Blind Comparison: R.Strauss - Also sprach Zarathustra

[madaboutmahler]

No worries, Greg. If you think you can post your vote by the morning (so in approximately 10 hours), that would be absolutely fine! Then, I'll try and post the results and send out the links that evening.

[TheGSMoeller]

No worries, Greg. If you think you can post your vote by the morning (so in approximately 10 hours), that would be absolutely fine! Then, I'll try and post the results and send out the links that evening.

Thanks, Daniel!
Sorry again, but once my son goes to bed in a few hours I can crank up the stereo to volume 11 and let the Strauss fly!!!

[Lisztianwagner]

About Group X:

A2: Brilliant and tense opening, with very harmonic sound of strings and woodwinds; the climaxes are vibrant and thrilling. Very good choices of tempi and dynamics; the orchestral playing is quite powerful, passionate and well-handled. Delightful swinging of the clarinets before the violin solo in the waltz section. Playful waltz in Das Tanzlied, very expressive, elegant and joyous.
A5: Great tension and energy in the opening, with incredibly hauntingly beautiful climaxes; splendid orchestra, all the instruments are balanced. Brilliant rythm, harmony and dynamics; the quality of the recording is not excellent, but the powerful, enthusiastic orchestral playing counterbalances the not crystall sound. Marvelous introduction of clarinets and strings in Das Tanzlied, which is very elegant and passionate, full of vitality; great violin solo in this movement. Energetic and intense final part. This recording impressed me very much, although it is an old one.
B4: The piece starts in a strong and vibrant way and it expresses the right tension; excellent trembling of the violins, same speech for the solos of the strings. Overall all the orchestra is powerful and passionate. The waltz is quite playful and poetical, even if the violin solo at the beginning of Das Tanzlied, despite being rather brilliant and showing a great virtuosity, sometimes seems to give slightly too much enphasis to some notes, extending their lenght and missing the synchrony with  the other instruments.
B6: The opening is rather thrilling and powerful, although it sounds less overwheling than the other recordings; same speech for the harmony. Trumpets sound too shrill at the beginning of Der Genesende. Though lovely dynamics and tempo overall, which give passion and expressive strenght to the piece. Instead in the waltz, the violin sometimes slows down a bit too much during the solo.
C2: Great energy and passion expressed in the opening of Der Genesende, with thrilling and involving climaxes. Again too slow tempo at the beginning of the waltz; the rythm works better when the solo violin (great virtuosity anyway) is supported by the other instruments, and not only by the strings.
C3: Hmm, curious choice of rythm, the piece sometimes shows variations of the speed which give great enphasis and intensity, but at the same time they make the part lack some passion and energy. I appreciated the orchestral playing anyway, powerful, joyous and elegant. Nice harmony and dynamics. Brilliant and expressive waltz in Das Tanzlied.

In order:
A5
A2
B4
C3
C2
B6

[Lisztianwagner]

I've enjoyed this comparison very much; so glad to listen so much Strauss' waltzes!

[madaboutmahler]

I've enjoyed this comparison very much; so glad to listen so much Strauss' waltzes!

Glad to hear that, and I agree, that certainly is a joy! Thank you for your vote.

Thanks, Daniel!
Sorry again, but once my son goes to bed in a few hours I can crank up the stereo to volume 11 and let the Strauss fly!!!

No worries! Hope you enjoy it, Greg!

[TheGSMoeller]

The Dance Song is such an interesting part of Zarathustra, such a different vibe then from the earlier excerpts, I chose B3 fairly low in my first comparison, but was completely in awe of this section. C1 just offered the overall package, the build up to the dance created such a wonderful orchestral atmosphere.

C1 - 1st
B3 - 2nd
C4 - 3rd
B5 - 4th
A6 - 5th
A4 - 6th

Thanks for the extra time, Daniel.

[madaboutmahler]

Thank you for your vote, Greg.

I have now taken the results and shall be revealing them as well as sending out the links for the final part later today. A very interesting, different Top 5 by the way!
Just so you know, the results were taking from an average including both Part 1 and 2.

And also, for the final part, I am hoping to send out the 5 performances of the whole piece for you to compare, is anyone not happy with that? I think you'll have around 2 weeks for it.

[Lisztianwagner]

I think it should work very well, listening to the whole recording is always the better way to judge it.

[Sergeant Rock]

4th = B3 - Immediate recording with good presence; starts with momentum, forward moving, exciting; however - solo violin very very slow when starting, glissandi very prominent, overall this section too schmalzy, rather brings down the whole performance.

"Schmaltzy"...yes, I agree, but that's why I ranked it so high    It's fascinating to discover the very thing that turns one person off is what excites another.

The Dance Song is such an interesting part of Zarathustra, such a different vibe then from the earlier excerpts, I chose B3 fairly low in my first comparison, but was completely in awe of this section.

I too had B3 ranked low in the first round but I share your feelings about the dance in B3. Loved it. In fact, our votes are nearly identical in this round. I had C4 third too for most of my listening but made a last minute change to B5 because C4 began to wear on my ears. Love the detail but it's not a "comfortable" recording.

Sarge

[madaboutmahler]

Result for Part 2!

12. A2 Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Lorin Maazel (RCA/1995)
Much liked in the first part, being described as compelling, although perhaps a little pompous, but voters in the second part found this performance not thrilling enough.
[asin]B000003FXL[/asin]

11. A6 Boston Symphony Orchestra/William Steinberg (DG/1971)
Described as a spectacular performance by some, although others thought it lacked character. In the second part, voters felt the tempi were a little too rushed.
[asin]B000056TKD[/asin]

10. A4 Westdeutscher Rundfunk Orchester/Dmitri Mitropoulos (Virtuoso/1959)
A particular favourite of mine, I was hoping it would get through! I was glad to see that many people loved this recording too, some even giving it first place. They (and I) found this performance to be incredibly involving, exciting and brilliant. Others were put off by the obvious dated sound. To those who did enjoy it, I discovered it can be purchased from amazon.com MP for less than $1 (plus postage), I'll certainly be getting it! 


09. B3 Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich/David Zinman (Arte Nova/2001)
Some found this performance underwhelming,simply calling it pleasant. However, others enjoyed it very much, calling it exciting and forward moving.
[asin]B00005NGJY[/asin]

08. C4 Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Pierre Boulez (DG/1999)
Everyone believed that this recording was incredibly exciting, but began to tire of it after multiple listenings for the consistent level of high intensity throughout the performance. At places, voters found the performance simply too relentless.
[asin]B00001IVO8[/asin]

07. B6 Philharmonia/Semyon Bychkov (Phillips/1990)
I'm sure everyone must have been pretty impressed by that timpani playing....  Incredibly popular in the first round, coming first in the B Group by recieving 80% of it's possible votes, voters were less excited in the second round, claiming the performance was slightly dull, and lacking in drama or direction.


06. B5 London Philharmonic/Klaus Tennstedt (EMI/1990)
Failing to excite some, others felt that this was an incredibly strong performance, with very little to fault. This recording did particularly well in the first part, voters praised the good balance of intensity.
[asin]B000002SGV[/asin]

What do you think?

The Final 5 is very interesting indeed, I shall send out the links for all 5 of the complete performances later today. Hope you are enjoying it all!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

What strikes me personally is that I have been very positive about Tennstedt, again...

[Sergeant Rock]

Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich/David Zinman (Arte Nova/2001)
However, others enjoyed it very much, calling it exciting and forward moving

...and schmaltzy... don't forget schmaltzy 

I'm shocked. Would not have guessed Zinman.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

What strikes me personally is that I have been very positive about Tennstedt, again...

Me too. I have to start paying more attention to him.

Sarge

[zauberflöte]

What strikes me personally is that I have been very positive about Tennstedt, again...

I loved him in the Mahler, not quite so much in the Strauss. But I see the recording includes Lucia Popp in the Four Last Songs. I like Popp a lot and didn't even know she had a recording of the songs. Makes it tempting.

[Lisztianwagner]

Interesting results! Both the Zinman and the Tennstedt were in my group in the first round, I remember I really appreciated them; glad they have scored highly enough. I'm even happier to see Karajan's recording has passed to the final round!

[zauberflöte]

By the way, in the first round I said I thought C4 sounded like it might be Solti. In the second round I thought it even more. Turns out it was Boulez.
Same orchestra, though.
But I need to keep my thoughts to myself.
So I'm just going to shut up about C2.

[mjwal]

In the first round I guessed that A4 was a mountaineer i.e. Mitropoulos. I didn't know this recording by him, but I have the live with the Concertgebouw on Orfeo. I still like A4 best of those I have heard so far, so there! followed  or even equalled by C2. Call me an old-fashioned guy. I hope the final five don't have letters, so we can listen free of prejudice.
I know 2 recordings of 4 LL by Popp, Zauberflöte, a late one with MTT, rather tremulous and not to my taste, and that with Tennstedt, which several people urged me to hear: I disliked it, especially for Tennstedt's conducting. I have heard very little by Tennstedt, but I didn't like it and have investigated no further.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I know Tennstedt's reputation for being over-emotional, which is why I always avoided him during the past 30-odd years... His Mahler 6 and Strauss ASZ do convince me, though.

[madaboutmahler]

Great to read your responses, especially wonderful to read of how surprised some of you are with some of the recordings!

Just putting together the links for the final now, will hopefully be able to send them out this evening.

[madaboutmahler]

Ok - all links have now been sent out. Any problems, please let me know.

First voting deadline shall be the 18th August. Happy Voting everyone!