Composers are often inspired by stories and imaginary worlds, which they seek to capture in sound. Janáček’s Taras Bulba, a symphonic poem in three movements, draws on the eponymous novel by Nicolai Gogol, describing the heroic feats of a historic Cossack leader. The narrator of the tales of the Arabian Nights is another popular figure in music, inspiring Ravel’s Shéhérazade, ouverture de féerie. In it, the composer evokes his perception of a mystical Orient in exquisite colouristic effects. The American composer John Adams started from this narrative for his large-scale work, Scheherazade.2, also sometimes called his ‘second violin concerto’. Explore these three entrancing musical tales, together with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra.