Holst: The Planets / R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Steinberg's tenure at the helm of the Boston Symphony was cut short by illness, but his relatively slim catalogue of recordings with the orchestra produced several important examples of his art, boasting truly fine interpretations and spectacular playing. These orchestral showpieces by Strauss and Holst were long overdue for reissue. Steinberg's fast tempos make the Strauss work zip by; it's as if he takes it in one big gulp, creating as exciting a performance as you're likely to hear. The Holst also gets the "let's keep it moving" treatment to good effect, though a more measured pace for the opening movement, "Mars," would bring a greater sense of menace. As on many DGs recorded around 1970-1971, the engineering is bright and bass-shy, but it's clear and detailed, too. --Dan Davis

Holst: The Planets / R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Music, Gustav Holst, Richard Strauss, William Steinberg, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Romantic Tone Poem/Symphonic Poem for Orchestra, Suite for Orchestra

Holst: The Planets / R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Average customer rating:

This Recording Gets "The Planets" Close to Right

Quite simply: Outstanding!

The Best Of The Best

Underrated Strauss and one of the best Planets ever.

One of the Finest Recordings Ever...

Holst: The Planets / R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000056TKD
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

Thus Spake Zarathustra: Introduction - Joseph Silverstein
Thus Spake Zarathustra: Of The Backworldsmen - Joseph Silverstein
Thus Spake Zarathustra: Of The Great Longing - Joseph Silverstein
Thus Spake Zarathustra: Of Joys And Passions - Joseph Silverstein
Thus Spake Zarathustra: The Song Of The Grave - Joseph Silverstein
Thus Spake Zarathustra: Of Science And Learning - Joseph Silverstein
Thus Spake Zarathustra: The Convalescent - Joseph Silverstein
Thus Spake Zarathustra: The Dance-Song - Joseph Silverstein
Thus Spake Zarathustra: Song Of The Night Wanderer - Joseph Silverstein
The Planets Op. 32: Mars, The Bringer Of War - Allegro - Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Planets Op. 32: Venus, The Bringer Of Peace - Adagio - Andante - Animato - Tempo I - Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Planets Op. 32: Mercury, The Winged Messenger - Vivace - Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Planets Op. 32: Jupiter, The Bringer Of Jollity - Allegro giocoso - Andante maestoso - Tempo I - Maestoso - Lento maestoso - Presto - Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Planets Op. 32: Saturn, The Bringer Of Old Age - Adagio - Andante - Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Planets Op. 32: Uranus, The Magician - Allegro - Lento - Allegro - Largo - Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Planets Op. 32: Neptune, The Mystic - Andante - Allegretto - Boston Symphony Orchestra

Amazon.com

Steinberg's tenure at the helm of the Boston Symphony was cut short by illness, but his relatively slim catalogue of recordings with the orchestra produced several important examples of his art, boasting truly fine interpretations and spectacular playing. These orchestral showpieces by Strauss and Holst were long overdue for reissue. Steinberg's fast tempos make the Strauss work zip by; it's as if he takes it in one big gulp, creating as exciting a performance as you're likely to hear. The Holst also gets the "let's keep it moving" treatment to good effect, though a more measured pace for the opening movement, "Mars," would bring a greater sense of menace. As on many DGs recorded around 1970-1971, the engineering is bright and bass-shy, but it's clear and detailed, too. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

This Recording Gets "The Planets" Close to Right.......2006-06-23

Steinberg's readily available recording is the one to buy now. The only other modern Planets recording to get it close to right is that led by Roy Goodman with the New Queen's Hall Orchestra (Carlton Classics 30366 00432), which uses orchestral instruments of the same type in use in the 1920s, and where the conductor deliberately sets out to mirror Holst's own 1920s recordings. Sadly, this Carlton CD is evidently no longer available; maybe it will be back again someday. Those who think Steinberg's Mars is too fast should know that both of the recordings Holst conducted himself (1923, 1926) are at a nearly matching fast tempo (Holst is slightly faster). In addition, Holst marked a reduced score of Mars for two pianos in his own hand with the metronome indication "quarter note = 176," which is close to the tempo he, Goodman, and Steinberg use. "Fast" is clearly the tempo Holst wanted; it is right. Far too many people have become accustomed to hearing it wrong thanks to the ostensibly "official" versions of Boult and his followers. Boult takes nearly eight excruciating minutes to slog through his last (1979) Mars recording. The same argument holds for another frequently abused movement, Saturn, where some conductors approach an agonizing ten minutes, instead of the correct seven minutes or so, thus completely missing the "Funeral March" character of the movement (Steinberg is a touch slow here at 7:45, but still well within reason). All conductors should be required by law to listen to Holst's 1926 recording, once available on CD (Legacy 3-7018-2 H1), before being allowed to conduct The Planets. The abused critical catchword "definitive" actually applies to Holst's work here, in one of the greatest recordings ever made. Holst's own Jupiter is electrifying, the "big tune" a part of the jovial celebration, not the sentimental patriotic hymn it is so often made out to be. To sum up, Steinberg is the best available right now: very slightly slow here and there, but brilliantly played by a great orchestra, and as close to right as any you can buy at this moment. If you love the piece and want more, get Holst's and Goodman's recordings if you can somehow find them, but if you can't, or only want one, be happy to have Steinberg.

Quite simply: Outstanding!.......2005-04-06

A thrilling Zarathustra. A bouyant Planets. Others here have said it better than I. These are indeed "legendary performances". Beautifully remastered to CD, the analog recording is clean and clear and has wonderful presence. If you are reading these reviews to ascertain whether or not you should make this disc your next purchase, let me assure you, whether you are new to these works or whether you are well acquainted with them -- this is the one to buy.

I must mention the New England Conservatory Chorus closes out The Planets beautifully. Thanks to DGG/UMG for this fabulous disc!

The Best Of The Best.......2005-01-26

These 2 recordings are simply the best ones available, and it's due to the combination of a masterful conductor and a world-class orchestra in a superb hall with killer organ, and inspired interpretations. If only RCA or Mercury could have recorded these instead of DGG. Even with thin bass, overly close micing at times, and curiously distant micing at others, the performances survive as the best ever.
Much of the magic here is summed up in one word: tempos! Many have noted Steinberg's fast tempos in the Holst, often sighting Mars as particularly too fast. Well, they are plan wrong. The composer himself recorded this suite electrically in 1926. You think Steinberg's 46 minutes is fast? Holst gets through it in under 41! Now some have said the engineers rushed him so as to get the music to fit on the old 78 discs. That is totally false. Others have said he wasn't a good conductor. OK, ensemble sloppiness bears that out, but doesn't hold water when it comes to basic tempi. Holst marked Mars as "Allegro" which means, quite simply, "fast." At a timing of 6:18, Holst conducted it fast. He wanted it fast! Steinberg comes in at 6:34. In every other movement but Uranus, Steinberg is 0:30 to 0:70 slower than Holst, but still closely approximates the interpretations, and those interpretations are superb. Only in Uranus is Steinberg faster than Holst, but at 5:22, it's the tempo you're used to hearing, but with precision that's rarely matched, and an organ gliss that will blow you across the room!
Again, on the Strauss, the forward motion is always there, making Zarathustra as wonderfully unified as it can possibly be.
Bernstein and the 1962 Karajan [Vienna Phil] in the Planets have superior moments [especially Karajan's use of metal hammers on the chimes in Saturn as specified by Holst] and Reiner and Karajan also turn in superb Zarathustras, but here are both on one CD about as close to perfection as one can get and, I suspect, closest to the composer's intentions.

Underrated Strauss and one of the best Planets ever........2004-05-01

Among recommended recordings of Also Sprach Zarathrustra by Richard Strauss, this is one seldom mentioned. Before this recording, I listened to Tennstedt, Reiner (1964) and Karajan and only this recording blows me away. Listening it in my car, living room stereo, or even through my Discman, this recording is exciting. There is lush lyricism, massive voices and fiery passion, despite the speed of this recording that could turn off seasoned Straussians. The famous introduction has the best organ chord at the end, I think largely due to the accoustics of Boston Symphony Hall, one of the best in the world. The strings surprisingly has Viennese nuances and the highlight is Joseph Silverstein's solo performance, which is a delight to listen to and my favorite *concertmaster* violinist. The recording has sardonical wit and humor that all Zarathrustra recordings I hear lacked.

The Planets, no need to for me to add, is a reference performance, although "Jupiter" for me is too dry and lacked the excitement of Boult and Rattle has. Sadly there are too few of Steinberg's recordings with Boston Symphony and they're finished when Ozawa took over. Can James Levine bring them back to the former glory of kouzzevetsky, Munch or Steinberg?

One of the Finest Recordings Ever..........2004-04-01

The heyday of the Boston Symphony is recorded here in all of it's glory. A feverishly intense Also Sprach is simply electrifying. The tonal quality of this recording is excellent with great balances between sections. Of all of the American recordings ever made of Also Spach this is certainly the one to own...wind solos are beautifully phrased and paced..the orchestra Trumpets are splendid and Steinberg has a geniune idea of when blend is important and when musical ideas have to dominate.

Compared to the leisurely interpretation of Ormandy(boring!) you cannot only come up with superlatives for this disc!

The HOLST is done very well, without any agogic rubato or mannerisms, Steinberg certainly comes out a giant of a Conductor. His was a short tenure iin Boston unfortunately...It was not too be for too long , Steinberg passed away a few years after these landmark recordings.

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