Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Tod und Verklärung

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
Nimble Mobility, Fineness of Accentuation, Clarity in Polyphonic Textures and a Lyricism which Steers Clear of Emotionalism Characterize Zinman'svision of Richard Strauss's Orchestral Works. As Required, Strauss's Arches of Melody Surge Forwards, Swell Or Soar to the Heights. An Excellentrecording.

Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Tod und Verklärung, Music, Richard Strauss, David Zinman, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, Primoz Novsak, Classical, Classical Composers, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Romantic Tone Poem/Symphonic Poem for Orchestra
Strauss: Tone Poems
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • first-rate interpretations, second-rate recorded sound
  • Not worth it!!!!!!!
  • Wonderful Interpretation throughout.
 Strauss: Tone Poems

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Schubert: 8 Symphonies
  2. Schumann Piano Works
  3. Schumann: The Four Symphonies; Genoveva & Manfred Overtures
  4. Strauss: Salome
  5. Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures

ASIN: B00002DF9N
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

  1. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Night - Sunrise - Berliner Philharmoniker
  2. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: The Ascent - Berliner Philharmoniker
  3. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Entering The Wood - Berliner Philharmoniker
  4. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Wandering By The Brook - By The Waterfall - Apparition - Berliner Philharmoniker
  5. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Flowery Meadows - On The Mountain Pasture - On The Wrong Track Through Thickets And Undergrowth - On The Glacier - Berliner Philharmoniker
  6. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Precarious moments - On The Summit - Vision - Berliner Philharmoniker
  7. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Rising Mists - The Sun Gradually Dims - Elegy - Berliner Philharmoniker
  8. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Calm Before The Storm - Berliner Philharmoniker
  9. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Thunderstorm, Descent - Berliner Philharmoniker
  10. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Sunset - Berliner Philharmoniker
  11. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Epilogue - Night - Berliner Philharmoniker
  12. Don Juan, Op.20: Tone Poem After Nikolaus Lenau - Berliner Philharmoniker
  13. Waltzes From Act III - Berliner Philharmoniker

Tracks:

  1. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Introduction - Michel Schwalbe
  2. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of The Backworldsmen - Michel Schwalbe
  3. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of The Great Longing - Michel Schwalbe
  4. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of Joys And Passions - Michel Schwalbe
  5. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: The Song Of The Grave - Michel Schwalbe
  6. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of Science - Michel Schwalbe
  7. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: The Convalescent - Michel Schwalbe
  8. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: The Dance Song - Michel Schwalbe
  9. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Song Of The Night Wanderer - Michel Schwalbe
  10. Festival Prelude, Op.61 - Wolfgang Meyer
  11. Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, Op.28 - Berliner Philharmoniker
  12. Salome, Op.54: Dance Of The Seven Veils - Berliner Philharmoniker

Tracks:

  1. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero - Erich Muhlbach
  2. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Adversaries - Erich Muhlbach
  3. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Companion - Erich Muhlbach
  4. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Battlefield - Erich Muhlbach
  5. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Works Of Peace - Erich Muhlbach
  6. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Retirement From The World And Fulfilment - Erich Muhlbach
  7. Death And Transfiguration, Op.24 - Staatskapelle Dresden

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars first-rate interpretations, second-rate recorded sound.......2006-07-30

What admirable interpretations from Böhm! He breathes so much character into each of the musical "paragraphs" in these readings. Each theme is given its own distinct tempo, chosen with exceptional judgement to emphasize its idiosyncracies and expressive character; and Böhm can turn his orchestra on a dime when a good deal of contrast is called for between the end of one paragraph and beginning of the next. There's also enourmous dynamic range and contrast, form the softest pianissimi to thundering fortissimi. These are readings that really bring out the broad ebb and flow of these long pieces, emphasizing the structure, the architecture of them. They're really fantastic.

Do be warned, though, that the recorded sound is very dated: generally it's rather one-dimensional and the resolution is not very high, so that you mostly hear only the most prominent voices of the ensemble at any given time. It's at its worst in the Alpine Symphony, which sounds like a scratchy, screechy 1930's film soundtrack. In the rest of the pieces it ranges from good to serviceable; but if there's any repertoire that really benefits from today's high-fidelity recording technology, massive post-Romantic orchestral scores like these are certainly a front-runner. Buy this set for the marvellous interpretations, but you'll want to explore other, better-recorded readings as well to really hear the full depth and resonance of the orchestral sound.

2 out of 5 stars Not worth it!!!!!!!.......2006-07-19

This seems like a great deal with the amount of material and the price, but the truth is "cheap price, cheap recordings" . I highly suggest if you want to get the most of Richard Strauss's tone poems you should buy different recordings. The main thing I was disappointed with on this box set was the recording of An Alpine Symphony. The recording of the alpine symphony was too old and weak, sloppy and loud (only at times),and just ok overall. The alpine symphony is on the first cd so I after I listened to that, I had a bad attitude about the rest of it. Even though, all of the other recordings are pretty good or ok.

Personally, I would suggest Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic when it comes to Richard Strauss's tone poems.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful Interpretation throughout........2006-01-01

This collection is a wonderful package in that it brings together one of Strauss's life friends and largest advocates (Karl Bohm) with two incredible GERMAN orchestras playing their own nationalistic music.

These recordings rank among my most cherished and loved. Highlights (for me) include the climax of sunrise in the Alpine Symphony, the huge reverberations as the massive sound of the fff chords carry over into silence in Heldenleben, and the wicked-crazy horns as they rip through the Waltz from Rosenkavalier.

These are prime interpretations (better, I feel than any other -- and I mean ANY - sorry Karajan fans!!!). And these two wonderful forces play their musical heritage with passion and brilliance.

As another reviewer pointed out, the sound quality leaves something to be desired, however it is not quite as bad as they would have us believe. What we first must take into account is that Strauss' huge tone poems put enormous demands on the recording equipment of its day that could not be met. Also, Bohm was stressed above all else that "the melody be prominent". Yes - as a result the recording really kicks out the melody line.

Okay - take that into account and listen to these with some imagination. I assure you that you will be able to hear the detail of Strauss' music - but more importantly the style and idea of it. Listen like you would look at a black and white photo. While the B&W leaves more for your imagination, you still "get the picture" - and sometimes the B&W reveales more! It's exactly the same with this incredible box of Strauss.

The interpretation is absolutely stunning and revealing. Bohm nailed this on the head and truly captured the essence of this music. I feel this is a wonderful place for you to start if you know little Strauss - and if you know much about Strauss, this is a great place for you to hear a different, but seemingly perfect interpretation of Strauss.
Strauss: Orchestral Works
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Outstanding performances
  • Reviving a Lost Love
  • Not for beginners...
  • One of the very best of all EMI sets! The 2nd coming for all Straussians!
  • terrible, awful, hideous, lousy
 Strauss: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
  2. Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies
  3. Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies & Tone Poems
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  5. Symphonies 1-3 / Piano Concerto 1-4 / Isle of Dead

ASIN: B000026D4K
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

  1. Burleske
  2. Parergon zur Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 73
  3. Panathenaenzug, Op. 74

Tracks:

  1. Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28
  2. Don Juan, Op. 20
  3. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero
  4. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
  5. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Wife
  6. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Certainty Of Victory
  7. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Battlefield
  8. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: War Fanfares
  9. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Work Of Peace
  10. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Withdrawl From The World
  11. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Renunciation

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

  1. Metamorphosen: Study For 23 Solo Strings
  2. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night
  3. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunrise
  4. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Ascent
  5. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Entering The Forest
  6. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Strolling By The Stream
  7. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: By The Waterfall
  8. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Apparition
  9. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In Flowery Meadows
  10. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In A Mountain Pasture
  11. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Lost In The Thickets And Undergrowth
  12. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Glacier
  13. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Dangerous Moments
  14. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Summit
  15. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Vision
  16. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Mists Rise Up
  17. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Sun Grows Dark
  18. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Elegy
  19. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Quiet Before The Storm
  20. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: A Thunderstorm - Descent
  21. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunset
  22. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Conclusion
  23. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

  1. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Introduktion (Massiges Zeitmass)
  2. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Massig (Don Quixote)
  3. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Maggiore (Sancho Panza)
  4. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation I: The adventure with the windmills
  5. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation II: The battle with the sheep
  6. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation III: Discourse between knight and squire
  7. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IV: The adventure with the pilgrims
  8. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation V: The knight's vigil
  9. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VI: The meeting with Dulcinea
  10. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VII: The ride through the air
  11. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VIII: The voyage in the enchanted boat
  12. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IX: The combat with the two magicians
  13. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation X: The defeat of Don Quixote
  14. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Finale (Sehr ruhig)
  15. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: I: Entree and stately round
  16. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: II: Courante
  17. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: III: Carillon
  18. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: IV: Sarabande
  19. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: V: Gavotte
  20. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VI: Tourbillon - Wirbeltanz
  21. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: Allemande
  22. 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:

5 out of 5 stars 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!

5 out of 5 stars 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.

3 out of 5 stars 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!

5 out of 5 stars 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!!

2 out of 5 stars 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.



Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Tod und Verklarung
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great performances, so-so sound
  • Great Strauss Conducting
 Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Tod und Verklarung
Richard Strauss , Willem Mengelberg , and Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Mengelberg Conducts Liszt, Berlioz, Weber
  2. Mengelberg: Wagner; R. Strauss; Mahler
  3. Mengelberg Conducts Strauss: Ein Heldenleben / Don Juan (also includes Wagenaar: Cyrano de Bergerac Overture)
  4. Borat - Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00005RT4W
Release Date: 2002-01-15

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Great performances, so-so sound.......2005-01-26

I first heard this "Heldenleben" in 1989; I purchased it because the famous 1928 NY Phil recording was NOT then available on CD. But in the long run I prefer it: Mengelberg's performance here is more emotionally intense, more moving to me.

The "Tod uns Verklarung" is also excellent; I would put it on par with the little-known Toscanini-La Scala Orchestra account of 1946 in its gripping drama. The only problem with both performances is the sound quality, a little shallow when compared to other contemporary recordings. But the performances are superb, and to me this will always remain *THE* Heldenleben.

5 out of 5 stars Great Strauss Conducting.......2002-02-21

This issue of the 1941 "Heldenleben" is far superior in sound to the Teldec issue, which is overly filtered and muddy in sound. Still, there is some harshness and stridency here, as in a number of Naxos historical issues; I would love to hear a Pearl or Tahra transfer of this material.
I used to favor the Philharmonic performance from 1928 (superbly transferred by pearl). Now, after hearing this generally good issue, I'm not so sure. It seems as though Mengelberg had become more thoughtful and reflective in this latter performance, eschewing virtuosity in favor of lyricism and poetry. The final section is especially moving in the 1941 performance, and the playing of the Concertgebouw is more subtle and refined than that of the Philharmonic. Personally, I wouldn't want to be without either of the Mengelberg recordings.
"Tod und Verklaerung" is a completely different story. I first heard this performance over FM back in 1961, from terribly worn 78's. That hearing did not prepare me for this harrowing account of the score. From the opening drum beats, the grim power of this work is faithfully reproduced by Mengelberg, and the concluding transfiguration music is blinding in its intensity and nobility. I have never heard a performance in this class before, and I nominate it as the essential "Tod und Verklaerung." Who needs Szell when you've got Mengelberg?
R. Strauss: Tod und Verklärung; Ein Heldenleben; Dance of the Seven Veils
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Strauss, Great Price
 R. Strauss: Tod und Verklärung; Ein Heldenleben; Dance of the Seven Veils

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. R. Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra; Till Eulenspppiegels lustige Streiche; Tod und Verklärung
  2. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan / Karajan
  3. Strauss: Til Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks/Don Juan/Death And Transfiguration
  4. Strauss: Four Last Songs / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
  5. Dvorak: Slavonic Dances

ASIN: B00004VW0H
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Tracks:

  1. Death And Transfiguration, Op.24
  2. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero
  3. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
  4. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Wife
  5. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: Certainty Of Victory
  6. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Battlefield
  7. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: War Fanfares
  8. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Works Of Peace
  9. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Withdrawal From The World
  10. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: Renunciation
  11. Salome, Op.54 - Dance Of The Seven Veils

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Strauss, Great Price.......2003-06-08

This is a budget-line CD of Richard Strauss' Orchestral Works by the great Rudolf Kempe and the Staatskapelle Dresden. These works have previously been available on disc, and are collected along with Kempe's other brilliant Strauss recordings on a very affordable EMI box set. However, if all you want is a few of Strauss' better known pieces, this is a great place to start.
Richard Strauss: 5 Great Tone Poems
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Truly great Strauss conducting from Haitink
  • 5 grandes poemas y una hermosa suite
  • Get this for the wonderful Heldenleben.
  • Zarathustra said "nevermore"
  • Just onde for Jochum?
 Richard Strauss: 5 Great Tone Poems

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter
  2. Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

ASIN: B000004198
Release Date: 1994-08-16

Tracks:

  1. Don Juan, Op. 20
  2. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 -: Der Held
  3. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 -: Des Helden Widersacher
  4. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 -: Des Helden Gefahrtin
  5. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 -: Des Helden Walstatt
  6. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 -: Des Helden Friedenswerke
  7. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 -: Des Helden Weltflucht und Vollendung
  8. Les joyeuses plaisanteries de Till l'Espiegle: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op.28

Tracks:

  1. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: (Sonnenaufgang)
  2. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Von den Hinterweltlern
  3. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Von der grossen Sehnsucht
  4. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Von den Freuden und Leidenschaften
  5. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Das Grablied
  6. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Von der Wissenschaft
  7. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Der Genesende
  8. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Das Tanzlied
  9. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Das Nachtwandlerlied
  10. Mort et transfiguration: Tod und Verklarung, Op. 24
  11. Der Rosenkavalier, Op.59: First Suite of Waltzes
  12. Der Rosenkavalier, Op.59: Second Suite of Waltzes

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Truly great Strauss conducting from Haitink.......2005-09-18

Philips outdid itself with wonderfully warm, clear, detailed sonics for Haitink's Also Sprach Zarathustra, and he obliged the engineers with a super-detailed reading that is riveting in every way. There is not a touch of Solti's vulgarity, and although I never thought I'd say it, this recording sounds better and comes off more dramatically than even Karajan's. Let's call it a tie. Everything else is wonderful as well.

5 out of 5 stars 5 grandes poemas y una hermosa suite.......2004-11-30

Bernard Haitink gano los mas pretigiosos premios con su serie de grabaciones de los poemas sinfónicos de Liszt y siguio su marcha de espectacular interpretacion con estos poemas sinfónicos verdaderamente notables.
Muerte y transfiguración, vida de heroe, don Juan y la siempre reducida a la introduccion Asi hablo Zaratustra son obras musicales que permaneceran como muchas en lo mas alto de la composición clasica y Haitink entre sus interpretes mas sobresalientes.
Este es un Cd de colección con obras grandiosas, geniales, llenas de emocion y magia, de sentimentalismo y plenas de innovadora genialidad.
Suma a esta maravillosa coleccion una sublime pieza de gran belleza, la suite del Caballero de la Rosa es notable y ademas en la soberbia direccion de Eugen Jochum, quien tomando a su cargo la orquesta del concertgebouw (patrimonio de Haitink) nos deslumbra y hace que la elección sea mas que satisfactoria, verdaderamente irresistible.

5 out of 5 stars Get this for the wonderful Heldenleben........2003-08-25

The star of this Duo set is the Heldenleben, which alone is enough to justify the money spent. Hermann Krebbers plays the violin solos magnificently and Haitink gives a strongly expansive reading. However, the same expansive approach does not work too well in "Zarathustra" and "Tod", which have a certain Brucknerian stodginess. You will be left wishing for a bit more pace and brio in the playing. "Don Juan" and "Till Eulenspiegel" are excellently paced and played however. They are among the best performances I have ever heard.

3 out of 5 stars Zarathustra said "nevermore".......2001-02-04

I thought it was impossible for any conductor or orchestra to screw up the introduction to "Also Sprach," but Haitink and the Concertgebouw prove it can be done. I will mainly focus on this introduction, as I am rarely able to listen to any more after hearing such an abomination right away. The orchestra leaves spaces in the passages wide enough to drive a truck through, and at the finale there is enough time to get up for some coffee between each chord. For anyone who saw 2001 and wanted a really good recording of the intro, plus some other good works, do not buy this album. It merely leaves you cold and angry that anyone would treat a piece of such majesty so. It's choppy, aimless, and infuriating. You can bet I will never again purchase any album that features the name Haitink.

5 out of 5 stars Just onde for Jochum?.......2000-07-18

excelent music, lots of listening time and...why just one op. for Jochum?
Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Tod und Verklärung
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Tod und Verklärung

    Manufacturer: RCA
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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    Similar Items:
    1. Richard Strauss: Don Juan; Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche; Also sprach Zarathustra
    2. R.Strauss: Don Quixote; Celloromanze; Bläserserenade
    3. Eine Alpensinfonie / Festliches Praludium

    ASIN: B00005KBM8
    Release Date: 2004-04-20

    Album Details

    Nimble Mobility, Fineness of Accentuation, Clarity in Polyphonic Textures and a Lyricism which Steers Clear of Emotionalism Characterize Zinman'svision of Richard Strauss's Orchestral Works. As Required, Strauss's Arches of Melody Surge Forwards, Swell Or Soar to the Heights. An Excellentrecording.
    The Essential Richard Strauss
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • To Previn or not to Previn?
    • Mostly Essential R. Strauss
    		 The Essential Richard Strauss

    Manufacturer: Telarc
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B000003D1V
    Release Date: 1995-06-20

    Tracks:

    1. Don Juan, Op.20 - Rainer Kuchl
    2. 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:

    1. 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
    2. 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:

    1. 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:

    1. 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
    2. Fruhling (Hesse)
    3. September (Hesse)
    4. Beim Schlafengehen (Hesse)
    5. Im Abendrot (Eichendorff)

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars 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.



    5 out of 5 stars 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.
    Lorin Maazel - Richard Strauss / Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    • Kempe Vs. Maazel is closer than one would think
    • Very Good But Not Great Richard Strauss from Maazel
    • boring and over rated
    • Overall, the recordings well worth it!
    		 Lorin Maazel - Richard Strauss / Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Richard Strauss , Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra , and Lorin Maazel
    Manufacturer: RCA
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
    RomanticRomantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
    Tone PoemsTone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
    Maazel, LorinMaazel, Lorin | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B00000IYO1
    Release Date: 1999-05-18

    Tracks:

    1. Sinfonia Domestica - Thema I (Bewegt)
    2. Sinfonia Domestica - Thema II (Sehr lebhaft)
    3. Sinfonia Domestica - Thema III (Ruhig)
    4. Sinfonia Domestica - Scherzo (Munter)
    5. Sinfonia Domestica - Massig langsam (Wiegenlied)
    6. Sinfonia Domestica - Adagio (Langsam)
    7. Sinfonia Domestica - Finale (Sehr lebhaft)
    8. Tod und Verklarung (Death and Transfiguration)
    9. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Night Wanderer's Song
    10. Rosenkavalier Ste, Op.59
    11. Don Juan, Op.20

    Tracks:

    1. Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spake Zarathustra) - Einleitung (Introduction)
    2. Zarathustra - Von den Hinterweltlern (Of the People of the Unseen World)
    3. Zarathustra - Von der grossen Sehnsucht (Of the Great Longing)
    4. Zarathustra - Von den Freuden und Leidenschaften (Of Joys and Passions)
    5. Zarathustra - Das Grablied (Dirge)
    6. Zarathustra - Von der Wissenschaft (Of Science)
    7. Zarathustra - Der Genesende (The Convalescent)
    8. Zarathustra - Das Tanzlied (Dance Song)
    9. Zarathustra - Das Nachtwandlerlied (Night Wanderer's Song)
    10. Rosenkavalier Suite
    11. Don Juan

    Tracks:

    1. Till Eulenspiegels lustige Steiche (Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks)
    2. Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life) - Der Held (The Hero)
    3. Heldenleben - Des Helden Widersacher (The Hero's Adversary)
    4. Heldenleben - Des Helden Gefahrtin (The Hero's Companion)
    5. Heldenleben - Des Helden Walstatt (The Hero's Battlefield)
    6. Heldenleben - Des Helden Friedenswerke (The Hero's Works of Peace)
    7. Heldenleben - Des Helden Weltflucht und Vollendung (The Hero's Flight from Reality and Fulfillment)

    Tracks:

    1. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) - Nacht (Night)
    2. Alpensinfonie - Sonnenaufgang (Sunrise)
    3. Alpensinfonie - Der Anstieg (Ascent)
    4. Alpensinfonie - Eintritt in den Wald (Entrance into the Forest)
    5. Alpensinfonie - Wanderung neben dem Bache (Walking by the Brook)
    6. Alpensinfonie - Am Wasserfall (At the Waterfall)
    7. Alpensinfonie - Erscheinung (Vision)
    8. Alpensinfonie - Auf blumige Wiesen (To flowery Meadows)
    9. Alpensinfonie - Auf der Alm (At the Alpine Meadow)
    10. Alpensinfonie - Durch Dickicht und Gestrupp auf Irrwegen (Wandering through Thicket and Undergrowth)
    11. Alpensinfonie - Auf dem Gletscher - On the Glacier
    12. Alpensinfonie - Gefahrvolle Augenblicke (Dangerous Moments)
    13. Alpensinfonie - Auf dem Gipfel (At the Summit)
    14. Alpensinfonie - Vision
    15. Alpensinfonie - Nebel steigen auf (Rising Mist)
    16. Alpensinfonie - Die Sonne (The Sun)
    17. Alpensinfonie - Elegie (Elegy)
    18. Alpensinfonie - Stille vor dem Sturm (Calm before the Storm)
    19. Alpensinfonie - Gewitter und Sturm, Abstieg (Thunderstorm, Descent)
    20. Alpensinfonie - Sonnenuntergang (Sunset)
    21. Alpensinfonie - Ausklang (Conclusion)
    22. Alpensinfonie - Nacht (Night)
    23. Macbeth - Allegro, un poco maestoso; Presto
    24. Macbeth - Moderato maestoso
    25. Macbeth - Allegro, un poco maestoso

    Amazon.com

    Richard Strauss's gift for evocative musical description was uncanny, to the point where it was joked he could set even a grocery list or a pint of beer to music. In fact, his various tone poems--the form with which he first gained fame as a composer--actually develop an orchestral vocabulary to depict topics ranging from Nietzsche's Superman to a fierce storm on the Alps and a day in the life of a nuclear family. This set gathers Lorin Maazel's interpretations from the last few years (with perhaps the greatest tone poem of the whole canon, Don Quixote, still to come in a planned future recording). Maazel--currently music director of the Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio, an ensemble of high-powered soloists modeled on Toscanini's famous NBC orchestra--is returning to some of these works for his third take, and his vision seems to have clarified in particular for the vistas of Ein Heldenleben and the Alpine Symphony as for the idealistic poetry of Death and Transfiguration and Don Juan.

    While these accounts don't achieve the degree of narrative thrust of Kempe's indispensable versions or the astonishing ensemble opulence of Karajan's Strauss, Maazel highlights his orchestra's solo prowess at every possible moment, and textures are often given a marvelous clarity. The feeling such technical perfection imparts can be distant, as in what should be the most fevered passages of Zarathustra. But Maazel brings a loving touch to the much-dismissed Domestic Symphony as well as conviction to the early Macbeth. And the orchestra's wizardry--particularly the winds--gives much pleasure, especially in the deftly humored account here of Till Eulenspiegel. Both Zarathustra and the Sinfonia Domestica are still available as single-CD issues, as well. --Thomas May

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Kempe Vs. Maazel is closer than one would think.......2005-10-02

    There are two competing sets at mid-to-budget price of the major orchestral works of Richard Strauss, this RCA set and the much more complete one from Kempe on EMI. Although the Kempe has been a darling of critics for decades, he wasn't in truth a major interpreter of these works, just a solid, unintrusive Kapellmeister type. None of his readings, with the possible exception of Don Quixote with Paul Tortelier as collo soloist, would rank as a first choce, but none are eccentric, either. Kempe's specialty was to find delicacy and refinement in works that often come off blantantly.

    With Maazel we have a very intrusive interpreter who is ocnstantly fiddling with the details of Strauss's writing and who is apt at any moment to deliver a little shock by turning a phrase unexpectedly. At first I found this intrusiveness irritating, but Maazel is quite a technician. There is no doubt that he has ideas, agree with them or not. His Bavarian forces sound to me about as virtuosic as the Dresden Staatskepelle for Kempe. Maazel's set is in much better sound than Kempe's, demonstration quality, in fact. That counts for a lot in these splashy works. If only Maazel had given his musicians free rein to go over the top in climaxes, but the orgiastic isn't his style; being in total control is.

    In the end, as the owner of both sets, I find about equl rewards in them, even though critics greatly favor the Kempe, a choice that doesn't seem completely valid to me unless you happen to want all the esoterica of Strauss's output.

    4 out of 5 stars Very Good But Not Great Richard Strauss from Maazel.......2002-12-28

    Perhaps I'm a bit jaded, having heard exceptional accounts of some of Strauss's tone poems from the likes of Karajan and Sawallisch, but Maazel's Strauss tone poem cycle is simply a very well recorded, brilliantly performed set that offers few new insightful thoughts into either Strauss's musical intentions or Maazel's. Maazel does a great job emphasizing the rich orchestral textures of Strauss's scores, but rarely is it played with much conviction and warmth; notable exceptions include brilliant performances of Ein Alpensinfonie - although among the best, I still prefer Solti's glistening account with the Bavarian Radio Symphony - and Macbeth. However, fans of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra will not be disappointed by their exquisite playing that is just as splendid as their peers in Berlin and Vienna. Yet if you are interested in profound, riveting accounts of Strauss's scores, I recommend listening to recordings by Previn and the Vienna Philharmonic, and Blomstedt and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, as well as those from Sawallisch and Karajan.

    2 out of 5 stars boring and over rated.......2000-05-11

    I am a Lorin Maazel fan. I had no idea, however, that his R. Strauss tempi and balances were so boring. I was completely let down by these recordings. the only bonus was the recording technology they chose to employ, but overall, it was a total waist of time and money.

    4 out of 5 stars Overall, the recordings well worth it!.......1999-12-17

    Lorin Maazel is not a neurotic conductor (nor was Richard Strauss the composer). Strauss had a tremendous gift of imaginative invention, vividness, and portrayal of the subjects and the heroes behind his symphonic poems. There's no doubt that Strauss took the ideas of Franz Liszt (the father of symphonic poems) and developed the genre further.

    Lorin Maazel and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra managed to achieve the balance in their performances and they sound as if they played the works out of admiration rather than anything else. Vividness, excitement, and commitment are all present in these recordings, especially of Eine Alpinesinfonie.

    However, Strauss, though not a neurotic, was a composer of drama. Therefore, performances with drama will tend bring out more effectively the vividness, imaginative, and the descriptive ever so characteristic aspects of Strauss symphonic poems (and his operas). Maazel and the Bavarian were able to bring out those aspects of Strauss' works to some effectiveness. Their main drawback included too much emphasis on balance and not much on daringness. The climax of Death and Transfiguration, for example lacks the element of surprise Rudolf Kempe or Herbert von Karajan were able to portray. It is as if Maazel's performance with the Bavarian, though distinguished, conscientously tried to ignore the ruggedness so much a part of Strauss' tone poems (such as Ein Heldenlaben). Forget the meticulousness for a while, just tell us the story that will keep us awake and excited.

    This set (or separate CDs previously issued) is recommendable. But if you're the one that needs to feel compelled and/or pumped up, go for the recordings of Herbert von Karajan or Rudolf Kempe, or even Sir George Solti (the best conductor of Strauss' operas by the way!).
    Strauss: Symphonic Poems
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Strauss: Symphonic Poems

      Manufacturer: Chandos
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      RomanticRomantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      Tone PoemsTone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B000000AAQ
      Release Date: 1995-06-20

      Tracks:

      1. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Night
      2. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Sunrise
      3. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: The Ascent
      4. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Entry Into The Wood
      5. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Waterfall
      6. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Apparition
      7. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Flowering Meadows
      8. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Alpine Pasture
      9. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: In Thicket And Undergrowth On The Wrong Path
      10. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: On The Glacier
      11. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Dangerous Moments
      12. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: On The Summit
      13. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Vision
      14. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Mists Rise
      15. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Sun Fades
      16. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Elegy
      17. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Calm Before The Storm
      18. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Storm And Descent
      19. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Sunset
      20. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Waning Tones
      21. Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64: Night
      22. Tod und Verklarung Op. 24

      Tracks:

      1. Ein Heldenleben Op. 40: The Hero
      2. Ein Heldenleben Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
      3. Ein Heldenleben Op. 40: The Hero's Companion
      4. Ein Heldenleben Op. 40: The Hero's Deeds In Battle
      5. Ein Heldenleben Op. 40: The Hero's Works Of Peace
      6. Ein Heldenleben Op. 40: The Hero's Retirement From The World And The Fulfilment Of His Life
      7. Don Juan Op. 20
      Karl Böhm Conducts Mozart and Strauss
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • I can't say enough good about this release
      		 Karl Böhm Conducts Mozart and Strauss

      Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      MinuetsMinuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAll Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by WeberAll Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      DivertimentosDivertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      ClassicalClassical | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      RomanticRomantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      Incidental MusicIncidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      OverturesOvertures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      Tone PoemsTone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances
      RequiemsRequiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      Theatrical, Incidental & Program MusicTheatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraBerlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      Vienna Philharmonic OrchestraVienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      Classical (c.1770-1830)Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances
      Romantic (c.1820-1910)Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      RequiemsRequiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      Deutsche Grammophon: MusicDeutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
      Similar Items:
      1. Mozart: The Wind Concertos, Serenades
      2. Leonard Bernstein: The 1953 American Decca Recordings
      3. Karl Richter: A Universal Musician
      4. Troubadour of the Piano
      5. Decca Recordings 1941-1972, Vol 2

      ASIN: B0009ONYQ4
      Release Date: 2005-09-13

      Tracks:

      1. I. Introitus, Requiem
      2. II. Kyrie
      3. III. Sequenz. No. 1. Dies Irae
      4. III. Sequenz. No. 2. Tuba Mirum
      5. III. Sequenz. No. 3. Rex Tremendae
      6. III. Sequenz. No. 4. Recordare
      7. III. Sequenz. No. 5. Confutatis
      8. III. Sequenz. No. 6. Lacrimosa
      9. IV. Offertorium. No. 1. Domine Jesu
      10. IV. Offertorium. No. 2. Hostias
      11. V. Sanctus
      12. VI. Benedictus
      13. VII. Agnus Dei
      14. VIII. Communio. Lux Aeterna
      15. 1. Molto Presto
      16. 2. Andante
      17. 3. Allegro
      18. 1. Allegro Spiritoso
      19. 2. Andante
      20. 3. Tempo Primo

      Tracks:

      1. 1. Allegro Vivace
      2. 2. Andante Di Molto Pito Allegretto
      3. 3. Menuett (K. 409)
      4. 4. Finale: Allegro Vivace
      5. 1. Adagio - Allegro Spiritoso
      6. 2. Andante
      7. 3. Menuetto - Trio
      8. 4. Presto
      9. 1. Adagio - Allegro
      10. 2. Andante
      11. 3. Presto

      Tracks:

      1. 1. Adagio - Allegro
      2. 2. Andante Con Moto
      3. 3. Menuetto: Allegretto - Trio
      4. 4. Finale: Allegro
      5. 1. Molto allegro
      6. 2. Andante
      7. 3. Menuetto: Allegretto - Trio
      8. 4. Allegro Assai
      9. 1. Allegro Vivace
      10. 2. Andante Cantabile
      11. 3. Menuetto: Allegretto - Trio
      12. 4. Molto Allegro

      Tracks:

      1. 1. Allegro
      2. 2. Romance: Andante Con Moto
      3. 3. Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
      4. 4. Finale. Allegro
      5. 1. Marcia: Maestoso
      6. 2. Menuetto
      7. 3. Rondeau
      8. Euryanthe
      9. Oberon
      10. Preciosa, Op. 78
      11. Peter Schmoll Und Seine Nachbarn

      Tracks:

      1. Don Juan, Op. 20
      2. Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche
      3. The Hero
      4. The Hero's Adversaries
      5. The Hero's Companion
      6. The Hero's Battlefield
      7. The Hero's Works of Peace
      8. The Hero's Retirement From The World Of Fulfilment

      Tracks:

      1. Night - Sunrise
      2. The Ascent
      3. Entering The Wood
      4. Wandering By The Brook
      5. Flowery Meadows
      6. Summit
      7. The Sun Gradually Dims
      8. Calm Before The Storm
      9. Thunderstorm, Descent
      10. Sunset
      11. Epilogue - Night
      12. Tone Poem For Large Orchestra

      Tracks:

      1. Main Title - Berliner Philharmoniker
      2. Introduction - Berliner Philharmoniker
      3. Of The Backworldsmen - Berliner Philharmoniker
      4. Of The Great Longing - Berliner Philharmoniker
      5. Of Joys And Passions - Berliner Philharmoniker
      6. The Song Of The Grave - Berliner Philharmoniker
      7. The Convalescent - Berliner Philharmoniker
      8. The Dance-Song - Berliner Philharmoniker
      9. Song Of The Night Wanderer - Berliner Philharmoniker
      10. I. Beim Schlafengehen - Lisa Della Casa
      11. II. September - Lisa Della Casa
      12. III. Fruhling - Lisa Della Casa
      13. IV. Im Abendrot - Lisa Della Casa

      Tracks:

      1. Early Years In Graz - Karl Bohm
      2. First Conducting Experiences - Karl Bohm
      3. Munich, Darmstadt And Alban Berg - Karl Bohm
      4. Dresden, Richard Strauss And Mozart - Karl Bohm
      5. Strauss As Conductor And Composer - Karl Bohm
      6. Interlude In Vienna - Karl Bohm
      7. Mozart's Genius - Karl Bohm
      8. The Vienna State Opera Destroyed And Rebuilt - Karl Bohm

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars I can't say enough good about this release.......2005-10-23

      I can't say enough good about this release! DG/Universal have released some great mono recordings from the 1950s + some later Stereo issues of Karl Bohm (1894-1981) with the Vienna Philharmonic, Dresden State Orchestra, and Berlin Philharmonic, some which have never been on CD, or have been out of the catalog for years.

      The Richard Strauss discs: about 50% of this set, have been released recently in a 3 CD Strauss box of Bohm/Dresden State Orchestra, and Berlin Philharmonic (DG, budget priced), but discs 1-4: Mozart and Weber, have not.

      The Mozart "Requiem" with the Vienna Symphony, is from 1956 and is superb: taut, muscular, dramatic, and in very fine mono sound. Tempos are faster and more exciting than in Bohm's 1970 remake with the Vienna Philharmonic (DG). The 1956 "Requiem" was originally released on Philips LP, and for a short time, on Philips CD. The accompanying Symphonies 26 and 32 are very well played, with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.

      The Mozart Symphonies are all excellent: 34 (with the added Minuet movement many conductors leave out), 35 and 38, all with the Vienna Philharmonic, originally Decca recordings, in mid 1950s mono sound. They share the same high marks and good qualities I give to Bohm's DG stereo Berlin Philharmonic Mozart cycle from the 1960s. The playing is warm and affectionate, tempos never too fast or slow: everything is just right. Karl Bohm was one excellent Mozart conductor, and the same can be said for Symphonies 39, 40, and 41 with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.

      While the Berlin Philharmonic "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" might not sound as good as Bohm's 1976 Vienna Philharmonic recording (DG, in several different reissues), it is very good, and affectionate. And I enjoyed the four Weber Overtures, including the rarely heard "Abu Hassan", "Euryanthe" and "Oberon" immensely - recorded in 1951 with the Dresden State Orchestra (Bohm's own orchestra from 1934-43) in very good mono sound.

      Nothing need be said in detail about the Strauss works. You may know Bohm and Richard Strauss (1864-1949) became close friends in the early 1930s, and Strauss thought very highly of his younger colleague. Strauss's 1944 opera "Daphne" is dedicated to Karl Bohm. Bohm recorded much of Strauss's music: both orchestral (here) and opera, for DG, Decca, and other labels later on in his career.

      Disc 8 is narration by Bohm, in German, recorded in 1960, "A Life re-told" and it is very interesting. There is a rough English translation in the accompanying text booklet, of Bohm's words telling about his life up to 1960 and career as a conductor. I highly recommend this set to anyone interested in great conducting, or in Karl Bohm's recordings.

      Track Listings:

      1. Romantic Paradise [Import]
      2. Russian Folk Songs by Fiodor Shalyapin
      3. Schubert: Piano Sonata in A, Lieder
      4. Schumann: Piano Works [Import]
      5. Schumann: Szenen aus Goethes Faust
      6. Second Baghdad
      7. Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony Op110a, Symphony for Strings Op.118a
      8. Sibelius: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7
      9. Songs of Love and Death
      10. Sweet and Low-Down - Richard Dowling plays George Gershwin

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