Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio Espagnol”: Color, Atmosphere, and Virtuosity

Completed in 1887, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34 is a dazzling kaleidoscope of orchestral color, atmosphere, and instrumental virtuosity. It is the work of a self-trained composer, who became one the the greatest innovators of orchestration. As a teacher, Rimsky-Korsakov led the St. Petersburg Conservatory. His influence on Russian music extended to his students, who included Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Respighi. In Italian, “capriccio” means “whim.” Based on Spanish folk songs and dances, …

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Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade”: Entering the Realm of the Imaginal

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s 1888 symphonic suite, Scheherazade, inhabits the realm of the imaginal. As its vivid “characters” spring to life, we encounter the magic and fantasy of a story within a story. Painted with a shimmering color palette, the four-movement suite was conceived by one of music history’s most innovative masters of orchestration. Rimsky-Korsakov touched on the dreamy, exotic nature of this music when he described Scheherazade as “a kaleidoscope of fairy-tale images and designs of Oriental character.” …

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Anna Netrebko Sings Rimsky-Korsakov: “Ty, Tsarevich, Moy Spasitel” from “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera, The Tale of Tsar Saltan, is based on a fairy tale poem by Alexander Pushkin.Premiering in November, 1900 in Moscow, it tells the story of three sisters. Tsar Saltan chooses the youngest of the three to be his wife, while he appoints the others to be his royal cook and weaver. Soon after the Tsar goes off to war, the Tsaritsa gives birth to a son, Gvidon. The jealous …

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Your 2015 Christmas Playlist

It’s that time of year again…time for the annual Listeners’ Club Christmas playlist. As with last year’s post, this is a collection of music guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit. Pour some eggnog, light the tree and listen: Thomas Tallis: Christmas Mass We’ll start with music written for an important political occasion. The Christmas Mass by English composer Thomas Tallis (c. 1505-1585) may have been written for Christmas Day, 1554 when Phillip II of …

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