Richard Strauss: Don Juan; Don Quixote

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
André Previn is a considerate conductor. He does not impose himself on Strauss, nor does he get in the way of the Vienna Philharmonic. Just as well, for no orchestra knows Strauss's music better than they. Unfortunately, neither of the accounts on the Telarc disc ranks as a first choice. While the playing is solid throughout Don Juan--except for the curdled top note in the climactic statement of the big horn tune--there is not enough tension in Previn's reading to generate sustained excitement. The conductor tends to let things sag in the lyrical pages and offers a genial but disengaged view of the score's more passionate moments. The soloist in Don Quixote is the VPO's own Franz Bartolomey, and it is he who seems to be leading the performance. Previn again takes a back seat, not so much shaping as assisting in a reading in which the Viennese are the real stars. Not surprisingly, their playing is impressive in its brilliance and tonal refinement, but that alone is not enough to compensate for a rather ordinary realization of the solo part. As fine a musician as Bartolomey is, one misses a real personality here. --Ted Libbey

Tracks:

Brandenbutg Concerto No.3 In G First Movement
Overture No.3 In D Second Movement
Violin Concerto In E First Movement
Prelude In C minor
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude (Chorus From Cantata No.147)
Overture No.2 In B minor Minuet And Badinerie
Oboe Concerto In D minor Second Movement
Brandenburg Concerto No.4 In G Third Movement
Musical Offering - Fuga canonica
Easter Oratorio - Overture
Minuet In D minor
Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, Vom Himmel herunter(From Choral Prelude BWV 650
Brandenburg Concerto No.1 In F Second Movement
Art Of The Fugue - Contrapunctus 9
Concerto For Flute, Violin, Harpsichord And Strings. Triple Concerto - Third Movement
Overture No.4 In D - Réjouissance
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Water Music - Alla Hornpipe
Xerxes - Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
Messiah - And The Glory Of The Lord
Concerto Grosso In A Minor, Op. 6, No. 4 - Larghetto Affettuoso
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 4 Allegro
Water Music - Air
Messiah - For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Concerto Grosso In B flat, Op. 3, No. 2 - Largo
Salomon - Sinfonia, Act 3
The Choice Of Hercules - While For Thy Arms
Water Music - Allegro (Suite No. 1)
Suite No. 5 In E - Air With Variations
Jephtha - How Dark, O Lord
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 5 Alla Siciliana - Presto
Mi Palpita Il Cor (Solo Cantata) S'un Di M'adora
Water Music - Andante Allegro Da Capo
Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra in E-flat: First Movement
Symphony No. 94 in G: Surprise Symphony-second movement
Concerto for Violin No. 2 in D: Third Movement
Flute Trio No. 31 in G: Second Movement
Symphony No. 31 in D: Hornsignal-First Movement
String Quartet No. 17 in F, Op. 3, no. 5: Serenade Quartet-Second Movement
Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra-Third Movement
Concerto for 2 Horns & Orchestra in E-flat: Second Movement
Symphony No. 88 in G: Fourth Movement
String Quartet No. 77 in C: Kaiser Quartet-Poco adagio cantabile
Notturno No. 1 in C: Second Movement
Symphony No. 98 in B: Londoner No. 4-Fourth Movement
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - first movement
Piano Concerto in A - second movement
Flute Concerto in D - Rondeau
Serenade - Minuet
Violin Concerto - first movement
Symphony No. 40 in G minor - first movement
Clarinet Concerto - second movement
Turkish March
Divertimento - Minuet
Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat - first movement
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67-First Movement
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, no. 2: Moonlight Sonata-First Movement
Overture
O welche Lust (Prisoners' Chorus)
Ha, welch ein Augenblick (Pizarros's Aria)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Second Movement
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 61: Third Movement
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13: Pathétique-Second Movement
Sympony No. 6 in F, Op. 68: Pastorale-First Movement
Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 80: Choral Fantasy - Finale
German Dance No. 1 In C
Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 In G-Flat
Heidenroslein
Ave Maria
Der Lindenbaum
Quintet In A 'Trout Quintet' - Andante
Mass No. 6 In E-Flat - Kyrie
Die Schone Mullerin Des Mullers Blumen
German Dance No. 2 In G
Piano Sonata In B-Flat
Nachtgesang Im Walde
Winterreise - No. 15: Die Krahe
German Mass - Zum Sanctus (Heilit, Heilig Ist Der Herr)
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished' - Second Movement
Waltz No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 18 Grande Valse brillante
Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, no. 2
Etude in G-flat, Op. 10, no. 5
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21-Second Movement
Mazurka in D minor, Op. 33, no. 2
Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28, no. 15 Raindrop
Etude in C, Op. 10, no. 1
Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, no. 2
Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 Fantasy Impromptu
Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35-Third Movement
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor - first movement 113.String Seranade - Waltz
Violin Concerto - second movement
The Sleeping Beauty - Waltz
Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Swan Lake - Waltz
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers
Orchestral Suite No. 4 - Mozartiana - Third Movement
Swan Lake - Dance of the Swans
Symphony No. 6 in B minor - Pathétique - Third Movement
Hungarian Dance No.5
Lullaby
Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in E-flat, Op.117, no. 1
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 77 - Third Movement
Waltz, Op. 39, no. 15
Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B-flat, Op. 83 - Second Movement
String Quintet in G, Op. 111 - Second Movement
Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76, no. 7
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
German Requiem Selig sind die Toten (Final Chorus)
Die Fledermaus - Overture
Kaiser Waltz, Op.437
Thunder And Lightning Polka, Op. 324
Roses From The South Waltz, Op. 388
AnnenPolka, Op. 117
Vienna Blood Waltz, Op. 354
Eljen A Magyar Polka, Op. 332
Wine, Women and Song Waltz, Op. 333
On The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 134
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg - Overture
Tannhauser - Die Pilger sind's (Pilgims' Chorus)
Tannhauser - O du mein holder Abendstern (Wolfram's Aria)
Lohengrin - Act 3 Prelude and Bridal Chorus
The Flying Dutchman - Jo-ho-he Traft ihr das Schiff (Senta's Ballad)
The Flying Dutchman - Steuermann, lass die Wacht (Sailors' Chorus)
Die Walkure - Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Aria)
Die Walkure - Ride of the Valkyries
Siegfried Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Schmiede mein Hammer (Siegfried's Forging Song)
Tristan und Isolde - Liebestod
Thus sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Don Juan, Op. 20
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64, I.Nacht
Don Quixote, Op.35, first movement: Introduction
Salome, Op. 54, Dance Of The Seven Veils
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59, Finale: Hab' mir's gelobt ihn lieb zu haben
Piano Concerto 2 In C minor, Op. 18 - First Movement
Vocalise, Op.34, No. 14
Prelude In G Sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G minor, Op. 40 - Third Movement
Symphony No. 2 In E minor, Op. 27 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 In F sharp minor, Op. 1 - Second Movement
Rhapsody, Op. 43 On A Theme By Paganini
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Liebestraum No.3 in A-flat
Piano Concerto No.1 in E-flat - third movement
Angelus
Mephisto Waltz No.1 (Dance in a Village Tavern)
Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H
Dante Symphony - Finale. - Purgatorio - Magnificat
Les Préludes
Boléro
Daphnis et Chloé first movement: Nocturne
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Shéhérazade - first movement: Asie
Ma Mère l'Oye - fourth movement: La Belle et la Bête
Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
La Valse
Slavic Dance No. 1 in C, Op. 46, no.1
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 'From the New World' - second movement
Humoresque, Op. 101
Slavic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, no. 8
Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 22 - second movement
Romance for Violin and Orchestra In F minor, Op. 11
Symphony No. 7 in D minor - third movement
Melodie (Songs My Mother Taught Me)
Carneval Overture, Op. 92
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104 - third movement
Symphony No.4 In A, Op. 90. Italian - First Movement
Frühlingslied In A, Op. 62, No. 6
Wedding March (From A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61)
Duetto In F, Op.30, No.6 (From Songs Without Words)
String Symphony No.9 In C. Schweitzer Symphony - Third Movement
Concerto For Violin, Piano And String Orchestra No. 1 In D minor - Second Movement
Symphony No.3 In A minor, Op.56 Scottish - Third Movement"
Notturno (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
String Symphony No. 12 In G minor - First Movement
Venetian Gondola Song In F Sharp minor, Op.30, No.6
Scherzo (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Violin Concerto In E minor, Op.64 - Third Movement
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - Morgenstimmung
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - I. Prelude. Allegro vivace
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - IV. Air. Andante religioso
Arietta, Op. 12, no. 1
Homage March from Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Solveig's Song
Wedding Day at Troldhauen, Op. 65, no. 6
The Last Spring, Op. 34, no. 2
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op 46 - Anitra's Dance
Nordic Melody Op. 63
Notturno, Op. 54, no. 4
Elegie, Op. 47, no. 5
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Arabic Dance
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - Allegro
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 97 - Rhenish - first movement
Traumerai (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
Mondnacht (from Eichendorff-Liederkreis, Op. 39)
Aufschwung (from Fantasietucke, Op. 12)
Triolett, Op. 114, no. 2
Tanzlied (No. 1 from Duets, Op. 78)
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 - second movement
Frühlingsgruss
Abschied (from Waldszenen Op. 82)
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 - Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Manfred Overture, Op. 115
Romance in F sharp, Op. 28, no. 2
Die Rose stand im Tau
Liebesgarten (from Four Duets, Op. 34)
Warum? (from Fantasiestucke, Op. 12)
Kennst du das Land, Op.79, no. 29 (from Lieder der Mignon, Op. 98a)
Von fremden Landern und Menschen (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)

Album Description

An extraordinary 20-CD collection of great works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, Dvorak, Grieg and Liszt. It also features worldrenowned artists such as Sir Neville Marriner, Martha Argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Hermann Prey, Reiner Goldberg, Sylvia Sass, Jochen Kowalski, Peter Schreler and many more. This exquisite, copper metallic, deluxe boxed set is the perfect gift for the classical music neophyte.

Customer Reviews:

Mill. Classical review.......2007-05-13

This is a great set of recordings for the money, the only problem was I've had to clean some of the CD's before they played correctly.

classical music for the unitiated.......2007-04-01

This set is a good way to start listening to classical music. It's very well produced and easy to listen to. I purchased it to use as part of my world history high school class. It would have been nice to have some bio information on the composers. However, the product is exactly as advertised and good value for the money. The students were intrigued by how many of the excerpts they had heard before.

Some little gems there that I had forgotten!.......2007-03-30

Although I studied classical music at school, I had all but forgotten it until I bought this set. I heard several tracks I haven't heard for over 30 years, and I had been humming Brahms's 'Hungarian Dance no. 5' for years without ever knowing what it was and it was on the disc, so that was nice.

I found it to be a very good selection overall, but I felt too much had already been heard on TV, which of course is what lots of newcomers to classical music might appreciate. I managed to find about 2 hours of tracks that I wanted to keep, which works out quite expensive per disc, but I did find some wonderful music I had completely forgotten about, so it was worth it. All in all, it represents good value, and I have only knocked one star off as so much of it had been used in adverts.

It is definitely a good introduction to classical music, and it has made me want to listen to more of it, so I don't regret this 'expensive' purchase one bit!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

A very helpful collection.......2007-03-24

I define this set as an excellent way to find out who you like, and who you don't, among 20 of the important composers. It opens the door to purchasing more complete pieces by composers you do like, and can save a lot of time and money in the process.
To criticize the set for not containing more composers, or more than just snippets of those who are in the set, is missing the point: it is a helpful introduction to finding your way in the huge maze of classical music. It succeeds admirably in this.
Sound quality is uniformly very good on an audiophile system.
Highly recommended.

Excellent!.......2007-03-08

A great way to start a classical music collection. It's nice to have a full CD of each composer. It makes it easy to keep track of selections/composers I already have and what composers I still need to puchase to complete my collection.

Average customer rating:

Strauss Presented... And Not Much Else
Very Good Reiner Conducting of Strauss Marred By Sound
Legendary control in good but dating sound
Another great Reiner/R. Strauss/Chicago recording!

Strauss: Don Quixote; Don Juan

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra; Ein Heldenleben
Respighi: Pines of Rome, etc
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7 / Reiner
Reiner Conducts Tchaikovsky
Strauss: Til Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks/Don Juan/Death And Transfiguration

ASIN: B000003FWS
Release Date: 1996-03-26

Tracks:

Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Introduction
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Theme: Don Quixote, The Knight Of The Sorrowful Contenance
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Sancho Panza
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 1 : The Adventure With The Windmills
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 2 : The Battle With The Sheep
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 3 : Dialogue Of Knight And Squire
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 4 : The Adventure With The Penitents
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 5 : The Knight's Vigil
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 6 : The False Dulcinea
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 7 : The Ride Through The Air
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 8 : The Adventure With The Enchanted Boat
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 9 : The Combat With The Two Magicians
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Variation 10 : The Defeat Of Don Quixote By The Knight Of The White Moon
Don Quixote, Op. 35 (Fantastic Variations On A Theme Of Knightly Character): Finale : The Death Of Don Quixote
Don Juan, Op. 20: Don Juan, Op 20

Amazon.com

The Don Juan is the blistering 1954 version as opposed to the well played but less inspired 1960 remake with the same performers. Fritz Reiner's earlier version sparkles with pointed and incisive section work, and richly hued yet razor-sharp tuttis. In Don Quixote, Antonio Janigro's steady, dependable portrayal of Cervantes's hero holds its own against more eloquent, imaginative soloists like Paul Tortelier and Mstislav Rostropovich. Reiner's forthright literalism, though, plays down the lighthearted, colorful scoring in the work's more descriptive, unbuttoned movements. If you're willing to shell out for multidisc sets, both Berlin and Dresden Tortelier/Kempe versions remain benchmarks. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Strauss Presented... And Not Much Else.......2004-06-29

This is a very good reading of both works. The music is played nearly to perfection, and it is all done in a masterful fashion. However, that's about it. One sits down, listens to this recording, hears the music, but that's it. It feels totally devoid of any emotion, and lacks the glittery and sometimes flashy Straussian sound. To me, Strauss is about a sort of fireworks and indulgence of the orchestra, yet at the same time giving deep meaning through the music. This recording almost seems too serious, as if it goes for the meaning but in the wrong way, and is more focused on playing everything right than trying to say anything. It gets 5 stars for orchestral playing, but 0 for interpretation - which is a matter of personal preference only. I'll give it 3 just since it's mostly a matter of me, but if you like your Richard Strauss more alive and akin to the recordings Strauss himself made, go for others.

Very Good Reiner Conducting of Strauss Marred By Sound.......2001-05-14

Unfortunately, the sound quality in these vintage recordings isn't quite up to the high standards achieved with Reiner's versions of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" and "Ein Heldenleben" recorded the same year. Yet this is a CD worth owning because of Reiner's fiery version of "Don Juan". The Chicago Symphony's strings and horns sound first rate. As for "Don Quixote", I don't find it as memorable as Karajan's or Previn's versions. It is well played, but lacks the textural richness and drama of Karajan's and Previn's readings.

Legendary control in good but dating sound.......1999-08-27

Reiner has a legendary reputation in Richard Strauss, and this disc certainly does nothing to distract from it. The 1959 performance of Don Quixote is quite masterly in its control, and has some graphic playing from the Chicago SO. My only reservation is that the reading is almost too controlled, and this extends to the soloists, including Janigro. Comparison with the Karajan/Fournier version of a few years later shows that the latter version has a greater since of spontaneity. The sound quality is good in this remastering, even though there is a degree of sponginess in the sound that betrays its age. My comments regarding spontaneity do not apply to Don Juan (1954), which is scintillating throughout (superb Chicago strings). Unfortunately, the recording here suffers from a touch of distortion at climaxes, strangely, as this is not a problem with the Zarathustra/Heldenleben coupling from earlier in the same year. I enjoyed this disc, although for Quixote I would turn first to the Karajan/Fournier version mentioned above.

Another great Reiner/R. Strauss/Chicago recording!.......1999-04-21

On this Living Stereo CD, Reiner gives his incomparable statements on the two Dons that Richard Strauss set to music in two of his best-known tone poems. Antonio Janigro provides great cello obligato accompaniment, in many ways more alert and every note clearly enunciated than on the well-known Szell/Fournier/Cleveland recording. Chicago Symphony Concertmaster John Weicher and first chair violist Milton Preves provide equal backing to Janigro's cello playing. While I can find nothing wrong with Janigro's musicianship, I cannot help but think that Reiner regretted not recording Don Quixote earlier (this was recorded in 1959) while he had Janos Starker as his first chair cellist. Apparently to Reiner's great disappointment, Starker had left Chicago the previous year to pursue an independent career and to teach at Indiana University. Reiner had the greatest confidence and respect for Starker, and out of this trust Reiner had developed for Starker while the two were together at the Metropolitan Opera, he brought Starker with him when he arrived at Chicago.

Tracks:

Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: I: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: II: Andante
Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: III: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: I: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: II: Andante con moto
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: III: Rondo (Allegro molto)
Oboe Concerto In D Major: I: Allegro moderato
Oboe Concerto In D Major: II: Andante
Oboe Concerto In D Major: III: Vivace
Duett-Concertino: I; Allegro moderato
Duett-Concertino: II: Andante
Duett-Concertino: III: Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)

Tracks:

Burleske
Parergon zur Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 73
Panathenaenzug, Op. 74

Tracks:

Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28
Don Juan, Op. 20
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Wife
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Certainty Of Victory
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Battlefield
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: War Fanfares
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Work Of Peace
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Withdrawl From The World
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Renunciation

Tracks:

Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: I: Allegro
Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: II: Lento
Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: III: Rondo
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Bewegt - Thema I - Thema II - Thema III
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Scherzo (Munter)
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Wiegenlied - Massig langsam
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Adagio - (Langsam)
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Finale (Sehr lebhaft)

Tracks:

Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Tod und Verklarung, Op. 24
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59

Tracks:

Salome, Op. 54: Dance Of The Seven Veils
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Overture
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Jourdain - Minuet
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Fencing Master
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entrance and Dance of the Tailors
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Minuet of Lully
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Courante
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entry Of Cleonte
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Intermezzo (Prelude To Act 2)
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Dinner
Schlagobers, Op. 70: Waltz
Josephslegende, Op. 63: Symphonic Fragment

Tracks:

Metamorphosen: Study For 23 Solo Strings
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunrise
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Ascent
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Entering The Forest
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Strolling By The Stream
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: By The Waterfall
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Apparition
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In Flowery Meadows
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In A Mountain Pasture
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Lost In The Thickets And Undergrowth
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Glacier
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Dangerous Moments
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Summit
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Vision
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Mists Rise Up
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Sun Grows Dark
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Elegy
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Quiet Before The Storm
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: A Thunderstorm - Descent
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunset
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Conclusion
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night

Tracks:

Aus Italien, Op.16: I: Andante
Aus Italien, Op.16: II: Allegro molto con brio
Aus Italien, Op.16: III: Andantino
Aus Italien, Op.16: IV: Finale (Allegro molto)
Macbeth, Op. 23: Symphonic Poem

Tracks:

Don Quixote, Op. 35: Introduktion (Massiges Zeitmass)
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Massig (Don Quixote)
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Maggiore (Sancho Panza)
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation I: The adventure with the windmills
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation II: The battle with the sheep
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation III: Discourse between knight and squire
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IV: The adventure with the pilgrims
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation V: The knight's vigil
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VI: The meeting with Dulcinea
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VII: The ride through the air
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VIII: The voyage in the enchanted boat
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IX: The combat with the two magicians
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation X: The defeat of Don Quixote
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Finale (Sehr ruhig)
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: I: Entree and stately round
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: II: Courante
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: III: Carillon
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: IV: Sarabande
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: V: Gavotte
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VI: Tourbillon - Wirbeltanz
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: Allemande
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: March

Amazon.com essential recording

When it comes to the music of Richard Strauss, none of the world's great orchestras has a more distinguished tradition than the Staatskapelle Dresden. As pit orchestra of the Dresden Court Opera, the Staatskapelle was involved in the premieres, between 1901 and 1911, of Feuersnot, Salome, Elektra, and Der Rosenkavalier; later, with Karl Böhm conducting, its players participated in the premiere of Daphne. Most of Strauss's major tone poems have been in the Dresden orchestra's concert repertory since completion.

Back in the 1970s, EMI was able to capitalize on this association when it reunited the Staatskapelle with Rudolf Kempe--a native of Dresden, one of the master conductors of the 20th century, and an absolutely authoritative Straussian--for an integral recording of Strauss's orchestral works and concertos. The cycle was warmly received when it was originally released on LP, and it has become one of the treasures of the CD catalog since EMI reissued it whole, in three volumes, in 1992. With this latest repackaging, the whole impressive enterprise becomes available in one box.

Across the board, Kempe and the Dresdeners give magnificent readings of the music. Their Zarathustra is imposing and grand; their Heldenleben suitably heroic and quite smashingly played; their Till Eulenspiegel and Don Juan delightfully brisk, characterful, and exultant (the latter is dispatched in a blazing 16:06, and receives as ardent and exhilarating a reading as you are ever likely to encounter on disc). One of the finest of all the offerings is the account of Eine Alpensinfonie, a Kempe favorite and still a sonic knockout after nearly three decades.

The less familiar orchestral works are here, as well, including the early tone poems Aus Italien and Macbeth and the admittedly rather frothy ballet scores Josephslegende and Schlagobers. Of special value are the accounts of all Strauss's concerted works, from the early Violin Concerto (played by Ulf Hoelscher) and Burleske for piano and orchestra (with Malcolm Frager as soloist), through Don Quixote (featuring Paul Tortelier in magisterial form) and the two horn concertos, to the Oboe Concerto of 1946 and the final Duett-Concertino for clarinet and bassoon.

It's hard to imagine any label tackling such a project in today's bottom-line environment, or coming up with such definitive readings from today's performers. All the more reason to celebrate the appearance of this compendium. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding performances.......2007-05-13

Rudolf Kempe's interpretations of Richard Strauss orchestral works (almost complete - one miss the orchestral songs) have been classic recordings since they first appeared on record in the early seventies (1970-75).

Especially fine are his interpretations of the core works, e.g., the symphonic poems Also sprach Zarathustra, Ein Heldenleben, Eine Alpensinfonie, Tod und Verklärung, Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel, Don Quixote. All these are given first rate interpretations.

Furthermore, you get outstanding interpretations of Strauss' two horn concertos as well, with Peter Damm's superb horn playing, and an outstanding performance of Metamorphosen.

There is simply no rival to this collection of "core works of Richard Strauss".

In addition, this box collects also Strauss less interesting orchestral works - see Amazon's listing above. These minor works receive fine interpretations and performances too, but the main attraction is of course the core works above.

Sound quality is very fine - just excellent analogue stereo - and the orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, was one of the top orchestras in the world when these sessions were put on record.

Warmly recommended!

Reviving a Lost Love.......2006-08-07

The highest praise for any conductor must be that he rekindles enthusiasm and love for music that had been recently abandoned. In his autobiography, the conductor Felix Weingartner confesses that he had grown out of touch with Strauss' music; until hearing this set, I had felt the same, with only a few exceptions. But Rudolf Kempe and his really great Staatskapelle Dresden have won me back to Richard's orchestral music. So far, I have only heard part of the set: Zarathustra, Heldenleben, Till, Tod und Verklaerung, Der Buerger als Edelmann, Don Juan, Burleske, and Sinfonia Domestica, but my appetite is whet for more. Because of the refined, subtle, and yet intense conducting of Kempe, what used to strike me as cheap and taudry now strikes me as profound and moving. And the sheer musical skill of Strauss in thematic invention and counterpoint never ceases to amaze. Kempe was truly, in my not so humble opinion, the greatest conductor of the German classics following Furtwaengler; Karajan was empty and shallow by comparison. Kempe brings to this music the same passion and dignity that he brought to Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, Schumann, and other of "his" composers. To make just one comparison, Reiner's Zarathustra, once hallowed by me as by most listeners, now sounds like overripe, rotting fruit as compared to the passionate yet thoughtful quality that Kempe brings to it. The Staatskapelle Dresden, by the way, sounds like the greatest orchestra in the world, only matched by the Berlin Philharmonic under Kempe or Furtwaengler, an orchestra that produces incidentally beautiful sounds but whose main goal is the projection and characterization of the music. No virtuosity for its own sake, just musicianship, musicianship, and more musicianship. EMI's sound is the very epitome of how to record an orchestra: Impactful, yet smooth and detailed, with natural perspectives and no spotlighting. This set belongs in every music lover's library.

Not for beginners..........2006-07-16

Most boxed sets have their ups and downs because no conductor is equally sympathetic to all of a composer's works. Kempe is no exception to this rule.

The masterpieces, Zarathustra, Heldenleben, and Quixote, are superb here. Kempe clarifies Strauss' complex textures in a way that other conductors like Karajan don't. Most of the time, I prefer to hear these works Karajan's way, but it's nice to hear what Kempe does with them, too. No one does Sinfonia Domestica the way Kempe does it...with such gentleness and humor. I listened to Reiner's recording for years, but I put it up for sale on amazon after I heard the Kempe. With all four of these large tone poems, Kempe and Karajan are all I really need.

The Don Juan is just about the best I've ever heard. It is so vital and exciting! Better than Karajan or any other I know. It is hard to imagine that Macbeth will ever be done better than this either. Macbeth is one of the reasons I own this set, but it's hardly one of Strauss' masterpieces. Speaking of non-masterpieces, I also treasure Kempe's recordings of Strauss' strange works for piano and orchestra. The Burleske has more poetry but less excitement than the classic Byron Janis/Reiner recording.

Kempe's recordings of the Horn Concertos are truly awful. Listen to the weak, watery tones of the first-chair horn player stepping into the solo spotlight. One listen to the mono recordings of Dennis Brain conducted by Sawallisch shows what is missing: bold, ringing tone and lots of excitement. If I only knew Kempe's recordings, I wouldn't even care about these pieces.

The bad news continues with the Oboe Concerto (weak oboist) and the charming Duet Concertino (weak bassoon).

Kempe misses the raucous fun that charges the best recordings of Till Eulenspiegel. This is a limp dishrag of a performance (until the last few minutes). At the very start of the performance, you will hear a familiar sound -- our weak horn player from the concertos playing a solo -- and you will long to stop the CD and reach for a different recording.

Metamorphosen is one of my favorite pieces by Strauss. Kempe, as is his wont, tries mightily to clarify Strauss' dense counterpoint here, and I appreciate the effort. I hear things here that I miss in other recordings. But this reading does not move me the way others have. Ormandy, to name just one. Death and Transfiguration is another one that Ormandy did better. Kempe is too fast at times! Really fast!

My greatest disappointment with this set is a recording that has been acclaimed by many as one of the greatest Strauss recordings ever made...Kempe's take on Eine Alpensinfonie. I have lived for many years with the Karajan recording, and I must say that Kempe misses many of the moments that I have come to treasure in Karajan's version. One example would be those 20 horns playing! Karajan makes this absolutely thrilling, which I'm sure is what Strauss intended. With Kempe, this telling touch by Strauss passes by unremarkably. The slow, quiet passage at the summit lacks magic. The apotheosis at the top of the mountain is certainly thrilling in Kempe's hands, but he misses too much on the way up. By the way, his cowbells sound almost comically bad. He certainly does bring out the beauty of the closing sections of the work, though.

If you are really serious about getting to know Strauss' music, this is a necessary purchase for the rarities that will probably never be done better like the Violin Concerto and the pieces I've already mentioned. If you just want Strauss' most famous works, this is a waste of your money (no matter how cheap it is!)because there's a lot of stuff here that either isn't very good or that you probably won't want to listen to that often. You would be better off buying Karajan's recordings (the 1970s recordings, not the remakes from the 80s) of the big three tone poems and then filling in the smaller ones as your interests dictate. Casual listeners will never need to hear pieces like Macbeth or the piano works that make this set so vital to Strauss-aholics like me!

One of the very best of all EMI sets! The 2nd coming for all Straussians!.......2006-02-10

The great Strauss tone poems soar to the highest level imaginable! With Kempe's genius, the lesser works become great! Kempe resists all temptation to be banal or bombastic. He directs the Staatskappele Dresden with a silken, burnished tone yet with restraint that has a radiant glow that never sacrifices the inherent capacity of the music to thrill, deeply move, or elevate to another plain. Each work played is in itself the guide: conductor and orchestra let the works deliver their own brilliance. The Don Juan and Dead and Transfiguration are soul piercing, along with Ein Heldenleben, and....... The Staatskapelle Dresden has always been an inspired ensemble and in Kempe's hands they are simply put, magnificent, delivering one thrilling performance after another. Like Wagner and Faith, you get Strauss or you don't. If you do get it, this set is beyond self recommendation; Buy this set before it disappears from the shelves. Classical Cd shelves these days have hidden boomerangs. One minute here, next minute.....boing going gone)...! The concert hall may never hear greater performances of Strauss' orchestral works as we hear on these nine disks. The sound is nothing short of a rich, full timber as Kempe leads then with inspired and interpretive genius . This all may sound over the edge but I don't think so and I don't think you will be disappointed. Strauss has been served in splendor by the Dresden musicians under Kempe's baton. [Although in an aside I must say that Raphael Fruhbeck de Burgos and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra's performance this past summer of Don Juan and the Rosenkavalier suite were superb.] Then I think of the BSO with Levine...., their Strauss should be something else. Bravo and kudos to all for bringing us this gift. Booklet is very well done with one exception. There is not a word in the booklet about Rudolf Kempe and/or the orchestra itself. 10 stars anyway!!

terrible, awful, hideous, lousy.......2005-04-22

The problem with the "classics" is that too many hacks have hacked them to pieces. My opinion of these recordings, for whatever it is worth, is that they simply do not do justice to Strauss's magnificent music.

There is a reason they are a "bargain". I would avoid this set.
Sometimes a boxed set is a good deal, but this one is not. I find the entire set unspeakably dull and literally unlistenable.

In any event, this is merely my opinion. The majority of the other reviewers think its terrific.

Average customer rating:

How to win a job

Orchestral Excerpts for Cello

Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Orchestra Excerpts for Viola
Orchestral Excerpts for Violin

ASIN: B0000038KY
Release Date: 1998-01-27

Tracks:

William Tell Ov
Sym No.1
Sym No.2
Pno Con
Don Juan
Ein Heldenleben
Don Quixote
Sym No.2
Enigma Vars
Sym No.5
Sym No. 8
La Mer
Requiem (Offertorio)
Marriage of Figaro Ov
Syms No.40 & No.35
Midsummer Nights Dream
Sym No.4
Sym No.4
Sym No.6
Sym No.5

Customer Reviews:

How to win a job.......2006-06-12

Leonard does a wonderful job introducing each excerpt by describing common mistakes made on each piece in auditions and how to avoid them. Also gives advice on tempos, bowings, and fingerings. A wonderful resource, even for noncellists. I'm a bassist and have found many helpful hints to fix problems. A must have for any cellist or bassist hoping to give better auditions and even play better in an orchestra on these common excerpts.

Average customer rating:

Orchestra Excerpts for Viola

Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Orchestral Excerpts for Viola, with written and spoken commentary
Orchestral Excerpts for Cello
Orchestral Excerpts for Violin
William Primrose: Viola Transcriptions
Romances & Elegies for Viola & Piano

ASIN: B0000038L5
Release Date: 1998-01-27

Tracks:

Intro
Don Quixote
Hary Janos
Concert Variations
Daphnis et Chloe, Ste No. 2
Midsummer Nights Dream
Peter Grimes
Tchaikovsky: Sym No. 6
Sym No. 5
Roman Carnival Ov
Don Juan
Tallis Variations
Sym No. 35
Sym No. 4
Haydn Vars
Sym No. 10
Peer Gynt
Sym No. 5
Mother Goose
Romanian Rhap No. 1
Romanian Rhap No. 2

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To Previn or not to Previn?
Mostly Essential R. Strauss

The Essential Richard Strauss

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003D1V
Release Date: 1995-06-20

Tracks:

Don Juan, Op.20 - Rainer Kuchl
Introduction/Variation I/Variation II/Variation III/Variation IV/Variation V/Variation VI/Variation VI/Variation VII/Variation VIII/Variation IX/Variation X/Finale - Rainer Kuchl

Tracks:

Introduction/Of The Dwellers In The World Beyond/Of The Great Yearning/Of Joys And Passions/Funeral Song/Of Science/The Convalescent/Dance Song/Sight Wanderer's Song
Largo/Allegro Molto Agitato/Meno Mosso/Etwas Breiter/Appassionato/Tempo 1. Sehr Breit/Tempo Der Einleitung/Allegro, Molto Agitato/Moderato/Tranquillo - Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

Nacht/Sonnenaufgang/Der Aufstieg/Eintritt In Den Wald/Wanderung Neben Dem Bache/Am Wasserfall/Erscheinung/Auf Blumigen Wiesen/Auf Der Alm/Durch Dickicht Und Gestrupp Auf Irrwegen/Auf Dem Gletscher/Gefahrvolle Augenblicke/Auf Dem Gipfel/Vision/Nebel....

Tracks:

A Hero's Life: The Hero/The Hero's Adversaries/The Hero's Helpmate/The Hero's Battlefield/The Hero's Works Of Peace/The Hero's Retreat From The World And Fulfillment
Fruhling (Hesse)
September (Hesse)
Beim Schlafengehen (Hesse)
Im Abendrot (Eichendorff)

Customer Reviews:

To Previn or not to Previn?.......2005-10-18

The attraction here is twofold: the magnificent Vienna Philharmonic and the equally magnificent Telarc sound. If both appeal to you so much that you don't need to worry about Previn's conducting, this set is self-recommending. But there are many great recordings of all these Strauss tone poems, along with the Four Last Songs, and therefore the question of whether to buy them in a box set under Andre Previn will be important to many listeners.

Let me give a thumbnail for each work:

Also Sprach Zarathustra (1987): Nobody ever labelled Previn a volatile conductor, and here he is at his most comfortable and middle-of-the-road (his overall timing is almost 35 min. compared to Reiner's 32 min. with the Chicago Sym. on RCA). There are no startling thwacks on the timpani, searing trumpets or ear-floodig organ in the famous opening. Previn quickly finds fairly slow tempos and a relaxed sense of phrasing that diminishes the impact of this work quite a bit. On the other hand, the orchestra is to the manner born in Strauss, and the sonics are big and natural. To find a competitive version of Zarathustra with Vienna, one would have to go back to the Karajan performance on Decca/London from 1959--probably his greatest Strauss CD.

Coupled with he Zarathustra is a fairly lusty Death and Transfiguration (1987)that has a few patches of slack phrasing but is on the whole quite good.

Alpine Symphony (1989): Probably the very best thing in the whole set, this performance is caught in even better sound, more detailed than the Zarathustra. Previn isn't as stirring as Karajan with Berlin (DG) or Blomstedt with San Francisco (Decca), and he doesn't have a great feeling for mountain atmopshere, but in this case the playing by the Vienna Phil. is so glorious that simply staying out of their way, as Previn does, makes for a thrilling musical experience. Karajan excels in this work as an interpreter but is plagued with shrill early digital sound that is improved on the latest reissue by DG without becoming beautiful, as the sound for Previn certainly is.

Ein Heldenleben (1988): The story is getting familiar by now. This is a large-scaled, gorgeously played reading, with Previn supplying a generalized approach. Still, he avoids bombast, and this potentially embarrassing bit of self-glorfication on Struass's part sounds like real music. Previn takes 46 min., in line with Karajan, but of course Karajan finds much more to say.

The coupling is a lovely Four Last Songs with Arleen Auger in radiant voice. Her light lyric soptano probably wouldn't carry over the orchestra in a live setting, unlike Jessye Norman or Kirsten Flagstad, who premiered the work. On a CD that's no problem, and Auger is considerably more human than Janowitz for Karajan and less self-conscious than Renee Fleming. There are lots of great versions of this sublime song cycle; hers is one of the most natural and appealing. Previn takes his time compared to Ackermann or Szell in the two classic Schwarzkopf recordings for EMI, and the engineers sometimes swamp the singer, making it hard to udnerstand her words. But Auger isn't paying that much attention to the poetry anyway, just to producing gorgeous, sensitive sounds. Overall, this CD is almost as satisfying as the one with the Alpine Symphony.

Don Quixote (1990): It's refreshing when conductors pull their cello and viola soloists from the orchestra for this work rather than importing a celebrity cellist who inevitably uses the part of Don Quixote as a personal showpiece. The Vienna Phil., needless to say, is gifted with first-desk musicians who embody every ounce of Viennese style. That's certainly true here. The unanimity between soloists and orchestra is remarkable, and even though Previn makes a warm bath of the accompaniment and misses a lot of Strauss's scene painting, this Don Quixote emerges with genuine feeling, from wistful to satiric, ending in sweet melancholy. If you don't need excitment in this work, Previn's aproach is satisfying.

The coupling here is Don Juan, which starts off terrifically but lapses into Previn's familiar easy-going phrasing and lack of dramatic tension. I would rate this CD behind the Alpine Symphony and Heldenleben. There are much more dynamic readings of both pieces to be had, especially from Karajan, Szell, and Reiner.

I hope this overview wasn't an exercise in futility--Previn doesn't reveal any major triumphs or failures here, and the orchestra and sonics don't change much from year to year. As a Strauss conductor in the mid-price range, Previn is nowhere as bland as Ormandy or Sawallisch, and I prefer him to the brusque Karl Bohm. On the other hand, Haitink is excellent in Strauss, far more imaginative than Previn, and he's given excellent sound by Philips--he's a very good direct competitor if you don't demand the Vienna Phil. In terms of having the best readings all around, Karajan is sitll my favorite by quite a bit, but Telarc's set has its own virtues.

Mostly Essential R. Strauss.......2000-02-19

With the exception of a few other "must have" orchestral pieces, this box set does represent the essential Richard Strauss---as far as orchestral music goes. I wish that Metamorphosis was on this set. Regardless, this box set is a fine set of recordings. Previn is considered by many critics to be one of the best living R. Strauss interpreters. Teamed up with the Vienna Philharmonic, great performances are produced. Listening to Don Juan, it is detectable that he takes the piece a little faster than Herbert von Karajan, but the results are incredible. In this set, Arlene Auger sings the four last songs. I have to wonder if this is her best performance. Her voice is perfect for these songs. Subtle, sublime, full of passion and feeling, and great control. These are the true highlights of the package but by no means the only thing great. It is a highly recommendable compilation. The performances are great, and the sounds is spectacular. All recorded in digital Telarc sound, this set is a welcome addition to anyone's R. Strauss collection.

Average customer rating:

Strauss' two Dons

Richard Strauss: Don Juan; Don Quixote

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Strauss: Ein Heldenleben - Four Last Songs / Auger, Previn
Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie
Richard Strauss : Also Sprach Zarathustra / Previn, Vienna PO
Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra; Ein Heldenleben

ASIN: B000003CXB
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

Don Juan, Op.20
Don Quixote, Op.35

Amazon.com

André Previn is a considerate conductor. He does not impose himself on Strauss, nor does he get in the way of the Vienna Philharmonic. Just as well, for no orchestra knows Strauss's music better than they. Unfortunately, neither of the accounts on the Telarc disc ranks as a first choice. While the playing is solid throughout Don Juan--except for the curdled top note in the climactic statement of the big horn tune--there is not enough tension in Previn's reading to generate sustained excitement. The conductor tends to let things sag in the lyrical pages and offers a genial but disengaged view of the score's more passionate moments. The soloist in Don Quixote is the VPO's own Franz Bartolomey, and it is he who seems to be leading the performance. Previn again takes a back seat, not so much shaping as assisting in a reading in which the Viennese are the real stars. Not surprisingly, their playing is impressive in its brilliance and tonal refinement, but that alone is not enough to compensate for a rather ordinary realization of the solo part. As fine a musician as Bartolomey is, one misses a real personality here. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Strauss' two Dons.......2007-03-13

I have to part company with Amazon's "official" reviewer for this CD, at least when it comes to the main work on this disc. Previn and his orchestral soloists produce a "Don Quixote" that is less a showpiece for a superstar cellist and more of a cogently argued symphonic poem. This approach allows one to hear the work as a whole, rather than as a cello concerto, and Previn (and the two soloists) astutely observe nuances that often are glossed over. In its way, it's as fine a performance as the Fournier/Karajan or Tortelier/Kempe, and the playing and Telarc's recorded sound are both detailed and lush. On the other hand, the coupling of "Don Juan" is as unexceptional as "Don Quixote" is exceptional, Previn generating rather low voltage and the famous Vienna brass sounding as though they're having an off day. If you prefer a more evenly-matched coupling of the two "Dons," Reiner (on RCA) and Szell (on Sony) can be recommended with enthusiasm, although the sound is a bit dated in either of these early-stereo reissues.

Average customer rating:

Richard Strauss: Symphonic Poems

Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004SCXX
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche, Op. 28
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Der Held
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Des Helden Widersacher
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Des Helden Gefahrtin
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Des Helden Walstatt
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Des Helden Friedenswerke
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Des Helden Weltflucht und Vollendung

Tracks:

Don Quixote, Op. 35: Thema
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation I
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation II
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation III
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IV
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation V
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VI
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VII
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VIII
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IX
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation X
Don Juan, Op. 20

Average customer rating:

Reiner's Pittsburgh Strauss: A Missing Chapter, Restored

Fritz Reiner Conducts Richard Strauss

Manufacturer: Biddulph Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004YS4G
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Tracks:

Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero - Hugo Kolberg
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Opponents - Hugo Kolberg
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Companion - Hugo Kolberg
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Deeds Of War - Hugo Kolberg
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Deeds Of Peace - Hugo Kolberg
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Flight From The World And The Fulfilment Of His Life - Hugo Kolberg
Der Burger als Edelmann, Op. 60: Overture - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Der Burger als Edelmann, Op. 60: Minuet - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Der Burger als Edelmann, Op. 60: The Fencing Master - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Der Burger als Edelmann, Op. 60: Entrance And Dance Of The Tailors - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Der Burger als Edelmann, Op. 60: Minuet Of Lully - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Der Burger als Edelmann, Op. 60: Courante - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Der Burger als Edelmann, Op. 60: Entrance Of Cleonte (After Lully) - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Der Burger als Edelmann, Op. 60: Intermezzo (Count And Marquise) - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Der Burger als Edelmann, Op. 60: Dinner Music And Dance Of The Kitchen Maids - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

Don Juan, Op. 20 - Henri Temianka
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Introduction - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Don Quixote - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Sancho Panza - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation I - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation II - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation III - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IV - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation V - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VI - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VII - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VIII - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IX - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation X - Gregor Piatigorsky
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Finale - Gregor Piatigorsky
Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen: I: Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht - Carol Brice
Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen: II: Ging heut Morgen uber's Feld - Carol Brice
Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen: III: Ich hab' ein gluhend Messer - Carol Brice
Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen: IV: Die zwei blauen Augen - Carol Brice

Customer Reviews:

Reiner's Pittsburgh Strauss: A Missing Chapter, Restored.......2004-10-06

As everyone knows, Fritz Reiner was one of Strauss's most trusted collegues and interpreters, and actually worked with Strauss, in Dresden, from 1914 to 1921. Reiner had been in Pittsburgh for over two years when he made his first Strauss recording: the DON JUAN of January 1941. Nearly world-class playing, and the sound quality is amazingly good, coming as it does from Columbia 78s...After the final, orgiastic climax (which is none-the-less passionate for being so precisely executed), there follows a spooky pause of 7 seconds (14:51 to
14:58), capped by the dying dissolution of the Don. In spite of their excellence and sonic splendor, neither of Reiner's Chicago stereo remakes of 1954 or 1960 could quite recapture this...It's downright ontological...One of the GREAT Don Juans.

The DON QUIOXTE of November 1941 is next, with Gregor Piatigorsky's superlative solo cello. Now, war-time Columbia 78 pressings are notorious for their noisiness...And, of course, by the time this DQ was released, we were at war. The miracle is that the transferring work of Rick Torres is so good that, even with a higher "noise-floor" than with the other Strauss items in this set, you still hear all those crisply-minted textures, and need not apply "imagination" to fill in any acoustical "holes." The interpretation is equally as great as Reiner's 1959 Chicago stereo remake. There may be just a tad more spontaneity here, even if the "Windmill" episode seems, when compared to the '59, a bit "rushed" (to fit this passage onto one 78 side?). Still, Reiner makes it seem musically LOGICAL, even inevitable.

The BURGER ALS EDELMANN Suite (February 1946) is Reiner's only complete one, with great feeling for satire and superbly transferred sound - even if some of the woodwind playing, in the 4th thru 7th movements, is enough to give one pause (Reiner deleted the 5th & 6th movements in his 1956 Chicago stereo remake).

The HELDENLEBEN of November 1947 (Reiner's final recording in Pittsburgh) is as passionate as it is articulate, making the most "music" possible out of the Battle episode, and lacks nothing in pathos when we come to the Finale. Still, Reiner's Chicago stereo remake of 1954 has the edge, sonically and musically.

At some point, SONY may release pristine transfers from the original lacquer masters (as may have been done with DON QUIOXTE, before SONY axed its Masterworks Heritage project a few years back; because a Masterworks Heritage "sampler" has this DON QUIOXTE's Finale, in newly refurbished sound). But until that elusive time (and I wouldn't hold my breath), these are the best transfers we are likely to ever have of a valuable chapter in the recorded history of Richard Strauss, of Fritz Reiner's stupendous art, and of North American orchestral performance.

Average customer rating:

Superb performances, variable sound

Strauss Conducts Strauss

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E4IJ
Release Date: 1991-03-08

Customer Reviews:

Superb performances, variable sound.......2004-08-18

These incredibly valuable recordings not only document Richard Strauss' excellence as a conductor, but also reveal some of the ways in which he wanted his music to sound. Strauss, like Toscanini, Walter, Bohm, Reiner and Mengelberg, favored steady tempi and clarity of sound, which is one of several reasons why Strauss admired their conducting as much as they admired him.

The problem here is the very variable sound quality of these archival recordings. "Till Eulenspiegel" is a little thin-sounding, but clear; "Don Juan" is very very dull and boxy; and the "Salome" dances are a bit gritty. Nevertheless, we get a very clear picture of Strauss' tempi and phrasing, and his performances of "Till," "Tod und Verklarung" and especially "Don Quixote" are the very best I have ever heard of these works, the Italian cellist Enrico Mainardi playing extremely well in the latter.

Very highly recommended, then, for what Strauss has to tell us about his music. It's only a shame that they didn't include his own recording of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" as well!

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

All for Believing [EP]

Gerber: Sinfonietta No2; Scenes