Scheherazade / The Tale of Tsar Saltan Suite / Flight of the Bumble Bee

"In this new recording I hear all the good of Ansermet, and more. It is even more powerful, even more beautiful. Decisions as to tempo are just perfect, and each phrase grabs the listener. Maria Larionoff's violin conveys the character of the storyteller: sweet and slender, yet very smart. The orchestra dazzles. The recording quality is excellent. You find yourself in the middle of the sea, the battle, the festive crowds. I can't say if this is the best Sheherazade ever - I haven't heard them all, and tastes differ. However if I'm asked for my pick, this will be it. It's the best one I've heard." (MusicWeb Bargain of the Month June 2011)

Described by the composer as a kaleidoscope of fairy-tale images and designs of oriental character, Rimsky-Korsakov's symphonic suite Sheherazade has delighted listeners for generations. The rapturous solo violin plays the part of the slave who narrates the wonderful tales of the Arabian Nights, including the adventures of Sinbad, Prince Kalender and the Festival of Baghdad.

The suite, or 'musical pictures', from The Tale of Tsar Saltan depicts episodes from this magical opera, from which the mischievous Flight of the Bumblebee is also drawn.

The Seattle Symphony is one of the world's most recorded orchestras, with 12 GRAMMY® nominations and two Emmy Awards.