Classical Music

For his suite “Scheherazade,” Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was inspired by the collected tales of The Arabian Nights (“One Thousand and One Nights”). While he originally included titles to each movement, he ultimately wanted the music only to be hints to the “varied fairy-tale wonders.” But he did include in the music one repeating element: Scheherazade herself, represented by a solo violin accompanied by harp as she begins telling another tale to the cruel Sultan Shahryar who is represented by low brass and woodwinds. Rimsky-Korsakov’s entire 46-minute “Scheherazade” is today’s colorful Midday Masterpiece.