Yesterday evening I was bowled over by Valery Gergiev and the Kirov Orchestra playing Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherezade (new CD from Philip). It is wonderful to hear again an orchestra that sounds different. Not just the Cincinnati-Orchestre de Paris-LSO-Frankfurt Rundfunk sound we are used to. The Kirov orchestra sounds Russian. Dark, gloomy and vodka-sodden. The solo violinist is incredible (Sergei Levitin). And Gergiev conducts -- makes you think of grim old Mravinsky wielding his deadly baton. A refreshing change from the bland stuff we usually get. I was attracted to the CD because two critics thought it the best thing since Furtwängler conducted Tristan & Isolde, and two other critics thought it the worst thing since Andre Rieu conducted Beethoven's 9th Symphony. A recording creating such strong reactions must be good!
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