Richard Strauss's house

[Ken B]

I had Ozawa's Elektra, and never liked it. Just no enjoyment from that set, ever. I eventually sold it rather than just keep reinforcing my dislike.  I heatd some of Sinopoli and it seemed quite good. But it's an opera I have avoided.
I am thinking of getting Spotify premium. This would be a good thing to spotify. They have the Profil ...

[Brahmsian]

I've definitely given Strauss that title more than any other composer in the past. Strauss' music is a big reason why I began listening to classical music, and still do to this day. It's very personal occasions when I listen to his music as I've have been for so long now and it has created some great memories, both in seeing some of these performed live or the music just relating to something in my life.

That is wonderful, Greg! 

Since you posted Don Quixote, now my mind wanders as to what your other two favourite symphonic poems.  I can't really guess, I'll just have to wait for the results! 

[Ken B]

That is wonderful, Greg! 

Since you posted Don Quixote, now my mind wanders as to what your other two favourite symphonic poems.  I can't really guess, I'll just have to wait for the results! 

His favorite is Alpen. Nobody's perfect.

[TheGSMoeller]

Nobody's perfect.

[Brahmsian]

His favorite is Alpen. Nobody's perfect.

Here's to imperfections, as Alpen is my favourite also. 

[Brahmsian]

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Quixote is very well represented on disc. Cellists Rostropovich, Starker, Janigro and Ma and conductors Karajan, Reiner and Kempe all creating indispensable performances. I do mean it when I say there are about a dozen recordings of this piece you can't go wrong with. So I'm going out on a limb here, and risk backlash, by making my rec one of the newer recordings of Quixote, 2013 to be exact.
Cellist Alban Gerhardt along with Markus Stenz conducting the Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra offer an impeccable reading here, with an added bonus of having Lawrence Power on viola. But what really shines with this one is the glorious recording quality done by Hyperion. All the detail is present, the music is transparent with the players in close up. This is one of those discs that make you glad you spent that extra $$ on headphones. The Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra perform superbly, staying behind the lead characters when needed but in superiorly tight form when Strauss' gives them moments to shine.

Hard to compete with the best recording. But I'll take a stab at it: I have Kempe's first recording w/ the Berlin Philharmonic and Paul Tortelier on cello. Great early stereo sound (1958) that - for a stretch - only EMI could conjure up.

As far as the piece, well, again, I'm also a big fan. I've always found it interesting that Strauss's intention for this work was for cellists of international fame to lay off the piece, instead preferring a cellist plucked straight from the orchestra. The exact reasoning for this eludes me. 

This is the version I have (OOP) but I believe it's also currently available on Testament:

[TheGSMoeller]

Hard to compete with the best recording. But I'll take a stab at it: I have Kempe's first recording w/ the Berlin Philharmonic and Paul Tortelier on cello. Great early stereo sound (1958) that - for a stretch - only EMI could conjure up.

As far as the piece, well, again, I'm also a big fan. I've always found it interesting that Strauss's intention for this work was for cellists of international fame to lay off the piece, instead preferring a cellist plucked straight from the orchestra. The exact reasoning for this eludes me. 

This is the version I have (OOP) but I believe it's also currently available on Testament:

That's one I haven't heard, DD. It looks like Regis Records has released it, $5.99 on iTunes and a few low-priced used copies on AMAZON.COM
Thanks for the rec!

Edit: Also available on Spotify, which I now have spinning. 

[kishnevi]

Re Strauss's intentions with the cello...I often feel on this work that the soloists need to blend with the orchestra....that this is not really a concertante work but simply a tone poem in which two first chairs have very important solo responsibilities.

And, no, I have no favorite recording.

[TheGSMoeller]

10 Days, 10 Works - of Richard Strauss

5. Morgen from Lieder (4), Op. 27, no 4; and Im Abendrot from Four Last Songs

Ok, so I waited until my 5th day to cheat a little, but there's a tie, I promise it's a good tie.
Strauss composed many lovely and potent songs, and I believe these two represent the best of the lot. The first is titled Morgen and is the fourth from a set of four songs composed in 1894 (Op. 27) with the text taken from a poem of the same name by John Henry Mackay. It's possibly the sweetest four minutes Strauss ever composed, the vocal line is simply expressed over the gentle music. The other song in this tie is Im Abendrot, composed in 1948 along with three other songs that were later joined together, not by the composer himself, to form Four Last Songs. Im Abendrot takes its text from Joseph von Eichendorff and deals with death as its subject matter, Strauss even quotes his own tone poem Death and Transfiguration (1889) here as soon as the vocalist finishes singing. This is known as one of Strauss' final compositions as he died the following year. Where Morgen might be the sweetest, Im Abendrot is the most dramatic, its full of emotions.

For Morgen I choose Kiri Te Kanawa, I think her voice is perfect for this piece. I slightly prefer the orchestral version over the piano version, mainly for the sustained strings, but the song is beautiful in any form. Te Kanawa has a great recording on Sony with Andrew Davis/LSO. For Im Abendrot there's only one for me, Jessye Norman, in particular the performance on Phillips with Masur. It's the longest Im Abendrot I've heard at 10:00 minutes (the closest I have is Lucia Popp/Tennstedt at 8:24, which is also a special performance). But by stretching this tempo out and letting Norman's voice slowly soar really emphasizes a real lyrical sorrow.

I couldn't find the Sony recording of Te Kanawa, but I will link a later recording she did with Solti at the piano.

http://www.youtube.com/v/v4EHy4BhbU4   http://www.youtube.com/v/envQ-ZqGQu8

[Dancing Divertimentian]

5. Morgen from Lieder (4), Op. 27, no 4; and Im Abendrot from Four Last Songs

More great choices. I have both of these songs in versions for both piano and orchestra. The three versions of Morgen I have range from 3:35, to 3:55, to 4 minutes square. Interestingly the one at 3:35 doesn't seem rushed at all.

Most of my Strauss songs are with orchestral accompaniment but his piano originals are equally good to me as I've always thought his piano writing had a natural flair. Makes me wish he'd have written more for solo piano.

What I have:



[asin]B000062TDA[/asin]

[asin]B00000I92W[/asin]

[asin]B000PMFTDQ[/asin]

[Octave]

This series and discussion is great, thanks for it.  I just received direction to the Norman and Te Kanawa recordings like 24 hours ago, from another online acquaintance.  (I know and love the former but haven't checked out the latter yet.)
There are big chunks of Strauss that I've never heard at all, cf. a lot of the chamber music and lieder.  Several operas.
Psyched to follow these leads.

[TheGSMoeller]

10 Days, 10 Works - of Richard Strauss

6. Ein Heldenleben (1898)

The first orchestral tone poem I chose was Quixote as I feel it's Strauss' most literal of them all, ripped right from the pages of Cervantes story. The second is what I believe to be his most personal and intimate telling of an individual. A tale of one whos identity was never truly revealed, and that is if there ever was someone in mind. Some critics and listeners might have felt that Ein Heldenleben is about the composer himself, Strauss at times had claimed it did not represent him. Whether Strauss was being sincere about this battle with critics or creating a joke or mockery of the subject may not be completely clear, but the fact that the composer quotes himself many times in The Hero's Work of Peace section could lead one to conclude that he might be representing the Hero in some, if not all aspects. Symphonia Domestica, one of the most brilliantly constructed pieces from Strauss, might contain a more comprehensible look into his personal life, but to me the music of Heldenleben suggests otherwise.

Time for me to get personal...I hold a special place for Ein Heldenleben, not only was Strauss one of my first great loves of classical music, but it was this piece that really opened the door to a whole new universe. It was from here that I ventured out to other works, composers, and other genres. Heldenleben has it all, brawn, spirit and purpose. It's also gloriously orchestrated, with every instrument receiving ample time in the splotlight, including what I find to be the greatest violin solo from an orchestral piece. And my goodness, those horns, all 8 of them! I could go on and on, and maybe one day I will.

Time to cheat...I have two three recordings for this one, and a good reason for it. Ein Heldenleben is a tough work to shape from beginning to end, with its off centered six-movement structure any wrong choice interpretively and the work can easily drag or lose its emotional core. The best shaping of Heldenleben belongs to Kempe, his 1972 recording with the Dresden Staatskapelle on EMI from end to end is perfectly presented with all the movements tying together seamlessly, no wasted space here, although the Battle could've used a bit more from the lower brass, it is missing that extra bite. Blomstedt and the San Francisco S.O.(1992) demonstrate the most precise playing found on any Strauss recording. It's crisp, powerful and lean in tempos without losing any of its beauty, also in incredible sound quality. This Blomstedt/SFS is one of my most played discs. The last goes to the first recording of this piece I heard, and still a personal favorite, Mehta's 1983 disc with the NYP. At times it sounds like Mehta has double the orchestra, the sound is huge and warm, just the right kind of atmosphere this epic piece shines with. Plus Mehta is very crafty with the music's climaxes, he tends to get his head out the score more often, and this results in some commanding moments.

[Brahmsian]

10 Days, 10 Works - of Richard Strauss

6. Ein Heldenleben (1898)

*pounds the table!*   

[North Star]

10 Days, 10 Works - of Richard Strauss

4. Don Quixote, Op. 35 (1897)

I don't remember now which recording I listened to (on YouTube), or who the performers were.. Still, enjoyed it very much. I'm fairly sure I heard this piece a bit over a year ago, when Daniel (madaboutmahler) recommended me some Strauss pieces to listen to.

10 Days, 10 Works - of Richard Strauss

5. Morgen from Lieder (4), Op. 27, no 4; and Im Abendrot from Four Last Songs

This must be the Strauss I know best. Norman & Masur on YouTube in 4, a superb performance indeed! Isokoski & Janowski for Morgen.

10 Days, 10 Works - of Richard Strauss

6. Ein Heldenleben (1898)

Good stuff, listened to Kempe & Dresden on YouTube

[Brahmsian]

10 Days, 10 Works - of Richard Strauss

6. Ein Heldenleben (1898)

Hearing this work performed live several years ago was a revelation, a tremendous experience, that sparked my interest in Richard Strauss' music.

[TheGSMoeller]

I don't remember now which recording I listened to (on YouTube), or who the performers were.. Still, enjoyed it very much. I'm fairly sure I heard this piece a bit over a year ago, when Daniel (madaboutmahler) recommended me some Strauss pieces to listen to.This must be the Strauss I know best. Norman & Masur on YouTube in 4, a superb performance indeed! Isokoski & Janowski for Morgen.
Good stuff, listened to Kempe & Dresden on YouTube

Quixote might be the best represented tone poem on disc of Strauss'. I've heard some bad Heldenlebens, Alpines and Zarathustra recordings, but I don't recall any truly bad perdormances of Quixote. A real good lot to choose from.

And +1 for the Isokoski & Janowski. The link that DD provided above shows some inexpensive used copied available.

Hearing this work performed live several years ago was a revelation, a tremendous experience, that sparked my interest in Richard Strauss' music.

Who performed it, Ray?
I saw it years ago with Philiadelphia Orchestra (can't remember conductor, perhaps Dutoit since he was the director of the P.O summer concerts at Mann Music Center) but it was great. The Atlanta SO is performing Heldenleben this upcoming season, I will be attending for sure.

[Brahmsian]

Who performed it, Ray?
I saw it years ago with Philiadelphia Orchestra (can't remember conductor, perhaps Dutoit since he was the director of the P.O summer concerts at Mann Music Center) but it was great. The Atlanta SO is performing Heldenleben this upcoming season, I will be attending for sure.

My local band.  Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, conducting by Alexander Mickelthwate. 

[TheGSMoeller]

My local band.  Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, conducting by Alexander Mickelthwate. 

Very cool, Ray! 

[North Star]

And +1 for the Isokoski & Janowski. The link that DD provided above shows some inexpensive used copied available.

Unfortunately I have it already