Scheherazade

Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" ranks among the pinnacles of 19th-century Russian orchestral music and exemplifies the sonic artistry of the "Mighty Handful." With its sophisticated orchestration and brilliant tonal colors, the symphonic suite stands in the tradition of the Russian national school, which fused Oriental exoticism and fairy-tale fantasy into a distinctive style.

The score reveals Rimsky-Korsakov's mastery of instrumentation, which earned him the reputation as "magician of the orchestra." Virtuosic solos by the solo violin, embodying Scheherazade herself, alternate with powerful tutti passages in which the full splendor of the late Romantic orchestra unfolds. The Oriental melodies and rhythmic structures merge organically with Western European symphonic writing.

As one of the composer's most popular works, "Scheherazade" is today regarded as a prime example of Russian Romantic program music. The suite is said to have met with great acclaim already during its creation and definitively established Rimsky-Korsakov as one of the leading orchestral poets of his era.