Rimsky-Korsakov/Skazka

[sdtom]

http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/symphony-no-1-in-e-minor-op-1rimsky-korsakov/

Don't have a lot of recordings although I've decided to get the Warner/Svetlanov set. While this was his first opus it was revised 20 years later so I don't know if you can really count it as a first work.
Thomas

[sdtom]

My next Rimsky-Korsakov work I'm reviewing is the 'Antar' which is usually mistakenly called his second symphony. From what I can tell are there three versions? Has anyone listened to all three? I don't have the original but I do have the second and third versions. My second version I think is with Maazel and the Pittsburgh. The third version I have several versions. Who is the resident expert on this unsung work? I say that because Scheherazade is performed 100-1 over this neglected wonderful work.
Thomas

[khorovod]

My next Rimsky-Korsakov work I'm reviewing is the 'Antar' which is usually mistakenly called his second symphony. From what I can tell are there three versions? Has anyone listened to all three? I don't have the original but I do have the second and third versions. My second version I think is with Maazel and the Pittsburgh. The third version I have several versions. Who is the resident expert on this unsung work? I say that because Scheherazade is performed 100-1 over this neglected wonderful work.
Thomas

If I remember rightly, there are four versions of "Antar" - the original, the revision of 1875, the 1897 one (composer's "definitive" final thoughts) and the 1903 score, a mixture of the 1875 and 1897 versions due to the publisher deciding it would be too expensive to bring out the 1897 version.

I don't know about recordings, pretty sure the original version hasn't been recorded and I read somewhere that the majority of conductors use the 1903 score in the mistaken belief that this is the final, definitive version rather than the compromise it actually is.

As for the first symphony, a hearing of the original score would have curiosity value but is a recording and the time/expense that involves really worthwhile? Rimsky-Korsakov was quite open about the limits of his knowledge in the 1860s and saw the revision as cleaning up what his later more educated self could see as mistakes in the work and also changed the key to make the work easier to perform.

[sdtom]

Being the promoter I am Naxos should do a recording of the original version of both the 1st and 2nd symphony. Coupled together with a $9 price would attract enough of us fanatics, ya think!!!
Thomas

[TerraEpon]

I don't know about recordings, pretty sure the original version hasn't been recorded and I read somewhere that the majority of conductors use the 1903 score in the mistaken belief that this is the final, definitive version rather than the compromise it actually is.

No, I'm pretty sure the 1897 one is the main one recorded, with 1903 recorded a couple times, and 1975 once.

[sdtom]

who did the 1975? Svetlanov?

[eschiss1]

If the descriptions on IMSLP are to be trusted then the three versions of Antar are (yes, I know I said this already *g* - and that maybe this -isn't- accurate...) --

1868; 1875 revised in 1903; and 1897.

Which is confusing as anything, of course (2nd version's final revision postdating the 3rd and final version?) ... anyhow I suspect most recordings are of the 1897 version and I doubt there are any of the 1868 version, but I may be mistaken.

Eric

[TerraEpon]

I have the 1903 one listed as a "variant" of the 1875 one, whatever that means. My main source is a book called "Rimsky-Korsakov - A Guide to Research" which has a pretty comprehensive works listing.
The Wikipedia article (which as usual may or may not be right) mentions that Scherchen recorded 1903, and Svetlanov did 1875, with others doing 1897. To expand on the above, apparently it was a matter of the 1903 versions being what could be changed on the plates from the 1875 one. Strange. I almost wonder if there's some coherency lost there, and just how much is actually different between the first three anyway...

[sdtom]

Currently I have 4 recordings on CD. The recording with Maazel and the Pittsburgh is as far as I know  the second version from 1875 which he revised in 1903. The fourth movement is allegretto vivace as opposed to allegretto andante the designation for the third version from 1897. The other 3 recordings I have are the 1897 version. To my knowledge no one has recorded the original 1868 version although a published score does exist. From what I can hear there is not a lot of difference between the two versions. The miking and or emphasis is the major difference in this case.
Thomas

[sdtom]

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=210068

http://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsakov-Orch-Works-Complete/dp/B000PFT1Y6

Are these two sets the same recordings of the Antar???
Thomas

[sdtom]

I'm still not even close to be done with Rimsky-Korsakov, just waiting for more recordings to come

[sdtom]

Just received the Tozer/Bergen Philharmonic set. On my first listen I was impressed with the Piano Concerto. Need to pay more attention the second listen.
Thomas

[sdtom]

I also received the Svetlanov set and revised my 1st Symphony review.
http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/symphony-no-1-in-e-minor-op-1rimsky-korsakov/

[sdtom]

http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/symphony-no-1-in-e-minor-op-1rimsky-korsakov/

I am now up to 5 different recordings of the 1st Symphony. Perhaps it will be recorded someday in its original key of e flat minor.
Thomas

[sdtom]

http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2010/09/04/fantasy-on-serbian-themesrimsky-korsakov/
Continuing with my Rimsky-Korsakov reviews I'm working on Fantasia on Serbian Themes, Op. 6.
Thomas

Added two more recordings to the review.
http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2010/09/04/fantasy-on-serbian-themesrimsky-korsakov/