Richard Strauss's house

[Karl Henning]

I think Strauss's affinity for sopranos (and their voices) was so strong that it led him to try to actively kill his tenors[....]

Oh, I like him better than ever, now.

(Oh, I kid, I kid.)

[TheGSMoeller]

I will stipulate to Strauss's genius while remaining unable to tolerate his music.

My loss, I'm sure.

Huge loss, huge. 

[TheGSMoeller]

Now that is one of the least seemly metaphors I've heard any professional musician use.

Any worse than a shower of Schumann?

[TheGSMoeller]

The 150th anniversary of Richard Strauss' birth begins with the composer gracing the cover of this months Gramophone magazine. Included are some nice writings about his operas and Strauss as a conductor.

[TheGSMoeller]

GRAMOPHONE
Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier: which recording is best?


http://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/focus/richard-strausss-der-rosenkavalier-which-recording-is-best

[jlaurson]

Ionarts-at-Large: Michael Schade, Trumpeteering Song

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2014/02/ionarts-at-large-michael-schade.html

[knight66]

Andris Nelsons conducts Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegel: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra: Orfeo

A few weeks ago I went to a concert celebrating the Strauss year. One of the London Orchestras was conducted by Lorin Maazel in Also Sprach and The Alpine Symphony. The Philharmonia playing was excellent and there were lots of smiles from them at the end. But I thought it slick and flat. Where were the adrenal rushes you ought to get with these big beasts? The most remarkable thing was Maazel at over 80 standing through both pieces and looking perfectly fresh at the end.

About a year before that I was at the concert where the Nilsons' Also Sprach on the disc listed above was recorded. I was eager to hear the results. On the night I sat in the choir stalls, as I so enjoy watching this conductor communicate with the orchestra. He was sufficiently carried away that he threw the baton across the orchestra at one point. The audience stamped their feet, we knew we had heard something special. The piece made me tingle, he somehow pushed a narrative through it where normally it sounds episodic. The disc does not betray my memories of an exciting and marvellously played concert. He pulls deep sound as though out of the ground and he also provides delicacy.

The other two pieces were recorded at another concert and they also are top of the range for sound and interpretation. The performance tips headlong into the snapshots of Don Juan's activities and the love music is sensational, oboe and horns allowed space to phrase. The Till is, as it should be, full of wit and the inner detail is clear.

I have a fair few versions of the pieces spread across my collection, these ones go to the top for me. The sound is rich, open and close. This completes the main Strauss tone poems for Orfeo, the other discs are just as good. Nelsons is off to Boston shortly. As what will probably be my own farewell for quite some time to hearing him live, i will be at his concert of Rosenkavalier next month. Fingers crossed it is recorded!

Mike

[Moonfish]

R Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra    CSO/Reiner

I have been listening to a few of Strauss' tone poems lately. For some reason R Strauss improves every time I listen to his pieces. There was a time when I just could not listen much to him, while nowadays I look forward to his works.  Time, the magical ingredient...! Yesterday it was Alpensinfonie and today Zarathustra. In this case I suspect Reiner's CSO has something to do with it. Rich sound indeed!

Could one argue that Strauss appeals differently to different age groups or is that just a wild idea?  His pieces just seem so filled with life aspects in the phrasing of the music reaching from joyful intensity to extreme sadness and melancholy. The works also seem more harmonious than I remember. The question in my mind is if this is my imagination or have I somehow turned what I perceived as negative into something different?  Has anybody else had this experience with Strauss' music?

[Moonfish]

Hmm, think it is worthwhile to ponder Strauss' own recordings or would that make us complete Strauss geeks?
Only three of the cds are his own compositions. Definitely precious from a historical perspective.

[asin] B00IERAFTC[/asin]

"THE EDITION
CDs 1-3: Richard Strauss conducting his major works: Ein Heldenleben (recorded 1941), Tod und Verklärung (1926), Don Juan (1929), Don Quixote (1933), Till Eulenspiegel (1927), Dance of the Seven Veils (1928), Rosenkavalier-Waltzes (1927/41) and more!
CD 4: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39-41; The Magic Flute Overture (1926-1928)
CD 5: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7 (1928/26)
CD 6: Overtures by Cornelius, Gluck, Wagner (The Flying Dutchman, Tristan) & Weber (1928)
CD 7: A second, late Don Quixote recording (1941)+ Lieder with Heinrich Schlusnus and Strauss himself at the piano (1921)!

PACKAGING
Capbox
32-page booklet, with a newly commissioned article by Gottfried Kraus the English translation of this is attached
Several historical photos"

[Moonfish]

And five other more or less recent R Strauss compilations for the thread record:

Reiner's Strauss

[asin] B00HY38NCS[/asin]

[asin] B0042GNDT8[/asin]

Karajan's

[asin] B005C8VQT4[/asin]

and Krauss'

[asin] B00IY372CY[/asin]

Brilliant Classics' mega box

[asin] B006546EPA[/asin]

[Moonfish]

Warner/EMI Strauss Celebration   

Orchestral Works w/ Dresden/Kempe ( I think these also can be found in the Brilliant set - not sure if these are more recent remasterings relative to Brilliant)

[asin] B00FJZQRR6[/asin]

Operas

[asin] B00FM60U8E[/asin]


Other Works

[asin] B00GZQJ644[/asin]

[TheGSMoeller]

Fish, get them all! 

Well, do get all of Reiner and Kempe's recordings, they're all wonderfully done.

I've listened to some of Strauss conducting his own works, very good sound considering the date. I will probably pick up that DG set myself here soon. I have so much respect for Strauss that I would love to get everything with the man himself at the helm.

I'm also probably one of the few that doesn't go crazy for all of Karajan's recordings. There are a few that are perfect however (Zarathustra-Berlin, Four Last Songs-Janowitz, Metamorphoson), but there about 7-8 better Alpines and Heldenlebens available.

[Moonfish]

Fish, get them all! 

Well, do get all of Reiner and Kempe's recordings, they're all wonderfully done.

I've listened to some of Strauss conducting his own works, very good sound considering the date. I will probably pick up that DG set myself here soon. I have so much respect for Strauss that I would love to get everything with the man himself at the helm.

I'm also probably one of the few that doesn't go crazy for all of Karajan's recordings. There are a few that are perfect however (Zarathustra-Berlin, Four Last Songs-Janowitz, Metamorphoson), but there about 7-8 better Alpines and Heldenlebens available.

Greg,
Ha ha! Buy it all/!?!?!      Yes, the mailman would kill me. It is bad as it is.  I have the main Reiner/CSO box (which I presume has all the same recordings as in this smaller RCA set), the Brilliant set, and the DG opera set. So I am a bit Straussed out ( ) . Regardless, that should keep me busy.  Things I am pondering (far into the future) are the Solti Strauss opera set and the Warner/EMI opera set. I certainly have enough to listen to.  Interesting that Karajan's Strauss is not your thing. Seems like people in general are drawn to them.

Anyways, the historical Strauss recordings somehow tempt me. I love historical recordings!!!!  But.... ..... .... .....

Peter
 

[Brahmsian]

For Greg Sock Dude, and also because I haven't listened to Richard Strauss' music in awhile. 

Strauss, R.

Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche, Op. 28
Don Juan, Op. 20

Kempe
Staatskapelle Dresden
EMI Classics

[asin]B000026D4K[/asin]

[Brahmsian]

Saturday Morning Strauss!

Strauss, R.

Horn Concerto No. 1 in E flat major
Horn Concerto No. 2 in E flat major
Oboe Concerto in D major
Duett-Concertino for Clarinet, Bassoon and Strings

Peter Damm, horn
Mafdred Clement, oboe
Manfred Weise, clarinet
Wolfgang Liebscher, bassoon

Kempe
Staatskapelle Dresden
EMI Classics

[asin]B000026D4K[/asin]

[TheGSMoeller]

Saturday Morning Strauss!

Duett-Concertino for Clarinet, Bassoon and Strings[/font][/b][/i]

This is one of Strauss' most magical works, the musical relationship between the soloists is so delightful. And that's a great recording, I think I'll join you, Ray, can't think of a better piece to start the day on! 

[Moonfish]

Saturday Morning Strauss!

Strauss, R.

Horn Concerto No. 1 in E flat major
Horn Concerto No. 2 in E flat major
Oboe Concerto in D major
Duett-Concertino for Clarinet, Bassoon and Strings

Peter Damm, horn
Mafdred Clement, oboe
Manfred Weise, clarinet
Wolfgang Liebscher, bassoon

Kempe
Staatskapelle Dresden
EMI Classics

[asin]B000026D4K[/asin]

So Kempe is your main Strauss "champion", Chambernut? How do his interpretations compare to Reiner and Karajan's?

[Moonfish]

So what is the opinion from you "Strauss heads" in terms of this very diverse and recent compilation? It seems as there are so many different performers and ensembles living in this set.   I am currently mostly listening to Kempe and Reiner's interpretations.

[asin] B00H5DNBHE[/asin]

[Brahmsian]

So Kempe is your main Strauss "champion", Chambernut? How do his interpretations compare to Reiner and Karajan's?

Couldn't tell you, Monsieur Poisson.    I don't own any Reiner or Karajan Strauss' recordings.  Kempe is all I have.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

I'd leave Elektra until the very end as it is in my opinion the most difficult of R. Strauss's operas to absorb.  But once it "clicks" it is a real joy to experience. 

I know this is 6 year old quote but I would like to say that Elektra was my first Strauss opera and I immediately loved it. However, I agree that maybe you shouldn't start with Elektra. It is very shocking work, to be sure. After that I moved to Salome, which I loved even more, it is my favorite Strauss opera. Now, I haven't heard all of his operas but some neglected late works such as Die liebe der danae really work on me. Now for the part for which I am sure great many people will butcher me. I have only heard rosenkavalier once. And maybe I am just getting tone-deaf but I didn't enjoy it that much. The first act was so boring that I almost fell asleep. It is quite possible I need to hear it again a few times before I learn to appreciate it but it disappoints me a bit because this is often thought to be the one Strauss opera that is easiest to like. In fact, as much as I love Strauss, I often need to hear his works several times before I recognize more than couple melodies here and there and see the relative ease with how he handles orchestra etc. However Strauss is still a composer very close to my heart.