Customer Reviews

Kempe Conducts Richard Strauss Volume 2

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I was amazed at the quality considering it was a second hand item, very good quality also a very fast delivery

When these recordings were initially released in the early 1970s on EMI's quadraphonic LPs they were justifiably lauded as near definitive. Rudolf Kempe, trained in Dresden, had long been one of the finest interpreters of Strauss and had a wonderful relationship with this outstanding orchestra. The Dresden Staatskappelle or "State Orchestra" is the offical "Court" orchestra of Dresden, founded in the 16th century. They continue to play with an enviable standard as one of he world's finest orchestras, sounding instantly recognizable by the transparency of texture, burnished warmth and particularly bright and vibrato laden sound of their brass.

Strauss wrote many of his operas for premiere in Dresden under these players so they have the music in their blood. I've heard them play Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos", "Rosenkavalier" and "Frau Ohne Schatten" as well as Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis" within two weeks under three different conductors, all brilliantly, they are really & truly that good!

EMI has subsequently rereleased this former three volume set in a new 8 disc boxed set that drops many of the weaker pieces such as the "Parergon on Sinfonia Domestica" or violin concerto and it's highly recommended, but if you want the complete orchestral works of Strauss, seek out used copies of this three volume set issued in the early 90s.

Of those three four-CD volumes, this one contains the popular tone poems "Also Sprach Zarathustra" and "Tod und Verklärung" and the underrated "Sinfonia Domestica" along with a superb account of the "Le Bourgois Gentilhome" Suite and the famous "Dances of the 7 Veils" from "Salome". You can find the "Zarathustra" recording on an EMI seraphim disc and Kempe's definitive "Tod & Verklärung" on an EMI Recordings of the Century disc with his equally outstanding "Heldenleben". Kempe's excellent Sinfonia Domestica is however, unavailable on a separate disc.

I found a DVD-Audio version of "Zarathustra" with Kempe's "Alpine" symphony in the original 4 channel sound recording remasterings but you need a DVD-A player to decode the high resolution recordings, or a home theater system to playback the compressed DD5.1 versions on the flipped side.

That leaves this set as the sole source of these tone poems along with the violin concerto and the rare ballet score "Josephslegende" composed for the Diagliev Ballet Russe. I would highly recommend this used set if you can find it. The price is typically well discounted and gives great value.