Symphonic suite „Scheherazade”, opus 35

In less than a month during the summer of 1888, the renowned Russian composer NIKOLAI RIMSKY‑KORSAKOV (1844–1908) completed one of his greatest orchestral masterpieces—the symphonic suite Scheherazade, Op. 35. For its literary foundation, the composer turned to the celebrated collection of folk tales originating from Egypt, India, Persia, known collectively as One Thousand and One Nights. Translated from Arabic into French by Antoine Galland between 1704 and 1717, the stories quickly captivated European readers. In the preface to the score, Rimsky‑Korsakov briefly recounts the legend of Scheherazade: Sultan Shahryar, convinced of women’s treachery and infidelity, orders that every bride be executed after her wedding night. Scheherazade, however, continually postpones her fate by captivating him with the tales she tells night after night. In his memoir My Musical Life, Rimsky‑Korsakov writes: “The program I followed in composing Scheherazade consisted of separate, unconnected episodes and scenes from One Thousand and One Nights, scattered throughout all the movements of the suite. I wished to direct the listener’s imagination along the path my own imagination had traveled. All I wanted was for my work to be appreciated as symphonic music, to convey the impression that this is unmistakably an Oriental tale of fairy‑tale wonders, and not merely four pieces played one after another.” Originally, the movements of the suite bore the simple titles Prelude, Ballade, Adagio, and Finale. Rimsky‑Korsakov’s student Anatoly Lyadov later suggested programmatic titles for each movement. The composer approved them, as they captured the essence of the musical narrative with remarkable precision. However, in subsequent editions of the score he removed these titles, wishing to direct the listener’s attention toward the purely musical experience rather than toward a fixed storyline. Despite this, Lyadov’s titles have become firmly established in international performance practice. The premiere of the symphonic suite took place on October 22^nd , 1888, in St. Petersburg, conducted by the composer himself. Both the audience and the critics were enthralled, praising Rimsky‑Korsakov’s mastery of orchestration. The suite opens with the commanding, sombre theme of the cruel Sultan, contrasted with the exquisite, ornamented, and vividly colored theme of the storyteller Scheherazade. This lyrical motif, carried by the solo violin, functions as a leitmotif throughout the entire work. It is often accompanied by the harp, evoking the centuries‑old tradition of bards accompanying themselves on this ancient instrument. The first movement, The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship, opens with the musical portraits of the two central figures—Shahryar and Scheherazade—after which Rimsky‑Korsakov develops a sonata‑style allegro built around two principal themes: the vast, restless sea and the ship of the legendary voyager Sinbad. The sea, with its alluring immensity, is a recurring symbol in the composer’s music. In his youth, before dedicating himself fully to composition, he sailed around the world as a naval officer in the Russian fleet. The second movement, The Tale of Prince Kalender, begins once again with Scheherazade’s violin voice, which soon yields to the new protagonist: the wandering dervish prince. He is “portrayed” through Eastern‑inflected melodies, prominently featuring a solo bassoon.The third movement, The Young Prince and the Young Princess, is a lyrical tableau of two lovers. The Prince’s flowing, dance‑like theme contrasts with the Princess’s coquettish, animated melody. Scheherazade’s voice reappears, gently weaving through their variations. The final movement, Festival at Baghdad. The Sea. The Shipwreck on the Rock Surmounted by the Bronze Horseman, begins with the themes of Shahryar and the enchanting storyteller, who launches into yet another tale. An oriental dance in the rhythm of a lezginka animates the festive scene, while themes from earlier movements return in vivid retrospection. A violent sea storm engulfs Sinbad’s ship before gradually subsiding. The work concludes with a tender violin epilogue—Scheherazade’s theme softly “taming” the stern motif of Shahryar.