Customer Reviews

Richard Strauss Concert

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most potential buyers of this CD will want to hear the Heldenleben with the VPO and the Zarathustra, Don Juan and Till with the CSO. It might be fair to say the most interesting item of all in this collection would be the Alpensinfonie done with the Bavarian RSO in the Herkulessaal in Munich. All of the above were originally recorded in the 1970s and this last item might have the best recording quality. It would be hard to create more amplitude than this, and the playing is as distinguished as that afforded under the direction of Richard Strauss himself when he recorded it in the 1940s with the same orchestra. All the items show Solti at his extrovert best, with excellent playing, and for many these performances are close to definitive, depending upon one's taste. I think they can be recommended alongside - but not in preference to - Karajan and Kempe, in the same period. Very appropriate packaging and presentation with fine documentation. At bargain price, this can be strongly recommended.

Yes, Solti's Ein Heldenleben is powerful indeed and has merit on all fronts: tempo, power, sound...and the Zarathustra ranks up there as well...but I must disagree with Solti's interpretation of the Alpensinfonie. I was disturbed by the rushed approach, especially through some of the most beautiful legato passages and with his use of such an intrusive wind machine. The whiny sound of that machine really put me off, especially when it drowned out the orchestra. It didn't have all the punch and sublimnity that I know lies in this work, and for that, I would whole-heartedly recommend the Karajan on DG available in the Karajan Gold series sounding as sumptuous as ever. Solti for me has produced some of the most amazing recordings of the lp era (Rheingold, Gotterdammerung, Salome, Elektra, etc) but I find much of his work "streaky." When he is on, he is fantastic. When he is rushed and "off", it is a huge disappointment.

This set has its merits. Be advised that these readings are quirky, and should not be taken as definitive. There is a whole world of other recordings out there that would serve the music scores better. I recommed this set as a complement to other recordings, just to give an idea of what Sotli was (or was not) able to do with the various scores and different orchestras.

The price is a huge bonus for this set.

Richard Strauss's tone poems are works that one either loves or hates. Personally, I love them. Being a bass clarinet player, I admire the way that he wrote for the instrument. However, my appreciation of the works presented here goes very far beyond that. These recordings were my introduction to the music and Strauss.

Let's start with the orchestras. We have the Vienna Philharmonic in Ein Heldenleben, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan, and Till Eulenspiegel. Finally, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra on Ein Alpsensinfonie. All of these ensembles offer top-notch playing, especially Chicago. Except for a couple of rough spots in Till, I have yet to hear any of these works better played.

Next, we have Sir Georg Solti. On 4 out of 5 of these works, he accomplishes great, great things. I have yet to hear a more exciting Heldenleben ( and yes I've heard the Reiner/CSO version.) Zarathustra is all white-hot and brilliant. Don Juan and Till? Great. However, the Alpine Symphony (which is why I bought the recording in the first place) is a very elegant failure. Solti gets in the way by going way too fast through it. I want to feel and see the mountain at the summit, not glimpse it and then fall down the mountain.

For a different recording of th Alpine Symphony, I recommend Kempe/Dresden Staatskaplle (which might not be available) on EMI or Previn/Vienna Philharmonic on Telarc. Aside from that, I heartily recommend the rest of these recordings. As usual, Decca does an excellent job in recording these works.

Bravi tutti!

Most of the performances on this CD are very exciting and satisfying from a musical standpoint. The CSO in the 70's combined with Solti produce energy in their readings that in my experience is rare either on recording or in live performance. It is worth it to point out that in the recording of Till, there is a huge blunder by the orchestra: in the passage leading up to the final death scene of the hero, a passage of very fast and difficult notes for the players, the orchestra actually gets lost, and for several bars, only a true cacophony of sound is heard. In a world of "perfect" recordings where every note is corrected, sometimes at the expense the musical integrity, such a passage would typically have been replaced with another take. However, the performers seem to have achieved rare heights of excitement, and aparently prefered to hear the music performed with enthusiasm even with errors rather than a conservative and unremarkable reading. Ultimately there is no single definitive recording of a piece, and we seek work of very high musical AND technical value. In the case of this recording, it's worth owning simply to hear performances of a rare kind.

This CD probably has the best interpretation of Don Juan and Ein Heldenleben of any recording I have listened to. 5 Stars is an understatment!!

Normally, the first thing I look for in a recording is the good ol' "Deutche Grammaphon". I can't take anything away from that label, but Decca hit a home run with this recording. Being a symphonic brass player, I care a great deal for the conductors leaving "the hand" out of these performances!

Another sticking point for me is dynamic contrast. If the lows aren't low enough, the highs aren't going to have the proper effect. From this standpoint, these performances made me say "good job" at the end of my first listening.

Also, can you beat the price for this much Strauss? Nope.

Download now and enjoy!

This economical double-pack provides an excellent sampler of Strauss's orchestral music for the beginner, as well as affording a distinctive take on the composer for veteran collectors who enjoy comparing diverse interpretations by famous conductors. Predictably, Solti's take on Strauss is extrovert, dynamic, and disciplined. For some (admirers of Karajan and Ormandy, for instance) this approach won't be sufficiently opulent; for others (admirers of Kempe, for instance), it won't be sufficiently nuanced or lyrical. Suffice it to say that if you enjoy Szell's crisp clarity in Strauss and Reiner's electric brilliance, you will probably like Solti, whose distinctive style combines both of these attributes.

Three different orchestras are represented here, and they make for fascinating comparisons. Solti and the CSO had a strong, symbiotic relationship; they brought out the very best in each other, and it shows here: *Zarathustra,* *Till Eulenspiegel* and *Don Juan* receive stunning performances that will sweep you away. Jaw-dropping virtuosity from all departments of this great orchestra, captured in viscerally exciting sound by the Decca engineers. In these respects, it would be hard to surpass Solti (even if I would place Szell just slightly ahead of Solti for his greater wit and wisdom in the two shorter works).

With the Bavarians in *Alpensinfonie*, Solti seems just a bit mellower, though that impression might be due to the more blended sonorities of a central-European band playing in a very different, and roomier acoustic (fabulous organ sonorities in the storm sequence and elsewhere "on the way down"). Some critics, including one of the reviewers on this website, have faulted Solti's interpretation of this work for its headlong tempos. They do take some getting used to if your paradigm is Karajan or Kempe; but if you have sometimes found this work rather long-winded, a quick sprint to the summit and back may prove more enjoyable than a moderate trudge. Solti lingers enough to evoke atmosphere, even if he's more interested in conveying the evanescent dramatic tensions that course through this work. The more I hear it, the more I like Solti's approach, though I realize that it might not be for everyone. If you've never heard the work before, rest assured that there is never a dull moment in Solti's version.

I am marginally less taken with Solti's *Heldenleben* with the VPO. The orchestral playing is glorious, as we would expect (such burnished brass, characterful winds, and rich strings!); moreover, as with the other tone poems in this collection, Solti articulates the narrative structure with compelling cogency. Perhaps the reason for my relative discontent is that I don't resonate as fully with this overwrought exercise in self-adulation as much as with the other works included here. In ay case, I found tedium setting in midway through the section depicting the Hero's domestic bliss, confirming to some extent the old canard that Solti is at his best only in high-voltage, climactic passages, but tends to lose his way in more expansive music. Be that as is may, this is still a very fine performance--one that would surely garner an enthusiastic response in the concert-hall--even though I would rank it a notch or two below the very best (Beecham being the unsurpassed criterion).

This fine double album is certainly worth anyone's money. Superb performances, magnificent orchestral playing, and brilliant sonics add up to a eminently recommendable Strauss collection. if this is your first encounter with the composer, and you find Strauss congenial, I recommend going on to purchase the complete orchestral music, conducted by Kempe, in a consistently rewarding bargain-box from EMI. Szell's inimitable *Till*, *Don Juan* and *Death and Transfiguration* can be found on various inexpensive Sony/CBS reissues. Beecham's *Heldenleben* will surely never become obsolete as long as there are listeners who see winsome charm as an essential aspect of the heroic; and for those who require more time to enjoy the scenery on the way to the Alpine Summit, I can confidently recommend Karajan and Mehta (among others) in *Alpensinfonie*.

Happy listening!

Richard Strauss' tone poems and operas were a great testing ground for Solti's conducting style. His Salome and Elektra with Birgit Nilsson are justly regarded as among the finest opera recordings ever made.

The tone poems by Solti are not as definitive but still highly worthwhile performances for Strauss and Solti fans. I'll quickly go through every tone poem and give some pointers.

Ein Heldenleben is first off. This was a favorite piece of Solti's and a great way to showcase the orchestra's maximum capabilities. The opening Hero section is fast and fierce, leaving shockwaves in it's trail. Whereas Karajan goes for the lush aesthetics which coalesce into magnificent climaxes, Solti is feverishly climactic all the way through this four minute opening. He leaves no room for the listener to breath and some won't like that. I loved the ferocity of the playing. Solti becomes more expansive in the love sections but then turns on the demonic during the battle scene. With the later works of peace and fulfillment music, Solti becomes warmer and warmer just as the music requires. I like to give this version a spin from time to time but my preference is for Karajan who is unequaled in Ein Heldenleben. He is even more furious in the Battle Scene as well as more lush in the love music and finale.

Next is Zarathustra. Things start out positively but Solti doesn't match the great versions of this piece. That honor goes to Karajan and Reiner, who are more perceptive in their own unique ways. Solti runs through the work and I actually like his later version with the Berlin Philharmonic more than this Chicago performance.

The second disc opens with Don Juan. Wow! What a great performance, energetic and moving, lush and orgasmic when need be. The famous climax with the horn theme leaping out and then the strings coming in to restate the theme is absolutely gorgeous. The manic build up to Don Juan's death is very intense. This supersedes both Karajan and Reiner. To my ears, the best Don Juan I've ever heard and I've heard many.

Till Eulenspiegel is not as successful. Some rough ensemble in the big climax and not enough sensitivity throughout. I've heard better. Try Bernard Haitink.

The Alpine Symphony is probably the biggest disappointment with Solti. He is all up tempo in this great piece. There is not much of the nature spiritualism of Herbert von Karajan or Rudolf Kempe here. The playing and sound quality is marvelous but the mystery of the piece is not on Solti's mind.

Overall, if you're a Solti fan, of course this is a great purchase. If you're more concerned about the music than the conductor, then you should explore Karajan on EMI and DG for Ein Heldenleben, Karajan on DG and Reiner on RCA for Zarathustra, Haitink on Philips for Till Eulenspiegel and Karajan on DG and Kempe on EMI for the Alpine Symphony. Those versions are overall preferable to Solti. This CD double is still a must for Strauss fans because of this heroic, propulsive Ein Heldenleben and what is probably one of the very finest Don Juans in the stereo era! The sound quality is vintage Decca from the 1970s. Truthful, natural and with great presence.

I agree with the last reviewer: the recording of Till, Zaratustra and Don Juan are excellent, as usual for any CSO/Solti work. The sound is magnificent and I've hardly heard a better performance of Till. Even more surprising and impressive is the Alpinesinfonie by the Bavarian Rudfunk. I think this performance is much better than the Karajan/BPO one.