Hugh Maguire- violin, London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pierre Monteux
05. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - Sadko. Music Picture, op.5 [10'44]
06. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - May Night Overture [8'09]
L'Orchestra de la Suisse Romande conducted by Ernest Ansermet
Bonus track:
07. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov -Russian Easter Festival Overture, op.36 [15'00]
London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
Decca Weekend 421400-2 (tracks 01.-06) and Digital Download (Track 07.)
(Recorded: Scheherazade - June 1957; Russian Easter Festival Overture - May 1957; Sadko - May 1957; May Night - 1960; this CD released 1988)
(flac and scans)
Recording venue: Kingsway Hall London and Victoria Hall Geneva
Recording engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson (Scheherazade); Ken Kress (Russian Easter Festival); Roy Wallace (Sadko); Not stated (May Night).
Producers: James Walker (Scheherazade and Sadko) and Christopher Whelan (Russian Easter Festival); Not stated (May Night).
Here are two more recordings that Decca production teams made for RCA in Kingsway Hall. Both were issued as Living Stereo LPs, the Boult Russian Easter Festival Overture being a fill-up to his recording of Rachmaninov's Symphony No.3. Decca UK first issued the Scheherazade on CD as here, coupled with the Ansermet items, but it has recently been reissued by Eloquence Australia (480 8889) coupled with the Boult. Eloquence claim this to be the first issue on CD of the Boult. Presumably, because Eloquence already have the two Ansermet items issued in an all Rimsky collection, they didn't bother to include them this time - even though there was plenty of room.
I have no evidence whether or not Eloquence have remastered the Scheherazade for their release but I think it unlikely. They even used some of Decca's fake stereo transfers in their early days! No doubt there is a better sleevenote than Decca Weekend (anything being better than none).
The sound on both of these recordings made for RCA is very fine - especially for 1957 and Monteux's Scheherazade was considered a classic in its day - still considered so by many. The performance is enhanced by Hugh Maguire's violin - he was probably second only to Hugh Bean in London's roster of orchestral leaders and also 1st violin of the Allegri Quartet. The Ansermet recordings are also excellent.