics..It's a pity!

Weird group.

Martin Pitchon, who has his 15 operas.


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## jurianbai

I have the Bumblee bee.

any one owned his String quartet? what version?


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## Sebastien Melmoth

Yeah, I have Rimsky's SQ. It's very brief, pleasant, in F-major; it's nice, but perhaps I had hoped for too much.
http://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsak...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1290776745&sr=1-2

In this case of the String Quartet genre, Arensky, Borodin, Glier, Tchaikovsky, and Glazunov trump Rimsky.


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## myaskovsky2002

*Omg*

This is the most...group ever. Don't you understand that Rimsky-Korsakov is mainly known by his operas...and his symphonic music is less important????? What do you know about R-K?
Nothing???? Nothing at all? Have you ever read his book: *My musical life*? have you listened to his operas? If the answer is no, I would recommend you not to write about him!!!!!!

Martin Pitchon, angry


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## Huilunsoittaja

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Have you ever read his book: *My musical life*?


Have _you_ read it? I've read clips on Google Books before haha.


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## Weston

I what country is Rimsky-Korsakov mainly known for his operas? Certainly not in the US. nor on any radio station I've ever heard - and I've streamed them from all over the world. Nor on any classical music web site. 

From Wikipedia:
"His best-known orchestral compositions—Capriccio Espagnol, the Russian Easter Festival Overture, and the symphonic suite Scheherazade—are considered staples of the classical music repertoire, along with suites and excerpts from some of his 15 operas."

Sorry. There's nothing weird about this group.


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## joen_cph

It is true that R-Ks operas were highly significant for Russian music, being musically and politically controversial and including stage designs by some interesting avantgarde - or at least innovative - artists like for instance Konstantin Korovin (The Golden Cockerel 1907) and Natalia Goncharova (The Golden Cockerel 1913)

View attachment 1272


or Viktor Vasnetsov (The Snow Maiden, 1883)
View attachment 1273


Internationally they haven´t made a breakthrough since the early 20th century, but perhaps their time will come again.


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## jurianbai

Sebastien Melmoth said:


> Yeah, I have Rimsky's SQ. It's very brief, pleasant, in F-major; it's nice, but perhaps I had hoped for too much.
> http://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsak...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1290776745&sr=1-2
> 
> In this case of the String Quartet genre, Arensky, Borodin, Glier, Tchaikovsky, and Glazunov trump Rimsky.


It a bit alarming if you said Tchaikovsky's trump R-K :lol: On mentioned Russian I haven't got any Arensky and Glier. THe russian usually have something on their quartet, I will wishlisted your amazon recomendation (and I see you write reviews on there also, great.)

Myaskovsky2002, have you get the Myaskovsky's string quartets?


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## myaskovsky2002

*You should be proud*

In what country is Rimsky-Korsakov mainly known for his operas? Certainly not in the US. nor on any radio station I've ever heard - and I've streamed them from all over the world. Nor on any classical music web site.

From Wikipedia:
"His best-known orchestral compositions-Capriccio Espagnol, the Russian Easter Festival Overture, and the symphonic suite Scheherazade-are considered staples of the classical music repertoire, along with suites and excerpts from some of his 15 operas."

Sorry. There's nothing weird about this group. 
=======================================================
You should be proud to be American

You are like this!





This is you!!!!!!! LOL! Do you know where is Budapest...it is outside the U.S.A.! LOL

Rimsky-Korsakov doesn<t need to be known in USA...He is in Russia and in Europe....By the way, Europe is not a country lik ethe girls says...it is a continent. Today you learn something new.

Wikipedia mentions his 15 operas, anyhow Wikipedia is not a very good source of information...Try rather...

http://opera.stanford.edu/RimskyKorsakov/

You don't have to be sorry for me...rather for you.


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## myaskovsky2002

*INtroducing the real Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov*

You Tube is well known in U.S.A. There are many many smart people in Unites States who love Rimsky-Korsakov (I'm part of an American group) and everybody knows that he is mainly an opera composer.

Sadko




Mlada




Tsar's bride





Pskov maiden




Tsar Saltan





Just some examples...Go to you tube and you will have many more.

If you just like the orchestral works..you are missing the real composer...He's like Puccini or Verdi... I have his 15 operas, I read his book my musical life, I went to the Rimsky-Korsakov museum in Russia. Don't write about somebody you don't know unless you want some information, be humble...Try to learn rather than being stubborn. I love deeply his music...He was Stravinsky's teacher and Glinka was his master... Glinka is the big master.
I've read complete Gogol, Pushkin, 90%, Turgeniev, 60%, Tchekhov, 40%...All Rimsky-Korsakov operas are based on known Russian books.

Enjoy the little excerpts.

Good night and have sweet dreams.

Martin Pitchon

Good night.


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## JSK

myaskovsky2002 said:


> This is the most...group ever. Don't you understand that Rimsky-Korsakov is mainly known by his operas...and his symphonic music is less important????? What do you know about R-K?
> Nothing???? Nothing at all? Have you ever read his book: *My musical life*? have you listened to his operas? If the answer is no, I would recommend you not to write about him!!!!!!
> 
> Martin Pitchon, angry


Rimsky-Korsakov is my favorite composer. I've read both My Musical Life and Yebastrev's (sp?) Reminisces. Both good reads for any dedicated Rimsky geek.

Despite my few years, my limited budget, and the smallness of my school's music library, I have listened to at least 7 of his operas and excerpts from almost all of the others. Do you know if Servilia has been recorded? I can't find evidence that it has, yet Yebastrev seems to have thought highly of it.

And there are also perfectly smart, musical people whom I know who do not realize the importance of opera in R-K's output. I would agree with you that opera is vital to his output, but Rimsky, unlike Wagner, Verdi, Puccini, etc..., also composed a a number of fantastic orchestral works. I'm glad we share a love for Rimsky-Korsakov, but I would not personally argue so strongly about the dominance of his operas as part of his operas.

My favorite opera is Sadko and my favorite of his suites are Christmas Eve and Pan Voyevoda (sp?). I would love it if there was a convention of hardcore Rimsky-Korsakovites, but alas...


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## myaskovsky2002

*Servilia*

My version is not complete...Servilia was never recorded complete, it was a failure, I have 5 long excerpts but I have Pan Voyevoda (2 CDs)...I have said I have the 15 operas he composed.

Suites are sh... Exerpts are mmm. I just like complete operas. You have many on DVD.
Some DVD are rare, if you have a limited budget buy cheap...Go to Premiere opera.
http://premiereopera.com/

Good luck

Martin Pitchon


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## myaskovsky2002

This group become silent...Nothing else to say about the GREAT MASTER?

Martin Pitchon, a R-K freak.


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## JSK

What do you think of Sadko, Martin (both the orchestral work and the opera)?


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## anshuman

Hi,
i'm neither russian nor american and i dont claim to know rimsky's music thourougly. Being no fan of opera (except some wagner) I have mostly listened to his orchestral reportoire and have found him fascinating. I found him more accesible than let's say Mussorgsky and to some extent Borodin. My favourite is the Russian easter overture with its dynamic contrasts so typical of Rimsky.


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## elgar's ghost

As well as as the symphonies, overture, capriccio and Scheherazade I have two operas by him - The Tsar's Bride and The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh. There's lots of great music in both but I think Kitezh does stretch its ideas just a little too thinly at times - maybe it could do with being about 20-30 minutes shorter altogether. I've also heard orchestral excerpts from The Tale of Tsar Saltan and like those as well.


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## myaskovsky2002

well...you are missing just 13 other operas. Tsar's bride and Kitezh are master pieces. The snow maiden is awesome

http://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsak...=sr_1_8?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1292173799&sr=1-8

a bit expensive but a wonderful version...may be at Ebay...

Best.

Martin


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## jurianbai

and less mentioned of his 13 string quartets! I am lucky to ge acknowledged to this quartet cycle (as result of staying too much overhere), his quartets is very near to dream piece. moderns sounds, purely based on tonality, lots of beautiful melody. favorite is no.9,11 and 13, also no.7 which based on Kabarda folk song (where's on earth is this place??) feel really folkinov ambianivics.


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## myaskovsky2002

13 string quartets! Rimsky-Korsakov?

How comes.

Be nice, show me.

Martin


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## jurianbai

BAAAAH! I AM VERY SUREEEE I WAS POSTING IN NICOLAY MYASKOVSKY THREAD!!

how comeeees it landed on Rimsky Korsakov?????


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## myaskovsky2002

*Lol*

LOL....I was worried!

Martin


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## Taneyev

Rimsky had only one SQ, and several movements for B-La-F, Fridays and Jour de Fete collective quartets.


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## Sebastien Melmoth

Brilliant has a primo issue of the complete Rimsky lieder:
http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Rimsky-Korsakov/dp/B003VOP7S2/ref=cm_cr-mr-title/181-5214021-9226017

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical...me_role1=1&genre=134&bcorder=19&comp_id=80127


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## myaskovsky2002

Leader

I have this...now the price is a gift! 3 Cds for less than 15$!!!!!!

His songs are very good...Tchaikovsky's and Glinka's are better though.

Martin Pitchon


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## Aramis

Accidentally I recalled that I have this CD and listened to it just while ago:










Korsakov's quintet is remarkable chamber work. It leasts almost half of hour and I'm often annoyed with wind works leasting that long. But this time was diffrent. The piano doesn't have much to say, most of the time it just lay texture. It's conservative in form but luckily there is no scherzo. Slow movement is especially beautiful with it's long french horn theme - reminds me of Tchaikovsky's 5th famous slow movement.

Recommended. Highly. U la la la. Buy it, get it. Donald Duck.


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## myaskovsky2002

*R-K's chamber works*



PHP:


Korsakov's quintet is remarkable chamber work. It leasts almost half of hour and I'm often annoyed with wind works leasting that long. But this time was diffrent. The piano doesn't have much to say, most of the time it just lay texture

Even if I love his music as Nikolai said himself, he wasn't a very good chamber music composer (_My musical life_), He was an opera composer and his symphonies are good too.

Martin


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## Aramis

> Even if I love his music as Nikolai said himself, he wasn't a very good chamber music composer (My musical life),


I don't care, it's very good piece and if he will object it he will get punched into the snout.


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## myaskovsky2002

*Lol*



PHP:


I don't care, it's very good piece and if he will object it he will get punched into the snout.

Look, I love R-K in an inconditional way...I'm shy to show my collection, you will understand that I love his music...

Ok. Here we go, don't hate me!

===========================================
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI ANGE ET DEMON, CHANSON N.Y. VOCAL ENSEMBLE AUVOC VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI PATER NOSTER COSAQUES AUVOC VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SHEHERAZADE EUGENE ORMANDY BALLE VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI 2 ROMANCES OP.25 PIANO: YURY SEROV, CHANT LIEDE COMPACT DISC 10/06/1999 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI 4 ROMANCES OP.2 (1865-66) PIANO: YURY SEROV, CHANT LIEDE COMPACT DISC 10/06/1999 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI 4 ROMANCES OP.26 (1882) PIANO: YURY SEROV, CHANT LIEDE COMPACT DISC 10/06/1999 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI 4 ROMANCES OP.27 (1883) PIANO: YURY SEROV, CHANT LIEDE COMPACT DISC 10/06/1999 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI 4 ROMANCES OP.3 (1866) PIANO: YURY SEROV, CHANT LIEDE COMPACT DISC 10/06/1999 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI 4 ROMANCES OP.4 (1866) PIANO: YURY SEROV, CHANT LIEDE COMPACT DISC 10/06/1999 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI 4 ROMANCES OP.7 (1867) PIANO: YURY SEROV, CHANT LIEDE COMPACT DISC 10/06/1999 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI 6 ROMANCES OP.8 (1868,70) PIANO: YURY SEROV, CHANT LIEDE COMPACT DISC 10/06/1999 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI CLEARER IS THE SKYLARK'S SINGING (TOLSTOI) A.OGNIVTSED LIEDE VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI COMPLETE SONGS (3 CDS) PLUSIEURS CHANTEURS LIEDE COMPACT DISC GRA V 26/05/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI COMPLETE SONGS (3 CDS) PLUSIEURS CHANTEURS LIEDE COMPACT DISC 26/05/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI IN THE SILENCE OF THE NIGHT (MAIKOV) A.OGNIVTSED LIEDE VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI OH, IF YOU COULD (TOLSTOI) A.OGNIVTSED LIEDE VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI THE RAINY DAY HAS FADED (PUSHKIN) A.OGNIVTSED LIEDE VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI THE WAVE BREAKS AND LAPS (TOLSTOI) A.OGNIVTSED LIEDE VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI BOYARINA VERA SHELOGA RADIO BULGARE - DIR. S. ANGELOV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI KATSHEI L'IMMORTEL PONTRIAGIN, GRADOVA - RADIO MOSCOU - DIR. SAMOSOUD OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI KATSHEI L'IMMORTEL KIROV OPERA - (DIR. VALERY GERGIEV) KONSTANTIN PLUZHNIKOV, M ARINA SHAGUCH, LARINA DIADKOVA OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA FIANCE DU TSAR GRISHKO, RUDIENKO, CHABDAR - KIEV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA FIANCE DU TSAR VIZHNEVSTKAYA, ARKHIPOVA - BOLSHOI DIR. FOUAT MANSOUROV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA FIANCE DU TSAR BOLSHOI (noir et blanc) OPERA CASSETTE VIDEO VHS MAISON 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA FIANCE DU TSAR KIROV CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA (VALERY GERGIEV) GENNADY BEZZUBEN KOV, MARINA SHAGUCH, OLGA BORODINA OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA FIANCE DU TSAR BOLSHOI (noir et blanc) OPERA DVD 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA NUIT DE MAI KRIVTCHENYA, LISOVSKY - RADIO MOSCOU - DIR. VLADIMIR FEDOSEY EV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA NUIT DE MAI POTCHAVSKY, TARASTCHENKO BOLSHOI (COND. ANDREY CHRISTIAKOV) OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA VEILLE DE NOEL TARJOV, TYUTYUNIK, KOULAGUINA - RADIO DE LA CCCP DIR. GOLOVA NOV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA VEILLE DE NOEL BOGATCHOV, KONDNAVTCHENKO - CHOEUR ACADMIQUE YOURLOV - DIR. MIKHAIL YUROVSKI OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA VEILLE DE NOEL Gergiev, live OPERA COMPACT DISC GRA V 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE CONTE DE LA VILLE INVISIBLE DE KITEZH ET LA JEUNE FEVRONYA ROZHDESTVENSKAYA, TARJOV, BOGDANOV - RADIO MOSCOU DIR. NEBOL SINE OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE CONTE DE LA VILLE INVISIBLE DE KITEZH ET LA JEUNE FEVRONYA KIROV CHORUS ORCHESTRA ST-PETERSBURG (DIR. VALERY GEGIEV) NI KOLAI OHOTNIKOV, GALINA GORCHAKOVA OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE CONTE DU TSAR SALTAN PETROV, SMOLIENSKAYA, SHUMILOVA - BOLSHOI - DIR. V. NIEBOLSI NE OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE CONTE DU TSAR SALTAN DRESDEN OPERA CASSETTE VIDEO VHS MAISON 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE CONTE DU TSAR SALTAN- PETROV, SMOLIENSKAYA, SHUMILOVA - BOLSHOI - DIR. V. NIEBOLSI NE OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI Le coq d"or svetlanov OPERA COMPACT DISC 04/02/2009 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE COQ D'OR KADINSKAYA, KOROLIOV, POLIAKOVA - RADIO DE LA CCCP DIR. KOVA LIOV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE COQ D'OR KADINSKAYA, KOROLIOV, POLIAKOVA - RADIO DE LA CCCP DIR. KOVA LIOV OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE COQ D'OR SVETLANOV OPERA DVD 14/07/2006 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE COQ D'OR (ZOLOTOI PETUSHOK) OPERA DE PARIS OPERA DVD 16/09/2004 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LEGEND OF THE INVISIBLE CITY OF KITIEZH 1995 BREGENZ OPERA DVD 02/11/2004 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MLADA VHS OPERA CASSETTE VIDEO VHS MAISON 21/09/2004 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MLADA NINA ANANIASHVILI, OLEG KULKO (COND. LAZAREV) OPERA DVD 06/12/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MLADA - OPRA BALLET KOROLIOV, TOUGARINOV - RADIO DE LA CCCP - DIR. E. SVETLANOV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MLADA - OPRA BALLET KOROLIOV, TOUGARINOV - RADIO DE LA CCCP - DIR. E. SVETLANOV OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MOZART AND SALIERI IN ENGLISH 1983 NEW YORK OPERA DVD 08/11/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MOZART AND SALIERI BOLHOI OPERA- MASLENNIKOV (COND. RUBEN VARTANIAN) OPERA DVD VIDEO/MUSIQUE GRAVE 14/10/2010 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MOZART ET SALIERI PHIL. PARIS - RENB LEIBOWITZ OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MOZART ET SALIERI ORCH. BULGARE OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MOZART ET SALIERI VLADIMIR BOGACHOV, NIKITA STOROJEV - I MUSICI DE MONTREAL OPERA COMPACT DISC 06/04/2001 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI MOZART ET SALIERI MP3 OPERA COMPACT DISC 08/07/2009 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI NOCH PERIED ROZHDESTVOM (CHRISTMAS EVE) EN ANGLAIS OPERA DVD 02/11/2004 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI PAN VOYEVODA KOROLEV, POLYAYEV, ROZHDESTVENSKAYA MOSCOW RADIO (SAMUEL SAM OSUD, 1951) OPERA COMPACT DISC GRA V 21/09/2004 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI PSKOVITIANKA SHUMILOVA, SOKOLOVA, LIEVINA BOLSHOI - DIR. SAJAROV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI PSOVITIANKA SVETLANOV - 1998 OPERA DVD 08/11/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI PSOVITIANKA KIROV/GERGEV 1991 OPERA DVD 08/11/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SADKO NELEPP, DAVIDOVA - BOLSHOI - DIR. GOLOVANOV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SADKO 1980 BOLSHOI OPERA DVD 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SADKO GERGEV OPERA DVD 16/01/2007 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SERVILA (EXTRAITS) OLGA PIOTROVSKAYA, NELEPP (USSR RADIO OSINIM BRON) OPERA COMPACT DISC GRA V 21/09/2004 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SNIEGOUROTCHKA BORISIENKO, FIRSOVA, KRIVTCHENIA, VIZHNETSKAYA, BOLSHOI -DIR . E. SVETLANOV OPERA VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SNIEGOUROTCHKA BULGARIAN RADIO SYMPH. ORCHESTRA (STOYAN ANGELOV, CONDUCTOR) . E. SVETLANOV OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SNIEGOUROTCHKA ARKHIPOVA - FEDOSOYEV OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI THE TSAR'S BRIDE 1981 MADRID OPERA DVD 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI THE TSAR'S BRIDE Bolshoi (Lev Steinberg) old version OPERA COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI THE TSAR'S BRIDE NATALIA RUDNAYA - BLACK AND WHITE OPERA DVD 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI TSAR<S BRIDE 1982 BOLSHOI, SIMONOV KOVALEVA OPERA DVD VIDEO/MUSIQUE GRAVE 08/10/2010 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI CANTATES PROFANES ACADMIE DE CHANT CHORAL DE MOSCOU (V. POPOV), ORCH SYMPH. D E MOSCOU (V.ZIVA) ORATO COMPACT DISC 04/10/2002 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI IZ GOMERA, OP. 60 - ORATO COMPACT DISC GRA V 04/10/2002 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA CHANSON D'OLEG LE SAGE - ORATO COMPACT DISC GRA V 04/10/2002 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE CHANT D'ALEXIO, HOMME DE DIEUX - ORATO COMPACT DISC GRA V 04/10/2002 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI ROMANCE OP. 3 - ORATO COMPACT DISC GRA V 04/10/2002 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI ROMANCE OP. 42 - ORATO COMPACT DISC GRA V 04/10/2002 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SWIETEZIANKA OU LA FILLE DU LAC OP. 44 - ORATO COMPACT DISC GRA V 04/10/2002 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI ALLEGRO DANTE QUARTET SYMPH COMPACT DISC 14/05/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI ANTAR, SUITE SYMPHONIQUE HAMBOURG, DIR. ALBERT BITTNER SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI AT THE TOMB EVGENY SVETLANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 21/10/2009 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI CAPRICCIO ESPAGNOL ORCH. VIENNE - MARIO ROSSI SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI COCERTSTUCK FOR CLARINET AND MILITARY BAND STOCKHOLM CONCERT BAND (GENADDY ROZHDESTVENSKY) SYMPH COMPACT DISC 21/09/2004 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI COMPLETE PIANO MUSIC LAVRA OPPEDISAND SYMPH COMPACT DISC GRA V 09/01/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI CONCERTO POUR CLARINETTE LEV MIKHAILOV, SOLISTE SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI CONCERTO POUR PIANO MICHAEL PONTI, PIANO - HAMBOURG - RICHARD KAPP SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI CONCERTO POUR PIANO ET ORCH. OP.30 ENGLISH NORTHERN PHIL (DAVID lLOYD-JONES, COND)- MALCOM BINN S, PIANO SYMPH COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI CONCERTO POUR TROMBONE ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC WIND ORCHESTRA (CLARK RUNDEL L, CONDUCTOR) SYMPH COMPACT DISC 17/04/2004 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI CONCIERTO P/TROMBON USSR MINISTRY OF DEFENCE SYMPH.BAND VICTOR BATASHOV, TROMBON SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI DEUX DUETS, OP. 47 - SYMPH COMPACT DISC GRA V 26/05/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI DEUX DUETS, OP. 52 - SYMPH COMPACT DISC GRA V 26/05/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI DUBINUSHKA SVETLANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 16/12/2008 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI DUBINUSHKA USSR - SVETLANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 27/04/2008 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI FANTASIA ON SERBIAN THEMES EVGENY SVETLANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 21/10/2009 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLEBEE VIOLON: HENRYK SZERYNG PIANO: CHARLES REINER SYMPH COMPACT DISC 03/06/1998 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LA GRANDE PAQUE RUSSE EUGENE ORMANDY SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE COQ D'OR(SUITE) SVETLANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 16/12/2008 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE COQ D'OR, SUITE DE L'OPERA EUGENE ORMANDY SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI LE VOL DU BOURDON (DU TSAR SALTAN) RENE LEIBOWITZ SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI OPERA SUITES: MAY NIGHT- TSAR SALTAN-CHRISTMAS EVE-SNOW MAIDEN ERNEST ANSERMET - SUISSE ROMANDE SYMPH COMPACT DISC 27/04/2008 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI OPERA SUITES: PAN VOYEVODA-SNOW MAIDEN-COQ D"OR- USSR - SVETLANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 27/04/2008 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI OVERTURE ON RUSSIAN THEMES MOSCOW SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - IGOR GOLOVSCHIN SYMPH COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI PAN VOYEVODA (SUITE) SVETLANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 16/12/2008 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI QUINTETE IN B FLAT MAJOR CAPRICORN SYMPH COMPACT DISC 01/05/2006 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI QUINTETTE POUR PIANO ET INSTRUMENTS A VENT EN SI BEMOL MAJEUR, 18 76 NASEDKIN, PIANO - ZVEREV, FLUTE - SOKOLOV, CLARINETTE - KRAS SAVIN, BASSEDEMIN, COR FRAN€AIS SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI RUSSIAN THEMES, OP. 31 ORQ. DE ST-PETERSBOURG, DIR. ANDR ANICHANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SCHEHERAZADE N.Y. PHIL. (LEONARD BERNSTEIN) SYMPH COMPACT DISC 24/10/1999 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SERVILIA (3 CDS) FORMAT MIDI MIDI SYMPH FORMAT MIDI 26/05/2005 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SEXTET IN A MAJOR POUR 2 VIOLONS, 2 ALTOS ET 2 VIOLONCELLES ENSEMBLE CLASSIQUE KOLN/COLOGNE SYMPH COMPACT DISC 08/07/2000 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SHEHERAZADE, FANTASIA ARRANGEMENT FROM THE SYMPHONIC SUITE SERGE PROKOFIEV, PIANO SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SKAZKA OP.29 ERNEST ANSERMET (LONDON PHIL ORCH) SYMPH COMPACT DISC 04/10/2002 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SNEGUROTCHKA (SUITE) SVETLANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 16/12/2008 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI STRING QUARTET IN F MAJOR, OP.12 RIMSKY-KORSAKOV QUARTET SYMPH COMPACT DISC 06/04/2001 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SUITE SYMPHONIQUE DE L'OPERA "PAN VOYEVODA" BOLSHOI, MARK ERMLER, DIRECTEUR SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SUITE SYMPHONIQUE DE L'OPERA "PAN VOYEVODA" MOSCOW SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - IGOR GOLOVSCHIN SYMPH COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SYMPHONIE NO. 1 ORQ. DE ST-PETERSBOURG, DIR. ANDR ANICHANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SYMPHONIE NO. 2, OP. 9 "ANTAR" ORQ. DE ST-PETERSBOURG, DIR. ANDR ANICHANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SYMPHONIE NO. 3 ORCH DE LA RADIO DE L'U.R.S.S. A. GAUK SYMPH VYNIL 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI SYMPHONIE NO. 3 ORQ. DE ST-PETERSBOURG, DIR. ANDR ANICHANOV SYMPH COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI TRIO POUR PIANO EN C MINEUR THE MOSCOW TRIO SYMPH COMPACT DISC 28/03/1997 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI VARIATIONS P/HAUT BOIS SUR UN THEME DE GLINKA USSR MINISTRY OF DEFENCE SYMPH.BAND E. LIAKHOVYTSKY, HAUT BO IS SYMPH VYNIL 21/09/2004 
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV NIKOLAI VARIATIONS P/HAUT BOIS SUR UN THEME DE GLINKA STOCKHOLM CONCERT BAND (GENADDY ROZHDESTVENSKY) SYMPH COMPACT DISC 21/09/2004 
==================================================

Do I like his music?

I have the same CD you have, it is terrific.

Forget this list, please. But I don'ty want to be punched on the nose...LOL

Martin


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## tdc

Wow Martin thats crazy... 

thanks for all the good information on Rimsky-Korsakov the last few days or so... He's a composer I havent explored in too much detail, Im going to check out one of his operas in the very near future.


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## myaskovsky2002

*As I have said 183 times*

He was an opera composer...Do you like Verdi's symphonies?

Martin...a bit tired


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## tdc

myaskovsky2002 said:


> He was an opera composer...Do you like Verdi's symphonies?
> 
> Martin...a bit tired


As far as I know Verdi did not compose any symphonies! Was that a trick question?


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## myaskovsky2002

*Tdc*

I'm convinced you are a smart guy, what do you think?

Martin


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## HaydnBearstheClock

*Rimsky-Korsakov*

Rimsky-Korsakov's The Tsar's Bride arrived in the mail today - I'm extremely impressed!

Beautiful melodies, choirs (some even fugal), drama - I'm usually not a huge fan of opera, but here it works perfectly. Maybe the fact that I speak Russian helps relate to the text more, but the music by itself is excellent.

This is the interpretation, it could be purchased for a cheap price on amazon:









Excellent soloists and playing, I can't imagine a much better interpretation.

Any other Rimsky-Korsakov fans? Somehow I have a feeling that these CDs will be some of my favourites now, very happy I discovered this piece.

I like Korsakov's style - it reminds me of Tchaikovsky, but he seems a bit more 'academic' and restrained, which I like.

Do you have favourite pieces and interpretations by this composer? I'd be very interested to know these .


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Wow, I guess Rimsky-Korsakov is pretty unknown here. That would be unfortunate though - his music is very interesting.


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## david johnson

i'm a great rk fan  Russian Easter Overture was the first 'classical music' I ever liked. A favorite presentation of Scheherazade is Reiner/Chicago. For REO, I very much enjoy Barenboim/Chicago. The Ernest Ansermet rk recordings are greatly enjoyable.


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## Ukko

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> Wow, I guess Rimsky-Korsakov is pretty unknown here. That would be unfortunate though - his music is very interesting.


Hah. Your response deficit isn't caused by R-K being _un_known. The pieces _dj_ mentions are _well_ known. there are posts and threads about his music in the TC database. Back when radios all had tubes I enjoyed some of his music. Every few years I listen to the REO, because it is so over-the-top... damn, dunno the words. Sort of a non-miltaristic 1812 Overture.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Hilltroll72 said:


> Hah. Your response deficit isn't caused by R-K being _un_known. The pieces _dj_ mentions are _well_ known. there are posts and threads about his music in the TC database. Back when radios all had tubes I enjoyed some of his music. Every few years I listen to the REO, because it is so over-the-top... damn, dunno the words. Sort of a non-miltaristic 1812 Overture.


Well, I know that Rimsky-Korsakov is part of the 'canon', of course - just surprised how little enthusiasm there seems to be for his music. He definitely mastered the folkloristic Russian elements, his sound is very colourful and he's good at throwing in surprises here and there.


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## Ukko

R-K's music, the sum of it, lacks something. Probably the same thing that St. Saëns' music lacks - only more so.


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## mmsbls

I have merged this thread with the earlier Rimsky-Korsakov thread in the composer guestbook forum.


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## Ukko

mmsbls said:


> I have merged this thread with the earlier Rimsky-Korsakov thread in the composer guestbook forum.


Hah. And resurrected *myaskovsky2002*.


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## realdealblues

I admit I do not know much of his music.

Scheherazade
Flight Of The Bumblebee
Capriccio Espagnol

That's about it. 

One day I plan to delve deeper but much of the Russian music I've heard hasn't really done much for me.

I love Tchaikovsky. And of course I like some things from Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Rubinstein, Stravinsky, Glazunov, maybe a few others, but on the whole, a lot of it just doesn't do much for me. I hear it and go, "that was ok" or "meh" but I don't hear a lot where I go "Wow! I need to listen to that again!". Some of the works from the aforementioned Russians have done that (Glazunov's Piano Concertos are a good example) but not as much as I thought they would for some reason. I guess I expected them all to sound like Tchaikovsky which was an obvious incorrect assumption on my part.

That said, I will continue to listen with open ears and explore new works, I just do it less occasionally. I will look up some of these recent recommendations though.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Hilltroll72 said:


> R-K's music, the sum of it, lacks something. Probably the same thing that St. Saëns' music lacks - only more so.


Well, I think every composer's music 'lacks something' if you compare them to others. That's not a criteria to criticise a composer by, imo. I think it's better to look at what Rimsky-Korsakov's music does have, and I would say his melodies are very good, have a nice Russian flavour to them, he is a very good orchestrator and uses the orchestra very well to 'paint' characters or situations. The vocal music in the Tsar's Bride, for ex., also impressed me. He may not be as dramatic as Tchaikovsky, but he also wasn't Tchaikovsky, so why would anyone expect to hear the same thing with a different composer?


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## Ukko

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> Well, I think every composer's music 'lacks something' if you compare them to others.


Looks like you didn't catch my drift. I wasn't comparing R-K with SS, it was more like lumping them together. Both did a lot of things very well, neither of them had _it_. SS was almost in reach of the golden ring, though.


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## pwdemars

I'm not convinced I could name one piece by Rimsky-Korsakov. Could someone give me a suggestion for something to listen to?


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Hilltroll72 said:


> Looks like you didn't catch my drift. I wasn't comparing R-K with SS, it was more like lumping them together. Both did a lot of things very well, neither of them had _it_. SS was almost in reach of the golden ring, though.


Well, what I meant is, that if someone says 'Mozart sounds too happy for me' then you can always retort 'but Chopin sounds too sad'. Every composer has their strengths and weaknesses. Beethoven may have more drama than Haydn but lacks his humour. It's up to the listener to decide what's more important for them.

I don't really understand what you mean by _it_, though. I have to admit I'm not too familiar with Saint-Saens' music. What is it that you find lacking in R-K's music? There has to be something concrete, if you sense it .


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## HaydnBearstheClock

pwdemars said:


> I'm not convinced I could name one piece by Rimsky-Korsakov. Could someone give me a suggestion for something to listen to?


Listen to The Scheherazade and the Tale of Tsar Saltan. Anything from the opera The Tsar's Bride is also very good imo.


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## Ukko

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> I don't really understand what you mean by _it_, though. I have to admit I'm not too familiar with Saint-Saens' music. What is it that you find lacking in R-K's music? There has to be something concrete, if you sense it .


There is something unconvincing about it; the scent of [whatever the noun form of _trite_ is], I guess. Sometimes faint, sometimes strong; in the REO it's strong, in the 3rd symphony it's weak - but detectable.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Hilltroll72 said:


> There is something unconvincing about it; the scent of [whatever the noun form of _trite_ is], I guess. Sometimes faint, sometimes strong; in the REO it's strong, in the 3rd symphony it's weak - but detectable.


Well, this seems to be of an opinion than an objective judgment.


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## KenOC

Rimsky-Korsakov's works are, seemingly, spotty. He wrote his three major "hits" within two years, with consecutive opus numbers:

Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34, 1887
Scheherazade, Op. 35, 1888
Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op. 36, 1888

All three are first rate by any measure.


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## moody

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> Well, what I meant is, that if someone says 'Mozart sounds too happy for me' then you can always retort 'but Chopin sounds too sad'. Every composer has their strengths and weaknesses. Beethoven may have more drama than Haydn but lacks his humour. It's up to the listener to decide what's more important for them.
> 
> I don't really understand what you mean by _it_, though. I have to admit I'm not too familiar with Saint-Saens' music. What is it that you find lacking in R-K's music? There has to be something concrete, if you sense it .


It's empty dross in my opinion or is that not concrete enough ?


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## Ukko

Me: There is something unconvincing about it; the scent of [whatever the noun form of _trite_ is], I guess. Sometimes faint, sometimes strong; in the REO it's strong, in the 3rd symphony it's weak - but detectable.



HaydnBearstheClock said:


> Well, this seems to be of an opinion than an objective judgment.


Assuming that you left out a 'more', I would classify it as an objective opinion gently presented. I don't do casual judgements, having been thrown out of god school.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Hilltroll72 said:


> Assuming that you left out a 'more', I would classify it as an objective opinion gently presented. I don't do casual judgements, having been thrown out of god school.


Well if I was going to criticize Beethoven this way, it wouldn't be considered legitimate and that I didn't know what I was talking about....


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## moody

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Well if I was going to criticize Beethoven this way, it wouldn't be considered legitimate and that I didn't know what I was talking about....


Oh,he knows what he's talking about let me assure you.


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## Ukko

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Well if I was going to criticize Beethoven this way, it wouldn't be considered legitimate and that I didn't know what I was talking about....


There is the usual amount of that going on.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

moody said:


> It's empty dross in my opinion or is that not concrete enough ?


I wasn't really asking for your opinion, moody, I was asking for Hilltroll's.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

KenOC said:


> Rimsky-Korsakov's works are, seemingly, spotty. He wrote his three major "hits" within two years, with consecutive opus numbers:
> 
> Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34, 1887
> Scheherazade, Op. 35, 1888
> Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op. 36, 1888
> 
> All three are first rate by any measure.


I find what I hear in the Tsar's Bride to be more interesting than the Scheherazade. I think R-K was good with vocal music - he has some pretty sweet choirs in that opera, some even fugal, I think. Some of the choirs sound very much like Russian folk singing, as you hear it in villages.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Well if I was going to criticize Beethoven this way, it wouldn't be considered legitimate and that I didn't know what I was talking about....


Hehe, Huilunsoittaja, I don't think you should be too concerned about what's 'considered legitimate', it's your taste and you can criticize however you wish .


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## HaydnBearstheClock

moody said:


> Oh,he knows what he's talking about let me assure you.


How do you know that he knows what he's talking about?


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## bigshot

I love Schehrezade. It's like watching a movie. I finally found a version of the Antar symphony that does it for me too. R-K shouldn't be approached as just abstract music. It paints pictures. If the conductor isn't telling stories with the music, he's doing it wrong. It's supposed to be atmospheric.

Likewise, I have no problem with the Victorian painting style that celebrated exotic Orientalism. Painters like Alma-Tadema are astounding in their ability to convey mood and an otherworldly sort of realism in lighting and textures. A lot of formalists poo poo these painters. I can't get enough of it myself.


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## Ukko

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> How do you know that he knows what he's talking about?




Maybe he recognizes genius when he reads it, eh?


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## KenOC

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Well if I was going to criticize Beethoven this way, it wouldn't be considered legitimate and that I didn't know what I was talking about....


Actually you'd be in good company. Glenn Gould said that Beethoven's reputation was built entirely on gossip. A female musicologist (Susan McClary?) pointed out that Beethoven was anointed by the male power structure in Vienna and that we have blindly bought into that view ever since.

There are plenty of people who quickly tire of Beethoven's pretentiousness, over-earnestness, and tedious pseudophilosophical maunderings, the last being especially apparent in his late music.

There. Now I feel so much better! Time for Op. 109! :lol:


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## Winterreisender

I must admit that I've never been able to enjoy Scheherazade much... what am I doing wrong? 

I find that it is based around a few memorable motifs/melodies which are endlessly repeated but hardly developed. And for that reason, dare I say, I just find it a little boring.


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## Ukko

Winterreisender said:


> I must admit that I've never been able to enjoy Scheherazade much... what am I doing wrong?
> 
> I find that it is based around a few memorable motifs/melodies which are endlessly repeated but hardly developed. And for that reason, dare I say, I just find it a little boring.


I haven't read a musicological, or even a non-logical analysis, but the section titles identify scenes-scenarios, and the music provides movement for those scenes. I once (long ago) owned an LP of the work; the jacket notes provided illustrations for the scenes, and was actually quite helpful in ... realizing the vignettes, I guess. I don't recall being bored until the music and the scenes got too familiar.

That LP is long gone, and I have no idea what label published it; kinda wish I did.


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## Ukko

"Well, what a fine mess you've got me into this time!" - Oliver Hardy

I managed to reminisce myself into buying the SACD release of the Reiner/CSO "Living Stereo" Scheherazade.

It's mostly your fault, _Winterreisender_.


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## mstar

Hmm, continuing on Scheherazade, I have the sheet music for a duet (piano arr.) of the third movement, I think.... The young prince and princess. Last year or so, when I had the flu for a week and a half, I arr.ed the arr. to come out with an odd duet played by two hands sort of thing.... 

Yes, I love Scheherazade.


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## mstar

Yes, I arr.ed the arr.


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## bigshot

Winterreisender said:


> I must admit that I've never been able to enjoy Scheherazade much... what am I doing wrong?


The development isn't in the melodies. It's in the orchestration. Moods and colors shifting.


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## bigshot

Hilltroll72 said:


> I managed to reminisce myself into buying the SACD release of the Reiner/CSO "Living Stereo" Scheherazade.


That's a good one, but my all time favorite is Previn.


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## Huilunsoittaja

KenOC said:


> There are plenty of people who quickly tire of Beethoven's pretentiousness, over-earnestness, and tedious pseudophilosophical maunderings, the last being especially apparent in his late music.


But that's not even why I don't like Beethoven. So many composers I DO love are like this hehe!

The main reason I don't like Beethoven is I don't like 99% of his melodies/motifs/ideas, and so hearing the development of them is of no interest to me. I feel his ability to develop themes became his crutch so he didn't have to focus so much at tune-smithing, the underrated and truly difficult side of composition.

Anyhow, so as not to divert the thread too much, I'll post some charming R-K for amusement. It's positively splendid! I showed it to some friends of mine, and they all started bopping their heads. :lol:


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## HaydnBearstheClock

I'd also like to post a link to the Tsar's Bride:






The music is excellent, this opera deserves much more recognition imo.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Huilunsoittaja said:


> But that's not even why I don't like Beethoven. So many composers I DO love are like this hehe!
> 
> The main reason I don't like Beethoven is I don't like 99% of his melodies/motifs/ideas, and so hearing the development of them is of no interest to me. I feel his ability to develop themes became his crutch so he didn't have to focus so much at tune-smithing, the underrated and truly difficult side of composition.
> 
> Anyhow, so as not to divert the thread too much, I'll post some charming R-K for amusement. It's positively splendid! I showed it to some friends of mine, and they all started bopping their heads. :lol:


Hm, somehow this piece doesn't seem to be one of Korsakov's strongest - it's rhythmically a bit monotone. I don't think this can compare to the level of his operas or to pieces like The Tale of Tsar Saltan. Maybe the piano quintet wasn't really Korsakov's strong point or the piece was perhaps an academic experiment.


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## MagneticGhost

I know very little by this chap. I don't even think I've heard Scheherazade

So I've just ordered the Rimsky-Korsakov edition on Amazon. A third party seller is offering it for 18.99 (pound sterling).
Too much of a bargain to miss.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Happy Birthday to Rimsky-Korsakov! Listening to The Tsar's Bride and loving it. A great and underrated composer - he was a master at portraying folkloric tales through music. Let his music live on forever.


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## Clayton

"The legend of the invisible city of Kitezh and the maiden Fevroniya" is a very long title for an opera but is equally a very beautiful piece of work.
The snow maiden and Kashchey the deathless are also very beautiful pieces.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Clayton said:


> "The legend of the invisible city of Kitezh and the maiden Fevroniya" is a very long title for an opera but is equally a very beautiful piece of work.
> The snow maiden and Kashchey the deathless are also very beautiful pieces.


Yeah, from the samples, Kaschey the deathless sounded pretty impressive. It's great how he made the old Russian tales come alive with the music.


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## Marschallin Blair

Clayton said:


> "The legend of the invisible city of Kitezh and the maiden Fevroniya" is a very long title for an opera but is equally a very beautiful piece of work.
> The snow maiden and Kashchey the deathless are also very beautiful pieces.


. . . and very plagiarized ones.

"Igor, Rimsky would like his 'Kashchey the Immortal' back. You know, you call it your 'Infernal Dance.'"

Ha. Ha. Ha.

Cheers to both giants.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Marschallin Blair said:


> . . . and very plagiarized ones.
> 
> "Igor, Rimsky would like his 'Kashchey the Immortal' back. You know, you call it your 'Infernal Dance.'"
> 
> Ha. Ha. Ha.
> 
> Cheers to both giants.


Hehe, greatness is built on the shoulders of giants, as they say.


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## millionrainbows

I have noticed similarities between Scheherazahde and the Dune soundtrack.


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## Clayton

millionrainbows said:


> I have noticed similarities between Scheherazahde and the Dune soundtrack.




D.. D... Do ya think think think the spice, the worms and and and the... they're all linked?


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## Ace the Burn Victim II

Rimsky Korsakov is obviously the greatest dude ever.

Got me wondering... in his developmental years how hell did he listen to the composers that influenced him? I know for a fact they didn't have tape decks.


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## Mahlerian

Ace the Burn Victim II said:


> Rimsky Korsakov is obviously the greatest dude ever.
> 
> Got me wondering... in his developmental years how hell did he listen to the composers that influenced him? I know for a fact they didn't have tape decks.


Reading scores at the piano, whether arranged (arrangements of orchestral music for two pianos were popular in the 19th century for this reason) or not, could constitute one's familiarity with a work outside of performance. Remember that performances were rare, too, and you couldn't come to know a piece in great depth by hearing it once every few years.


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## deprofundis

Beleive it or not this is my first introduction to rimsky-Korsakov i feel so ashamed, except i heard flight of the bumblebee a 1000 time whiteout knowing from whom this were.I have the naxos version of ''Sheherazade'' quite mezmerizing all i can says at first lisen rimsky-Korsakov is very close in sound to mussorgsky.Than Debussy come to mind note the french inspired the russian but everyone know this do!, my cd is conducted by Gerard Schwarz of the Seattle orchestra, they said the conductor won 2 Emmy awards and thirteen grammys


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## Huilunsoittaja

Happy Birthday to Rimsky-Korsakov, the Musical Sorceror!

Listen to him spin a fairytale of the sea, the legend of Sadko the minstrel who won the heart of the Sea Princess Volkhova!


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## Classicalophile

Happy birthday Rimsky-Korsakov! While you enjoy night of listening, I would highly recommend Op. 9 Antar. It is a much under appreciated piece by him that I greatly enjoy, though I don't particularly care for the final movement (the finale to the third movement I find is a much more satisfying end). Enjoy!


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Classicalophile said:


> Happy birthday Rimsky-Korsakov! While you enjoy night of listening, I would highly recommend Op. 9 Antar. It is a much under appreciated piece by him that I greatly enjoy, though I don't particularly care for the final movement (the finale to the third movement I find is a much more satisfying end). Enjoy!


Thanks for posting!


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## millionrainbows

What makes Russian composers such as Rimsky interesting for me is that they were isolated from the West (the academy) and had to do things in their own way. Rimsky was self-taught, yet was writing beautiful, complex music with very unique and original melodic and harmonic ideas. When he got a position teaching theory, he had to read the textbook so he would know what to teach. To me, this shows the originality he was forced to develop, and it shows in the music. Composers like this, and Stravinsky to follow, were natural geniuses.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Currently listening to his May Night. Excellent music, but I can't say that it exceeds The Tsar's Bride. But I'm very impressed with Korsakov's vivid imagination and his ability to summon mythical images through music.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Recently order Kashey the Deathless, Korsakov's gloomiest opera. Looking forward to it, from what I've heard of the opera, he weaved his musical sorcery big time on that one . Next up would be The Golden Cockerel.


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## Huilunsoittaja

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> Recently order Kashey the Deathless, Korsakov's gloomiest opera. Looking forward to it, from what I've heard of the opera, he weaved his musical sorcery big time on that one . Next up would be The Golden Cockerel.


Golden Cockerel is pretty depressing too. There's nothing natural about the various relations the characters have with each other, and it ends with a shocking "meta" moment at its conclusion, to explain that it is a satire. Was shocking in its day anyhow.


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## Pugg

​Nothing wrong wit this, my only wish would be a descent recording with Miss Sills :tiphat:
( I mean a studio recording)


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Golden Cockerel is pretty depressing too. There's nothing natural about the various relations the characters have with each other, and it ends with a shocking "meta" moment at its conclusion, to explain that it is a satire. Was shocking in its day anyhow.


It seemed to have some anti-Tzarist undercurrents, that's true. But I think the music is 'brighter' than in Kashey the Deathless. Isn't the Golden Cockerel considered the culmination of Korsakov's work?


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Pugg said:


> ​Nothing wrong wit this, my only wish would be a descent recording with Miss Sills :tiphat:
> ( I mean a studio recording)


I'll probably go for this recording:









From the samples, everything sounds right (slight blemishes in the pronunciation, but the music takes precedence here).


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Recently acquired Kaschey the Immortal:









An excellent opera! Actually, I regard Korsakov's operas as works in the same vein as Haydn's Creation or The Seasons - extremely descriptive, with the orchestra playing a role as prominent as the soloists. I especially like the musical painting of the Storm Knight as depicted by the orchestral writing - magnificent. I like his stormy 'laughter', that part gets me every time .


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## HaydnBearstheClock

How many users here have heard most of Korsakov's operas? They seem to be 'eclipsed' by the Sheherazade, however, they are imo significantly stronger works. Does any one opera stand out as the complete favourite? What do you think of The Snow Maiden and the Golden Cockerel? What about the Invisible City of Kitezh?


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## Autumn Leaves

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> How many users here have heard most of Korsakov's operas? They seem to be 'eclipsed' by the Sheherazade, however, they are imo significantly stronger works. Does any one opera stand out as the complete favourite? What do you think of The Snow Maiden and the Golden Cockerel? What about the Invisible City of Kitezh?


I've only heard Sheherazade once, when I was, like, six years old (but I still recall it!). Well, orchestral music has never been my preference…

As for the operas, I haven't yet listened to all of them, but the Snow Maiden is definitely the most moving and beautiful one and the Tale of Tsar Saltan is a close second.


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## znapschatz

Autumn Leaves said:


> I've only heard Sheherazade once, when I was, like, six years old (but I still recall it!). Well, orchestral music has never been my preference…
> 
> As for the operas, I haven't yet listened to all of them, but the Snow Maiden is definitely the most moving and beautiful one and the Tale of Tsar Saltan is a close second.


On the other hand, I have never heard the Snow Maiden, but love the Tale of Tsar Sultan. The Swan Princess' final aria almost always brings me to tears, damned if I know why because it is not a sad part of the narrative. My best guess is a physiological response to a harmonic progression. Rimsky Korsakov seems to have had a way with harmony :clap:


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## Autumn Leaves

znapschatz said:


> On the other hand, I have never heard the Snow Maiden, but love the Tale of Tsar Sultan. The Swan Princess' final aria almost always brings me to tears, damned if I know why because it is not a sad part of the narrative. My best guess is a physiological response to a harmonic progression. Rimsky Korsakov seems to have had a way with harmony :clap:


Yes, Rimsky-Korsakov's arias for coloratura soprano are always exceptional. Then you'll surely like the Snow Maiden; there are two nice full recordings on YouTube, a studio one with Arkhipova doubling the parts of Spring and Lel (the sound is better quality and the tempo suits my ear better) and one with Vishnevskaya and Kozlovsky.


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## Pugg

Pugg said:


> ​Nothing wrong wit this, my only wish would be a descent recording with Miss Sills :tiphat:
> ( I mean a studio recording)


I found a black and whit DVD from this, ordered it right away.
Can't wait


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## Huilunsoittaja

Autumn Leaves said:


> Yes, Rimsky-Korsakov's arias for coloratura soprano are always exceptional. Then you'll surely like the Snow Maiden; there are two nice full recordings on YouTube, a studio one with Arkhipova doubling the parts of Spring and Lel (the sound is better quality and the tempo suits my ear better) and one with Vishnevskaya and Kozlovsky.


The first one, that's a hot recording, better than the one I've known. The leading roll is so much better. The second one is so classic sounding. Thanks for the share!


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## znapschatz

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> How many users here have heard most of Korsakov's operas? They seem to be 'eclipsed' by the Sheherazade, however, they are imo significantly stronger works. Does any one opera stand out as the complete favourite? What do you think of The Snow Maiden and the Golden Cockerel? What about the Invisible City of Kitezh?


Only some of them. In addition to a youtube of Tsar Saltan, I have viewed a Soviet era movie of Saadko, and heard recordings of Kitezh, Golden Cockerel, portions of The Maid of Pskov, and at this very moment am listening to an Autumn Leaves posting of Snow Maiden. Until internet, my access has been limited. Now I can go nuts, thank you :clap::clap::kiss::cheers:


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## majlis

A young naval cadet.


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## Meyerbeer Smith

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> How many users here have heard most of Korsakov's operas? They seem to be 'eclipsed' by the Sheherazade, however, they are imo significantly stronger works. Does any one opera stand out as the complete favourite? What do you think of The Snow Maiden and the Golden Cockerel? What about the Invisible City of Kitezh?


I've heard a lot of them: Sadko, Kitezh, Tsar's Bride, Maid of Pskov, Coq d'Or, Mlada, Kashchey, Snow Maiden, Mozart and Salieri. 
Sadko is my favourite; the Wagnerian prelude, the merchants' songs, the dance for the Sea Tsar. Kitezh and Kashchey are both excellent. I really like the overture to The Tsar's Bride.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Autumn Leaves said:


> Yes, Rimsky-Korsakov's arias for coloratura soprano are always exceptional. Then you'll surely like the Snow Maiden; there are two nice full recordings on YouTube, a studio one with Arkhipova doubling the parts of Spring and Lel (the sound is better quality and the tempo suits my ear better) and one with Vishnevskaya and Kozlovsky.


I prefer the sound of the 1st recording. I wonder, is it available in CD form? Sounds very good.


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## smjty

I love his "Fantasia on Russian Themes Op.33" , wondered why no one didn't mention it .


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## Pugg

smjty said:


> I love his "Fantasia on Russian Themes Op.33" , wondered why no one didn't mention it .


Nice first post, welcome to Talk Classical.


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## smjty

Pugg said:


> welcome to Talk Classical.


Thanks a lot . I hope to learn so much things here .


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## gellio

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> How many users here have heard most of Korsakov's operas? They seem to be 'eclipsed' by the Sheherazade, however, they are imo significantly stronger works. Does any one opera stand out as the complete favourite? What do you think of The Snow Maiden and the Golden Cockerel? What about the Invisible City of Kitezh?


I have, and I love them. Sadko, The Tsar's Bride, and Invisible City are my favorites.


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## gouts

His Russian Easter Overture reminds me of the after midnight mass of Resurrection in my country (I'm not Russian), but also the joy everybody feels that special time of the year!


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## TxllxT

*All Rimsky Korsakov Operas*

The Maid of Pskov


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## TxllxT

Rimsky-Korsakov - The Night Before Christmas


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## TxllxT

Mozart and Salieri


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## TxllxT

Rimsky-Korsakov. Vera Sheloga. Directed A.Volhovsky











The Tsar's Bride


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## TxllxT

The Tale of Tsar Saltan


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## TxllxT

Kashchei The Immortal


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## TxllxT

Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh
















The Golden Cockerel


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## Pugg

*Remembering Mr.Rimsky-Korsakov birthday.*

​
*Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov*

Rimski-Korsakov (Russisch: Николай Андреевич Римский-Корсаков) (Tichvin, *18 maart 1844* - landgoed Ljoebensk (bij Loega), 21 juni 1908) 
Remembering Mr.Rimsky-Korsakov birthday.


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