Customer Reviews

Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra; Ein Heldenleben

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RCA Victor broke ground with these two recordings for the industry's next major foray into the next generation - the first widely-distributed stereophonic recordings by a major recording company. Richard Strauss' "Ein Heldenleben" was recorded on two-track 30-i.p.s. tape on the unbelievable early date of March 6, 1954, and "Also sprach Zarathustra" two days later! Authority of performance was also present in the figure of conductor Fritz Reiner leading the powerful Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Audiophiles and record buffs don't need to be told that these two recordings are without a doubt, landmarks in recording history. If you are familiar with the highly-specialized audio magazine, "The Absolute Sound", you can find many references to these recordings throughout its numerous issues, and how they were made in its issue no. 49. Basically, a simple, widely-spaced two-microphone setup was connected to two mono mixers going to a modified RCA RTS-11 tape recorder with specially-constructed two-track recording heads. This stereo setup was an experiment that took back seat to the simultaneous monophonic recording going on during the same sessions.

All I can advise you to do is to get this recording to hear what the next big step in recorded sound was like. At the same time, look for a modern, digital recording of each of these two works if your funds permit and compare them to these two 1954 recordings. Many of you will likely be shocked and wondering how it was possible for these two Reiner/Chicago recordings to sound so good on a date before many of you were born. Also, through repeated comparative hearings of these 1954 recordings with modern digital recordings, many of you may likely prefer the ones from 1954 over the digital ones, both sonically and interpretatively.

Happy, revelatory listening!

Fritz Reiner terrorized orchestral musicians for decades with his hawk's eye for detail and mordant sarcasm. He also got them to play with the synchronization of a close-order drill, as the two works on this CD clearly demonstrate. These 1954 recordings of two of Richard Strauss' best-known symphonic poems, made within a few days of each other and using simple miking techniques that yielded then-astonishing presence and depth (and continue to show up many newer recordings), are unassailable classics. Nobody can deny that, and I certainly won't. There isn't an ounce of fat on these frequently chubby and indulgent works--it's all lean body mass. The lush wallowing in opulent textures that you get from, say, Karajan in his 1970s "Also sprach Zarathustra" is simply not on the agenda here. Listen, for example, to the clean, no-nonsense "Sunrise" which begins "Zarathustra"--you forget this music (in a more floodlit performance) was used in "2001: A Space Odyssey" and abused ever since by everyone from Elvis to the makers of TV commercials. (That off-key organ, though, is a black mark on Reiner's reputation for flawless playing.)

However--for performances which impart some warmth and humanity along with precision and clarity (hear the steely Chicago strings: they often sound as though the musicians were gritting their teeth while playing even the most gemutlich passages), Reiner is surpassed in both works by Rudolf Kempe or, from the days before stereo, Clemens Krauss (who, like Reiner, knew and worked with the composer). That said, these two performances (of which I marginally prefer "Ein Heldenleben") not only work as correctives to the smoothed-out approach in Strauss but also succeed brilliantly in their own right. Despite the reservation(s) I expressed earlier, this really is one of those CDs that belong in every collection, regardless of your tastes in music.

As a musician and recording engineer all I can say is WOW! This was recorded at the very dawn of stereo, probably using Ampex 200 series recorders and the tape available at the time, which was far noisier than what we have today. And still, the sonic imagery far outstrips most orchestral recordings, especially the digital ones. I have been to Orchestra Hall and it is such a beautiful sounding room. I feel that this recording represents one of the most well done reproductions of the true character of the hall. If you are looking for a noise-free digital recording with no life to it, then move on. If you, however, want to FEEL the Chicago Symphony and perhaps one of the most beautiful renditions of some very intense music by a truly masterful conductor, this is the one to buy!

Fritz Reiner (1888-1963) and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra were among the first musicians in the U.S. to make commercial streophonic recordings, in March 1954 in Chicago's historic Orchestra Hall. (A few stereo recordings were made by Thor Johnson and the Cincinnati Symphony in 1953 by Remington and given some limited release on tapes and discs.)

In 1954, RCA Victor taped two extended masterpieces by the German composer Richard Strauss (1864-1949), using a pioneering triple-track stereo tape system. RCA used separate equipment at the recording sessions in Orchestra Hall, one for the conventional monaural recordings and one for the stereo recordings. Intended to be experimental recordings, the stereo versions first appeared on home reel-to-reel tapes within a year. With the advent of the Westrex stereo cutting system, the recordings were first issued on discs in 1958 as part of RCA's highly-acclaimed "Living Stereo" series.

Reiner had the advantage of clearly understanding Richard Strauss and his music because the two musicians were close friends and corresponded until shortly before Strass died in late 1949. Strauss, who himself made some experimental high fidelity recordings of his major works in 1944 with the Vienna Philharmonic, greatly admired what Reiner achieved. He would have certainly applauded these definitive, first stereo recordings of two of his extended symphonic poems.

"Also sprach Zarathustra" was based on the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche and is a very deep, intense, often melancholy work with several very spectacular musical sequences, including a hypnotic waltz sequence. Scored for very large orchestra, the symphonic poem runs continuously and was often "ruined" by LP recordings because it was necessary to split the music near the halfway point. The CD version does not have this annoying interruption. Instead, we can thoroughly enjoy this very exciting performance, superbly played by the Chicago musicians. It is always a treat, too, to hear what happens AFTER the famous opening minutes of the work, which became so famous when Stanley Kubrick used it in his 1968 science fiction epic "2001: A Space Odyssey."

We know that Fritz Reiner was a perfectionist and he sought very high standards. Arturo Toscanini was known for occasional outbursts when musicians failed to play their best; Toscanini admired Reiner and invited him to guest conduct the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Reiner, however, could absolutely terrify musicians as he sought the highest standards in playing; sometimes he used anger and other times he used biting sarcasm. The excellence which both Reiner and Toscanini sought from their orchestras are quite apparent in the numerous outstanding recordings they made.

Toscanini did not particularly enjoy making recordings, especially before the invention of magnetic tape. On the other hand, Reiner readily embraced recording and determined to leave lasting documents of the high standards he sought. This is quite apparent in "Also sprach Zarathustra." The recording still amazes us, both for its remarkably high quality sound and the intensity of the performance.

A similar treasure is realized in Strauss' "Ein Heldenleben" or "A Hero's Life." Filled with quotes from earlier Strauss works, this is an intense, powerful, and dramatic work that seems something of an ego trip for the composer since he is clearly the "hero" of the story. However, Strauss may actually be celebrating his accomplishments and achievements, often as he sought to please his wife Pauline, who clearly expected nothing but the best from her husband.

The terrifying battle sequence remains a high point of this extended work and, fortunately, we can hear it without the annoying interruption that often occurred on LPs in the middle of the spectacular music with its heavy use of percussion. Once again, the music is continuous and did not lend itself to the 33-1/3 rpm discs. Reiner's powerful performance compares well with the much-admired performances by Willem Mengelburg and the New York Philharmonic (1928 for Victor) and Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic (1958 for Capitol).

Conductor Fritz Reiner molded the Chicago Symphony Orchestra into one of the world's five great orchestras during his tenure as its music director. These splendid RCA Victor recordings were the first commercial releases in stereo, and with 20 bit image digital remastering, sound as vivid as ever. It's hard to believe that these performances were recorded almost a half century ago. Reiner's version of "Also Sprach Zarathusra" pulsates with warm, energetic, almost technically perfect, playing from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It has replaced my recordings of von Karajan conducting the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic orchestras as my favorite version of Strauss' most popular tone poem. Only Herbert Blomstedt's version with the Dresden Staatskapelle is as emotionally gripping as Reiner's. The Chicago Symphony's performance of "Ein Heldenleben" is fantastic too. Anyone desiring a great vintage classical recording or performances led by one of the foremost interpreters of Richard Strauss' music will want this fine CD.

There is very little to add; both music lovers and audiophiles know these are absolutely classic performances, amazingly recorded in early 1954 in the dawn of stereo. Only the von Karajan/Vienna Philharmonic of "Zarathustra" (used by Kubrick in "2001") and von Karajan's and Beecham's recordings of "Heldenleben" approach these in my book, and neither sounds as good. The original CD issues were 16 bit; the new issues are 20 bit (look for a sticker on the case), and there is a MAJOR improvement in the sound. There is now far more openness and transparency, as well as new depth in the soundstage. I have both the 33 rpm and 45 rpm audiophile pressings of this "Zarathustra" from Classic Records, and the 20 bit gives the $40, 4 LP Classic set a good run for the money. When we reach the next stage of audio development, be it DVD or DSD, I suspect these vintage recordings will still be amazing us!

I strongly disagree with AaLii. This music is not overblown, pretentious, and cacophonous pieces of garbage, but melodic, timeless, and harmonious works of music. Fritz Reiner has been overshadowed in recent years by Sir Georg Solti when it comes to the CSO, but in my opinion, was just as good a conductor. I like his recording of Zarathustra even better than Solti's, and his Ein Heldenleben is excellent, too. Of course, Solti did excellent Strauss with the CSO, but this disc is very special.

It's hard to believe that these recordings were made over 50 years ago because they sound like they were recorded just yesterday! I take my hat off to the engineers at RCA for their brilliant restoration work to keep this in the permanent catalogue. Don't ever let it be deleted!

This historic Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphony Orchestra recording has recently been remastered and released in hybrid SACD form by BMG (as ASIN B0002TKFQI), as one of ten such initial RCA Living Stereo releases. To anyone contemplating this recording and having SACD capabilities (or planning for such capabilities), I suggest that the new hybrid SACD be given serious consideration. (Even for those who don't have such plans, the hybrid is both fully compatible with conventional CD players and is the beneficiary of the latest - and best - remastering available.)

My comments on the superb hybrid SACD release follow.

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A half century ago, I was a junior in high school. We used to have these gatherings called "assemblies," where the principal would collect the entire school in the auditorium (no excuses allowed!) for an event of more than passing importance. At this late date, I can only remember a small handful of them: the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, President Eisenhower relieving General MacArthur of his command. Oh, and one where two fellows from Ampex came to our high school to give a little demonstration of something called "stereophonic sound," using, needless to say, an Ampex tape recorder.

And the music for this demonstration? It was the brief opening prologue ("Sunrise") from Richard Strauss's "Also Sprach Zarathustra," in this very same Reiner/Chicago Symphony Orchestra recording. This was a "sneak preview to end all sneak previews," inasmuch as the monophonic LP ("New Orthophonic," I believe it was called) hadn't even been released at that early date. And, needless to say, this impressionable teenager was suitably impressed. So much so that, in the years to come, I acquired three LPs of the performance: the original monophonic LP, then the Living Stereo LP a few years later, and eventually, when the stereo LP had seen its better days, the Dynagroove rerelease (something I'd just as soon forget). I never did go the reel-to-reel route, and, when CDs eventually made their appearance, I opted for other performances of these two Strauss works rather than the earlier conventional Living Stereo CD release. But I always did have fond memories of that particular reel-to-reel tape demonstration back in '54; it was a direct copy of the 30ips master tape, and not the 7.5ips "consumer" version that came out shortly thereafter.

With BMG now releasing half-century-old Living Stereo classics as hybrid SACDs (10 at present, with surely more on the way), it was easy for me to select this recording as one of the first to sample. I was more than pleasantly surprised; just listening to the "Also Sprach Zarathustra" prologue had the effect of turning the clock back 50 years; truly a trip down Memory Lane!

In a phrase, I wasn't disappointed. Even listening to the conventional CD layer, it was easy to get the sense that there I was again, listening to the 30ips master tape. Even with headphones, I heard no evidence of tape hiss; just beautifully balanced stereo sound with a tremendous sense of not only left-to-right spatial array but depth as well. (This is particularly evident in "The hero's battlefield" segment of "Ein Heldenleben," where the initial muted trumpet fanfares sound as if they are coming from well behind the orchestra.) Throughout both massive tone poems, the music is well-served by RCA's "minimalistic" microphoning, with just two mikes picking up the sound field, and every single instrumental voice (and there are many of them) can clearly be heard. (Sir Thomas Beecham, that evergreen source of bon mots, reserved one of his best for "Ein Heldenleben" when he wrote that "I once spent a couple of days in a train with a German friend. We amused ourselves by discovering how many notes we could take out of 'Ein Heldenleben' and leave the music essentially intact. By the time we finished we had taken out fifteen thousand.")

As for Reiner's interpretations, perhaps the simplest way of putting it is that there is no time in the last half century that I can recall when these two performances were NOT included in EVERY "essential recordings" discography (even when the sound quality was not as it is here, in the hybrid SACD release). Reiner had a way of not oversentimentalizing these two works, as if they had been the products of one of the world's greatest egos, which, in fact, they were: Strauss made no bones about himself being the hero of "Ein Heldenleben." Reiner keeps things moving along, lest they bog down for the empty rhetoric that they can often be in lesser hands.

A century ago, when Strauss had been the most famous composer who was also a conductor and Gustav Mahler had been the most famous conductor who was also a composer, audiences couldn't get enough of the Strauss tone poems. (I think, in fact, that the record will show that Mahler conducted Strauss's tone poems more frequently than he did his own symphonies!)

And a half-century ago, when I had been in my musical adolescence, so to speak, I too couldn't get enough of them. But they haven't worn all that well in the intervening years. Now, considerably older and modestly wiser, I can only take them in infrequent doses. (Perhaps I've simply taken Strauss at his word when he described himself as "a first-rate second-rate composer.") And, fortunately for this now-jaded me, these Reiner performances, long perfect in everything but sound quality, have arrived with, finally, sound quality that is the equal of the interpretation quality.

I have every expectation that future "essential recordings" discographies will continue to include these performances, now with sound quality that is the match of any.

Bob Zeidler

Fritz Reiner with the Chicago was a magnum to the recording/performing era. His style of performance and conducting to the great orchestra at Chicago's Orchestra Hall was a milestone to the recording industry. This recording, which is the first milestone crossed in achieving stereophonic levels was well encased forever on tape. Thanks to progress, we are able to hear what a great master of the baton conducting a great orchestra allowing us to hear his style and leadership for the first time in stereo.

Let's keep this simple. Buy every Strauss recording Reiner made for RCA, as well as the Decca recordings of TILL and TOD he made with the Vienna Philharmonic.

RCA missed a great opportunity in the late 50's when Reiner/Chicago recorded the Mahler 4th with Della Casa, and DAS LIED VON DER ERDE -- but failed to match the soprano and Reiner in Strauss' Four Last Songs for the 4th side of the DAS LIED set. Instead, the song cycle was filled out with Haydn No. 88.

As for the recording at hand, I can only add complete agreement with everything the editors have already written. I weep for kids today who never get to know this music or hear recordings like these.