Best Recording of Scheherazade

Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony (Decca 410 253-2)is a DDD digital recording from 1984 and sounds fantastic.  When I listen to this performance, I not only look for interpretation, I also listen for microphone technique and how it affects sonic image, sound staging and instrument location. Decca, at one time, used to close mic everything.....and it used to be horrible. But this time, Decca got it very right...even in the early days of digital. They must have used a good binaural mic. Even through a good pair of Sennheiser HD800s and a great amp and DAC, you get a holographic 3D mental/sonic image of instrument location. It’s hard enough to do this with loudspeakers!! I also have the Gergiev version which is a jumbled mess of close miked instruments with a reasonable interpretation.
The Reiner version, von Karajan version, etc...are pre or early Dolby days and the tape hiss robs the recording of realism. And isn’t realism what we’re after?

Nice to hear the von Karajan is liked. I appreciate his effort as well, though,as noted,many other fine albums exist. 

Just watched a video of Lief Segerstam directing it! Impressive! Horn soloist, flute, clarinet, oboe, violinist! WOW!  Is this Finnish performance the only one with shouting?

I love Stokowski LSO version. Bee human and Reiner also great.

The 1958 Beecham is quite special  for the reasons given above notably tonal color and a most magical performance, it is a must have for those that love this piece.