Strauss (Family) Chamber Music

[Bogey]

Over on MI's thread, I thought DavidW posed a great question, as I, like him, own zip when it comes to chamber works from any Strauss member.  Did more than Richard pen some chamber works?  So, what is out there that is worth giving a go?  I brought over your post Greg to kick it off.

Not sure what's available on Spotify, but here's some recordings...

First is Gould performing Strauss piano...

Second & Third are two volumes of set with Sawalisch of chamber music...

Last is a recording of Strauss' music for wind ensembles,  a Serenade and Suite written early in his career, and then a Sonatina and Symphony written later, the four pieces for winds by Strauss are some of my favorite.

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[DavidW]

I've added those first two albums onto playlists on spotify will give them a proverbial spin tomorrow.

[DavidW]

I listened to the chamber music and it's very good... no leaving me cold.  Thanks Greg!

[Lethevich]

The Arts series has been boxed up on Brilliant. I am not totally enthused by it as a whole, but it never fails at what it aims for - even the salon pieces are very good salon music if nothing more.

[Scion7]

Yeah, you have to give R. Strauss the nod as a craftsman.  I wish he'd have written more chamber works in his late-maturity.

[DavidW]

The Arts series has been boxed up on Brilliant. I am not totally enthused by it as a whole, but it never fails at what it aims for - even the salon pieces are very good salon music if nothing more.

Since his orchestral music sounds meandering to me, I find this chamber music to be fresh, invigorating for it's sense of narrative and structure even if they're not serious music.

[Scion7]

Oh, I think he was writing "serious" music - it's just his chamber output is not of the same caliber as Brahms' or Bartok, for example.  But it's nice listening.

[TheGSMoeller]

Oh, I think he was writing "serious" music - it's just his chamber output is not of the same caliber as Brahms' or Bartok, for example.  But it's nice listening.

This is true, although its hard to compete with the chamber caliber of Brahms.

[Sergeant Rock]

This is a great recording of the Violin Sonata. Can't be beat.



From the Gramophone review:

"I have greatly enjoyed Lydia Mordkovitch's account (on Chandos) and Dmitry Sitkovetsky's (on Virgin Classics) of the Strauss Sonata....But Chung brings so much more to the Strauss, and she has such an outstandingly poetic pianist, that hers is the performance I would most readily live with." Full review here.

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

Yeah, you have to give R. Strauss the nod as a craftsman.  I wish he'd have written more chamber works in his late-maturity.

This is also agreeable, works such as Metamorphosen, Four Last Songs, Duett-Concertnio, Oboe Concerto and his Wind Symphonies are some of Strauss' best works and show a strong sense of compositional development from his earlier tone-poems, I do love his tone poems, in fact it was pieces such as Ein Heldenleben and Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche that first sparked my interest into classical music.

[Scion7]

Yes, at the very least, I schedule a "Strauss day" annually on the stereo.  I like him even if I put him 2nd tier compared to many. 

[Scion7]

This is a great recording of the Violin Sonata. Can't be beat.
Sarge

Pre-"rage" Zimerman?   

[TheGSMoeller]

Yes, at the very least, I schedule a "Strauss day" annually on the stereo.  I like him even if I put him 2nd tier compared to many.

Ironically, I read somewhere recently, can't remember where, that classified Struass as the top of the 2nd tier composers.

[Lethevich]

Ironically, I read somewhere recently, can't remember where, that classified Struass as the top of the 2nd tier composers.

That was Strauss himself The quote is something like: "I may not be a first-rate composer, but I am a first-class second-rate composer."

Ignaz Moscheles (more famous then than now) was similarly thoughtful about his position in the pantheon.

[TheGSMoeller]

That was Strauss himself The quote is something like: "I may not be a first-rate composer, but I am a first-class second-rate composer."

Ignaz Moscheles (more famous then than now) was similarly thoughtful about his position in the pantheon.

Ahh, thanks for that! 

I will disagree with the Man himself though, I find him first-rate!! 

[Scion7]

I like this one from 1968 - not on CD as far as I know?



The above is a reissue (and a nicer cover, at least I'd rather look at Ms. Tryon than some trees) of a Pye LP:



Someone uploaded it to YouTube (in 3 parts).

[Sergeant Rock]

Pre-"rage" Zimerman?   

Yes, before his mental breakdown   


Sarge

[Scion7]

I am realizing I have a bit of a hole in the ol' Strauss section on my shelf.
I'm considering:





http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.570896&catNum=570896&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English#

http://www.naxos.com/reviews/reviewslist.asp?catalogueid=8.570896&languageid=EN

               No one will confuse the two piano trios with the Violin sonata, the Piano quartet, or the Cello sonata - but the other bits look interesting in themselves.  Strauss should have revised those two trios and rounded them off/polished them in his maturity.   

[Lethevich]

Can anyone who has heard this compare it to existing recordings, or is the Chung still the best?

[Scion7]

Can anyone who has heard this compare it to existing recordings, or is the Chung still the best?

No, but you can hear her play the Bartok at:   http://www.youtube.com/user/OrbitingSnickers