Welcome to the Ether Game Weekly Podcast! Grab your reading glasses, because the Ether Game Brain Trust has their noses in a book this week, looking at music based on literature in a show called "Bookworm"! To get you started (or for those of you who just cannot wait for Tuesday nights), you can sharpen your skills with our podcast selection. Remember to keep your ears out for a portion of Tuesday night's Teaser selection. And don't forget to tune into the full show on Tuesday, March 28th at 8:00pm for a chance to win a prize!
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908): SCHEHERAZADE: The Story Of The Kalendar Prince
Orchestre de Paris; Mstislav Rostropovich, conductor. The Rostropovich Edition: Rimsky-Korsakov / Mussorgsky (EMI)
Rimsky-Korsakov's magnificent tone poem Scheherazade is inspired by one of longest stories ever told – One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. Based on pieces of literature dating back to the 8th century, the story goes that the Sultan Shahryar convinced of the faithlessness of women, resolved to put to death each of his wives after just a single night of marriage. Despite the risk, Scheherazade marries the Sultan and is able to stay alive by telling a story every night within earshot of her husband Shahryar, always stopping just before the story ended. The Sultan became so enamored by her tales that he continued to spare her life from day to day. After one thousand and one of these tales he revoked his decree and bestowed his lasting affection on Scheherazade.