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Richard Strauss Recordings

  Strauss is one of a very few Composers who had equal success in both Opera and Symphonic realm.  For the purpose of this discussion I am confining my discussion to non Opera, so essentially: Zarathustra, Till, Don Juan, Heldenleben, Eine Alpinesymphony, Death and Transfiguration, Rosenkavalier and Capriccio extracts, Metamophasen, the early works (Macbeth, Aus Italian) and the one that I really dislike—Symphonica Domestica.

  Sine these are such great Orchestral showcases they have oft been recorded and many as large collections.

  I’ve been listening through the Kempe set with the Dresden Staatkapelle recently (the latest reissue on Warner) from the early seventies and primarily comparing it with two sets -the Reiner/Chicago set, dating from the dawn of the stereo era (Zarathustra recorded-in stereo-in to 1954!) from it’s last Sony reissue, and the Karajan/Berlin Phil set from the early digital era.

  The first observation here, this being an Audiophile Site, is the incredible quality of the first two sets.  At no point, even with the Reiner recordings made before I was born, did I feel that I was listening to anything less than superb reproduction.  It’s amazing how much digital replay has advanced, and how much information is in these old tapes.  By contrast, the worse recording was the Karajan, as DG hadn’t figured out the new technology, and Von K. no doubt had a hand in twiddling the knobs at the mix. It’s over bright and pace any DG recording of the last third of the last century, lacking in bass and presence.

  The Reiner and Kempe are superb collections.  It’s a pity that Reiner never recorded the Alpine Symphony, and occasionally with Kempe one gets the feeling of being hemmed in by the bar lines, but those are relatively rare instances and the DSK of that vintage probably still had players who had been conducted by the Composer, who favored that Orchestra in his later years.

  I have several other later Strauss recordings but probably it will be just Kempe and Reiner for me going forward

mahler123
jasonbourne71's avatar
jasonbourne71
846 posts
 

I agree! Rudolf Kempe and Fritz Reiner rule performances of Richard Strauss! Their abilities to shape the long lines and pace the dynamic buildups are unsurpassed by later conductors! 

jasonbourne71's avatar
jasonbourne71
846 posts
 

Reiner's Bartok Concerto for Orchestra/Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta on RCA is another landmark recording - and favorite of mine!

jasonbourne71's avatar
jasonbourne71
846 posts
 

Ormandy and the Philadelphia on CBS doing Zarathustra is worth a listen. I have it on LP. Mehta and the LAPO on London doing Zarathustra and the Alpine Symphony is another contender.

frogman
7,364 posts
 

Richard Strauss was more than a fantastic composer and orchestrator. I say this in spite of the fact that, depending on my mood at a particular moment, I tend to have a love/not-quite-hate relationship with his music. If there is such a thing as too much beauty in music, some of his works are just that. The incredible “Der Rosenkavalier” is a great example of what I refer to. How much gorgeous and impossibly interesting harmonic/melodic chromaticism can a human being take in one sitting and without a break in the music itself? 😊 Sometimes, like too large a portion of some delectable dessert. Can leave one feeling over indulged. True greatness nonetheless.

Strauss was not only a great composer he was also a very good conductor and pianist. It is always intriguing to hear a composer’s efforts conducting his/her own works as the potential for some revelatory insights into the music as it was intended is there…..in theory. Unfortunately, few composers have had the conducting “chops” to really pull this off. Strauss could. The “Strauss Conducts Strauss” 7 disc set on DG is a must hear for R Strauss lovers. Pre-stereo era recordings with sound that at times is far below “audiophile grade”. However, if one is willing to take off that audiophile hat and focus on the music they are very very interesting.

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