Russian Orchestration

A double cd set of The Complete Symphonies by Rimsky-Korsakov played by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Neeme Jarvi, which also includes the Russian Easter Festival Overture and Capriccio Espagnol. As the booklet note says, Rimsky-Korsakov's music could be divided into the over-played and the unknown. The over-played really just consist of the two fillers here ( the Festival Overture and Capriccio Espagnol ) plus Sheherazade which I have on a seperate disk. There are of course chamber music and operatic works which are slowly beginning to get hearings, plus these symphonies. I don't think anyone would put them in the top rank of symphonic works but they are worth hearing and interesting in an historical context of being among the first Russian symphonies. Rimsky is also interesting as one of a group of Russian composers spanning the 19th and 20th centuries who had careers outside of music. A naval officer who travelled more extensively than many at that time, it explains the exotic non Russian influences that are often found in his work, notably the Capriccio. Over-played or not, it has to be said that after the interesting but worthy symphonies, the Overture and Capriccio burst in with still refreshing exuberance and the orchestra here respond spiritedly.