Rimsky-Korsakov, "Scheherazade"; Stravinsky, "Scherzo Fantastique." Riccardo Chailly, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (London 443 703-2; DDD)
This is the grandaddy of all warhorses. There are more than 40 recordings of it on the market, so a new recording has to be outstanding. Riccardo Chailly's fills the bill. This a straightforward interpretation with no surprises, but what sets it near the top is the glorious execution by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. All the virtuoso solo parts are played to perfection, and the great brass and strings sections take this listener's breath away.
There is an earlier recording on Philips by the Concertgebouw under the great Kiril Kondrashin. He may have the slight edge, compared with the new version, because he has the incredibly sensitive Herman Krebbers playing the violin solo. But the older recording is starting to show its age, and the Chailly is state-of-the-art digital. If digital perfection is not high on your list, remember that mid-priced or budget versions by Reiner (RCA), Ormandy (Sony) and Stokowski (RCA and London) are still available.
Tchaikovsky, "The Nutcracker" (complete ballet) and "The Sleeping Beauty" (highlights). Antal Dorati, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Anatole Fistoulari, London Symphony Orchestra (Philips Duo 442-562-2, two CDs; ADD)
The problem with "The Nutcracker" is that the complete ballet rarely combines a great conductor with a great orchestra. Instead of Karajan, Szell and Toscanini, we get Bonynge, Lanchbery and Mackerras.
This reissue, though, returns one of the great recordings of this wonderful score to the catalog. Dorati and the great Concertgebouw play with passion and make even the connecting material in the ballet thrilling. (Dorati actually made a recording of this score 13 years before this version for Mercury.)
The London Symphony is no match for the glorious Concertge bouw, and, although Fistoulari is one of those conductors who would be hailed today, he was just another maestro in his era. Still, this is a marvelous presentation of the highlights from "Sleeping Beauty" in wonderful sound. The London Symphony musicians sound as if they are sitting on the edge of their chairs. Considering that you get almost 133 minutes of world-class Tchaikovsky on two discs for the price of one, you have the best early Christmas present of the year.
Jan Dismas Zelenka, six sonatas for two oboes, bassoon and continuo (Sonatas Nos. 5, 6 and 2). Ensemble Zefiro (Astree E 8511; DDD)
Jan Dismas Zelenka was a slightly older contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach. He was a contrapuntal master and produced a large body of instrumental and vocal music. Unfortunately, his position at the Dresden court prohibited him from having his music published, so after his death, Zelenka's compositions lay forgotten for more than 200 years.
The music was discovered in the 1950s, and Zelenka has enjoyed a mini-renaissance. He combines the contrapuntal complexity of Bach with a healthy dose of Czech moodiness and brooding. The sonatas recorded here have more demanding double reed passages than any Vivaldi oboe or bassoon concerto.
The members of Zefiro are frequent performers with early-music ensembles in Europe. They play these wonderful works with great skill and beauty of tone. Alberto Grazzi plays the difficult, octave-jumping bassoon solos and florid passages as well as they were played in any previous recordings. The sound is first-rate.
The only better version of the last three sonatas exists in a long-out-of-print recording on the old Cambridge label with Baltimore bassoonist John Miller and a marvelous ensemble of Boston-based musicians, recorded in the 1960s. The group uses modern instruments, and the joy of making music bubbles over in every bar. However, Zefiro doesn't take a back seat to the Miller version, and this new recording is warmly recommended for any baroque enthusiast who wants to venture beyond the "Brandenburg Concertos" and the "Water Music."