Nikolai Rimsky-Korssakoff: Scheherazade op.35

In his role as Music Director of the orchestra and choir of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano recorded the two works together to let us hear the connection between the two composers. At the same time, he offers us the rare opportunity to hear both versions of Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain - one for orchestra and one for orchestra and vocal ensemble (as conceived for Sorochyntsi's opera The Fair). "Mussorgsky's text has a bite that is very unusual for the time in which this music was composed," says Pappano. "It is bare and unadorned, with a strong rawness". By contrast, he describes Rimsky-Korsakov's dizzying symphonic suite Scheherazade as "a great showpiece for the orchestra", and he adds: "Especially in the more transparent and singing moments of the score, the quality of the orchestra is truly crucial. Italian orchestra musicians are known for their singing tone and style, so I think this piece is ideal for the Santa Cecilia Orchestra."