Strauss Tone Poem Showdown: Eine Alpensinfonie vs. Ein Heldenleben

[Mirror Image]

Strauss Tone Poem Death Match Time!!!

Let's rip 'em a part guys!

[Todd]

I run hot and cold on Strauss tone poems, but here Heldenleben is the clear winner.

[Sergeant Rock]

No contest: Alpensinfonie

Sarge

[Abuelo Igor]

I prefer Also sprach Zarathustra to both of them, but, if forced to choose, Heldenleben wins hands down. I've always had the feeling that many of the people who dislike it do so because of the concept, which they find narcissistic, without paying any attention to the music itself. Strauss is the victim of so many preconceptions that I wouldn't even know where to begin.

[Mirror Image]

I picked Eine Alpinesinfonie, but I love Ein Heldenleben just about as much. I suppose what made me choose Eine Alpensinfonie was the fact that this was the first work of Strauss' that I heard that made a strong impression on me from the start. Also, I had bought a DVD documentary/concert called Discovering Masterpieces of Classical Music, which had a musical break-down (each movement getting analyzed) of Alpensinfonie and a performance led by Sinopoli conducting the Staatskapelle Dresden. This DVD also helped me understand the brilliance of the work.

[aligreto]

Definitely Eine Alpensinfonie for me.

[Lisztianwagner]

Eine Alpensinfonie, no doubt.

[Brahmsian]

No contest: Alpensinfonie

Sarge

It is a tough one, for me.  Love both of these, but.....I must chose:

[Mirror Image]

It is a tough one, for me.  Love both of these, but.....I must chose:

Wise man!

[Jaakko Keskinen]

No egoistic orchestral bombing, however divinely beautiful, can surpass the solemn beauty of the Alps!

[Abuelo Igor]

No egoistic orchestral bombing, however divinely beautiful, can surpass the solemn beauty of the Alps!

See what I mean? 

If he had called the piece any other way, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

See what I mean? 

If he had called the piece any other way, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

I was making a joke. I don't consider Heldenleben particularly narcissistic and I'm glad it was the first tone poem of his that I heard. But I still like Alpensinfonie a bit more.

[madaboutmahler]

Tough one and I'd give you a different answer on different days I guess but Heldenleben.
Find it personally a bit more moving in a subtle way. And the battle scene is just the best 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

And the battle scene is just the best 

The battle scene rocks! Heldenleben for me, too.

[Rons_talking]

Alpensinfonie has always been my favorite
Strauss work...