Richard Strauss best opera works?

[Drasko]

Quick! Recommend a good cheap Salome for a total newbie.

kthxbi

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//4318102.htm
http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//4757528.htm
http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//88697579112.htm

first two come with libretto, third one I think without

[Wanderer]

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//4318102.htm
http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//4757528.htm
http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//88697579112.htm

first two come with libretto, third one I think without

And among the three, I'd recommend the Sinopoli.

[eyeresist]

No love for Karajan?

[Tsaraslondon]

No love for Karajan?

In Strauss, yes, and particularly in Salome. Surely this was Behrens's most successful recording, the voice at that time perfect for Salome. To my mind, she comes second only to Welitsch in conveying that innocence mixed with depravity, so essential in the role. The rest of the cast are pretty nigh faultless too.

Nilsson, on the Solti, doesn't sound for one instant like the young girl of Strauss's imaginings. I can't comment on the Sinopoli, as I haven't heard it, though it has had a very good press. People tend to either love or hate Caballe/ Leinsdorf. I am a great admirer of Caballe, but she never sounds quite right in the role to me.

Talking of Welitsch, there is a 1943 recording of the last scene under Lovro von Matacic, which I have never heard bettered even by her. That said, try to track down the live Met broadcast from 1949 with Reiner conducting, and Welitsch at the height of her form.

[eyeresist]

Very interesting, thanks.

[Drasko]

No love for Karajan?

I've heard Behrens/Karajan only partially, sounded good but can't really comment. Welitsch is my favorite Salome as well, and for same reasons Tsaraslondon gave, but thought 1949 live broadcast doesn't fit 'good cheap Salome for a total newbie' requirement. Of modern recordings Studer/Sinopoli is my first choice. Studer manages to fit the character, Terfel as Jochanaan is superb and orchestra under Sinopoli is best I've heard. It's usually full priced, that mdt price is an offer.

[Tsaraslondon]

I've heard Behrens/Karajan only partially, sounded good but can't really comment. Welitsch is my favorite Salome as well, and for same reasons Tsaraslondon gave, but thought 1949 live broadcast doesn't fit 'good cheap Salome for a total newbie' requirement. Of modern recordings Studer/Sinopoli is my first choice. Studer manages to fit the character, Terfel as Jochanaan is superb and orchestra under Sinopoli is best I've heard. It's usually full priced, that mdt price is an offer.

Well, as I said, I haven't heard the Sinopoli, though I've heard good things about it. Studer is not a favourite singer of mine, though, again, I've heard she's very good in this set.

That said, the Karajan is even cheaper at MDT. You can't really say no at that price.

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//9668322.htm

[knight66]

I think that the Karajan is another of his EMI recordings with odd perspectives and submerging of the voices within the orchestra. I have never been able to take Behrens, I find the voice sour and edgy.

The Sinopoli is superb, his push/pull with tempi really works in this piece, the sound picture opulent and Studer is terrific.

I very much like the Leinsdorf and enjoy Caballe's conception. It is far from generalised.

Solti I like, but as with others, I admire Nilsson more than like her and in this piece it is like asking Jessye Norman to sing Mimi. Temperamentally not any closer than the earth to the sun.

Mike

[eyeresist]

I think that the Karajan is another of his EMI recordings with odd perspectives and submerging of the voices within the orchestra.

For me, the prominence of the orchestra is a selling point. The singer should never be louder than the orchestra tutti.

[knight66]

This is a matter of taste, but as the singer is singing words, I want the engineering to enable me to hear them without straining. I would admit to preferring an up front balance of the voice in opera recordings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6npuasIBKn0&feature=related

I don't want that voice submerged, I want to hear all the colours of expression.

However, in some pieces I know the voice is supposed to be more integrated.....nevertheless.

Mike

[Guido]

For me it's Der Rosenkavalier. I find some of the comedy a bit heavy handed and wearisome, but the music for the three main female characters is so sublime, I can put up with it. Indeed I would place the final sequence, from the Marschallin's entry in the 3rd Act right up to the end of the opera, high on my list of favourite moments in all opera.

By a small margin, I place Ariadne auf Naxos ahead of Salome, possibly again because of its glorious final duet, but also for the wonderfully well written character of the Composer in the Prologue.

I place Capriccio and Arabella ahead of Elektra, which, to my ears, often sounds like a lot of women screaming at each other; all a bit too overwrought and not really to my taste.

Apart from Die Aegytipsche Helene, which I once owned in the Decca recording with Gwyneth Jones,  I only know snippets of the others, and haven't really felt the urge to investigate further.

Ariadne for the duet of all things! I think the duet is probably the weakest thing in the piece, a let down after the unbelievablly wonderful things that have preceeded it, but I have grown to admire it more recently - love all those luminous shifts in harmony. It just doesn't seem like the right apotheosis for the piece, and doesn't rise to the same level of inspiration as the rest in my opinion. Or what is it that you like so much about it?

[knight66]

I agree, that final duet seems clunky and it is unmemorable in comparison to what we have been treated to earlier on. It think it is a let down.

Mike

[mszczuj]

I choose Salome and Elektra because they are something absolutely special in  history of connecting words and music. Nothing compares to them.

But now i must complaint that I have no possibility to vote for unbelievable beauty of Ariadne auf Naxos, Daphne and Capriccio (especially for last scene of Capriccio).

I think that Der Rosenkavalier is absolutely perfect masterpiece,  and  that Die Frau ohne Schatten is the most ambitious intellectual effort of music theatre.

And I really appreciate Arabella and Die Liebe der Danae.

[johnshade]

The results of this poll accurately represents my rating of Strauss operas. I have recordings of all RS operas. I have seen several of the operas in live performances and many on DVD. Strauss may not be the greatest composer, but he ranks in the top ten. His ranking among musical academics has increased significantly over the last several years.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

I recently listened to Die Liebe der Danae and it is currently along with Salome and Elektra my favorite Strauss opera. Shame it is so underrated.

[Mirror Image]

I still need to listen to several of the opera recordings I bought many months ago. So far I've heard Salome, Der Rosenkavalier, and Elektra. I really enjoyed these three a lot. Still have yet to hear Capriccio, Daphne, and Die Frau ohne Schatten. All with Karl Bohm conducting.