Rimsksy-Korsakov, whose symphonic tone poem Scheherazade is based on a tale from the One Thousand and One Nights, would have delighted in this disc. Founded in 1999 and making its Proms debut on Tuesday, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic is still a newcomer on the international stage but has won a reputation for its enthusiasm for mixing western repertoire with eastern styles. Interludes of traditional oud and qanun music are played between movements of Rimsky-Korsakov's 1888 work. Continuing the cultural mix, the orchestra also plays Balakirev's Islamey and Ulvi Cemal Erkin's Köçekçe, dance rhapsody for orchestra. It might not be the ultimate performance of Scheherazade, but the exotic interpolations refresh this overplayed work and the many solo passages are played with panache.
