Search - Richard Wagner, Johann II Strauss, Richard Strauss :: Early North American Orchestra Recordings - Fritz Reiner In Pittsburgh, Volume 1 - Wager: Preludes and Orchestral Music / Johann Strauss: Schatz Waltz; Wiener Blut / Richard Strauss: Don Juan, Op. 20; Don Quixote, Op. 35 (recorded 1940-41)

Like the good wine, this album improves through the years!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 04/28/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The mercurial drive, energetic impulse and the special emphasis about to remark, depict and express the essential spirit of every single musical score were some of the main virtues of a conduction style that is absolutely missed in those days, with notable exceptions like Gustavo Dudamel, Thielemans or Temirkanov . In this sense, Reiner, Toscanini. Koussevitsky, Munch, Mitropoulos and Mengelberg were part of an elitist vintage of conductors who knew that tonal richness, technical fluency were under the service of the musical interpretation but never were a goal by themselves ; that's why we can talk about expressiveness and personality understood as commitment.



The special case of Fritz Reiner as notable founder demonstrates the epic spirit of a man absolutely convinced of his role in this world. The Cincinnati Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony and finally the Chicago Symphony were three irrefutable evidences of his untamed stubbornness, apart of his invaluable contribution during four years with the Metropolitan Opera in New York.



The first CD is entirely devoted to Richard Wagner. The powerful fierceness is harmoniously tied intermingled with lyrical robustness (and not sophisticated sentimentalism).



The second CD is a true revelation. The waltz Wiener Blut Op. 354 has never been performed like in this case. The majestic fluency and sublime elegance of the Viennese Waltz are scintillatingly praised in this case.



The Don Juan is a real experience, and one of my three desert island choices. Reiner makes to breathe and even to blossom the evilness of this dark and mythic personage.



Finally, we have the supreme version, the most eloquent performance of Don Quixote, ever recorded. Piatigorski and Temianka make an insurmountable team and the whole approach is hovered of humor, passion, hopeless and poetic reminiscences so clearly depicted that once you listen it will be hardly for you to do without about it.



Acquire this outstanding double album without hesitation. A must have for all hard lover's music. Besides, there is an invaluable information in the booklet with an unforgettable photograph starred by Neveu, Oistrakh and Temianka, winnners in the famous Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition in 1935 .





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