Customer Reviews

Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie

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Here is Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic in another marvelous performance of the music of Richard Strauss. EINE ALPENSINFONIE (An Alpine Symphony) is not considered one of his more distinguished tone poems, and admittedly it does occasionally mistake bombast for substance. Still, any good performance of this work ought to thrill you regardless of reservations about its substance, and Karajan delivers the goods. True, the playing of the BPO is not necessarily the paragon of orchestral perfection---there are some fluffed notes and at least one noticeable early entry in the strings here and there---but, when it counts, it can be spectacular (the brass awesomely majestic in Track 13, for example, and the string playing impassioned in Track 21). Karajan also brings his customary attention to structure and line to his interpretation. EINE ALPENSINFONIE is a work that can easily sound sprawling and unfocused in lesser hands; instead, this performance moves along inevitably, with tempos that are broad but never dragging. The result is a performance that presents a truly epic ALPENSINFONIE, and another great performance from a team that was often exemplary with the music of Richard Strauss. Recommended.

Many people regard Karajan's Mahler Symphony No. 9, live version, as his best accomplishment, or his '73 Zarathustra or his '63 Beethoven cycle. While I don't disagree, look at this one: Almost forgotten, really. This is a treasure for everybody who loves Strauss! And most amazingly to me, as one of the earliest DDD recordings Karajan ever made: The sound is excellent, much much much better than many of his early digital average. The winds are amazing, the sheer depth and majestic power of the Berlin Philharmonic shines with beauty and elegance throughout the entire piece, and it makes us really believe that we actually really ARE on that grandiose hiking trip throughout, what, Austria, Bavaria or Switzerland...

A wonderful experience! Do not miss this one! Highly, highly recommended

When it comes to the tone poems/symphonies Richard Strauss, the clear choice for conductor is Herbert von Karajan. Perhaps one of his finest Strauss recordings, the Alpine Symphony in Karajan's hands becomes something greater than it already was. Written for a large orchestra, there are some incredible passages of power and volume. Any conductor out there can make a great deal of noise with an orchestra. Where true talent and genius is needed is unifying the orchestra to create the scenes depicted by such loud music. Furthermore, greater attention to unification is in the tender more quiet moments of the work. Karajan demands great detail and precision from his orchestra in the peaceful/tranquil moments of the score. He elicits a warm unified sound from the orchestra that adds great beauty. For sure one of the great Strauss recordings, and for sure the Alpine Symphony of choice.

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It has already been pointed out that Strauss sometimes lacked cohesiveness. Herbert von Karajan, a master at achieving seamless structure and transitions was perfect for this work.

Von Karajan hs always been one of my favorite conductors, although I understand he was a hard task master and strove for nothing less than perfection in rehersals. I have lived in the Alps and observed the changes in the Matterhorn itself over a period of 24 hours, and even without music it has an etherial other-world quality. I only wish I had had this CD to listen to while sitting on my balcony at the Stockhorn in Zermatt. That would have been perfection.

This is a great interpretation of an important work by Strauss.

I confess that my love of this recording is a bit influenced by hearing von Karajan and Berlin do this piece live, at Carnegie Hall back in the 1980s. I had never heard the work before, and not only did it impress on its own terms, but the extraordinary rapport between this conductor and the orchestra at that time just mesmerized me. (For the curious, the program opened with Stravinsky's "Apollon Musagete.")

This recording captures much of that same aura, and is one of the best examples of the special chemistry that he and the ensemble had at the time. In line with its title, the score could be seen as a series of ever-escalating climaxes, and Karajan's judgment of how to pace these seems overwhelmingly "right." Strauss' long phrases breathe with a naturalness that not every conductor seems to sense, and the orchestra -- well, let's just say that when Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic were "on" they had few peers. This is one of those "on" moments. The sound is delicious -- one of DG's best with these forces. As just one example, the powerful "Storm" sequence is really overwhelming, and I like hearing Strauss' wind sounds audible but not exaggerated.

There are a number of marvelous recordings of this work, including Haitink's with the Concertgebouw, and Blomstedt's with San Francisco, just to cite two of my own favorites. But this CD is quite special and deserves the accolades it has received.

This is a must have for any Strauss admirers or collectors.

I think, this work is one of the best compositions of the composer and the work has a marvellous orchestration and colours, too. Scored for a vast ensemble: quadruple woodwinds with bass oboe, bass clarinet, contrabassoon, 20 horns! (8 in orchestra, 12 in offstage), 6 trumpets, 6 trombones, 4 tenor and 2 bass tubas...2 set timpani, several percussions, wind machine, thunder machine, cow bells, celesta, organ, 2 or more harps and at least 60 strings ...!

This work has a programme and be formed in one movement to tells a complete day starts with night theme and ends with the same theme. The story is about a man who living in Alps and he wanted to climb a mountain. Music starts with drakfull night theme in B-flat minor and then there is a long crescendo which arrives the first climax of the work that tells sun rising. And at the end the night theme repeats in B-flat minor again and the work ends with ppp nuance (pianisissimo).

And what a performance, especially majestic The Vision, the Thunder Storm movements are amazing. This is one of the Karajan's last recordings. In this recording, Sabine Meyer (famous clarinettist) was the first clarinet, and this situation shows that, in Karajan's orchestra, this was the first female musician!. And the organist is famous David Bell, was played very well, too.

This is an essential recording and highly recommended.

I have heard and own many recordings of the alpine symphony by Richard Strauss. This one is by far the best. You may be able to buy a recording for a much cheaper deal, but you will get what you pay for. No recording matches Karajan's interpretation and Berlin Philharmonic's playing. The orchestration of Strauss's Alpine Syphony is extremely heavy and complex. Most recordings make this symphony sound muddy or noisy at times, but the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan plays with such clarity and precision yet at the same time achieving the full expression and emotion of the piece. This recording will be the closest thing to hearing it live. The recording Quality is quite good compared to most alpine symphony recordings.

As regards to Strauss's An Alpine Symphony.

This work has not achieved the success and fame of his earlier symphonic poems. Most people consider An alpine symphony inferior to the early tone poems. Some people say it is too extreme and extravagent, too programattic. When Strauss wrote this piece it was on the downward slope that became his career. Music Historians like to think of Richard Strauss's genius demonish with his old age. Well, I believe other wise. Strauss's genius measures throughout his career, from death and transfiguration to the four last songs. Concerning the alpine symphony, I believe this is his most mature tone poem. A beautiful program of the mountains and waterfalls. The orchestration is at the peak of his genius. Also, within the strict use of a program, Strauss develops themes throuhout the entire work almost making it seem absolute.

So buy this cd, if your a Strauss fan this will be among your beloved favorites.

This recording has always been a bit of a heartbreaker. In this, the most extravagant of Strauss's tone poems, you want the full impact of the enormous orchestra and lavish sound-painting. I'm sure Karajan delivers both, but this was very early digital, as you can tell from the wiry strings and the stinging higher octaves when the dynamic is forte or louder--as it is much of the time in the Alpine Symphony.

Relish the great interpretation here--admittedly in somewhat improved sound over the original release--and if you want lush sonics, try the Previn on Telarc with the Vieena Phil, the Mehta on Sony with the Berlin Phil, or best of all, the Blomstedt reading with the San Francisco Sym on Decca/London.

OK, fine. Have it your way. Strauss' "Alpine Symphony" isn't the greatest composition he ever gave us.

Only problem is, you'd never know it from this unbelievable recording.

This just shows what can be done with (perhaps) less-than-great music when put in the hands of one of the conducting geniuses of the 20th century.

Astounding. And Deutsche Grammophon needs to be given credit as well. What a recording!

I have heard many interpretations of Strauss's famous tone poems, but Karajan always seems to pull it off perfectly. This disc is no exception. A tremendous work, somewhat underrecorded as I think it stands as one of his finest tone poems, firstly because of the sheer magnitude of the work and secondly the metaphoric highs and lows associated with the Ascent and Descent of the Mountain.
The performance is lovely, and the Berlin Philharmonic pulls it off perfectly. Although Karajan was getting up there in age, he still had a subconscious knack for Strauss and that holds here as well. To top it off, the recording is absolutely fantastic (the brass!). Another must-have for Straussians.