Search - Richard Strauss, Orchester des Reichssenders Muenchen, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra :: Richard Strauss Conducts His Tone Poems (1935-1942 Concerts): Alpensinfonie, Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Macbeth, Death & Transfiguration (2 CDs)

Thus Spake Strauss

Thomas F. Bertonneau | Oswego, NY United States | 10/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Testament's release of the Clemens Krauss recordings of music by Richard Strauss (1864-1949) reminds us how central the great sequence of tone poems - from "Macbeth" all the way through "An Alpine Symphony" - to the 20th century's conception of modern symphonic music. Strauss composed but he also conducted and he showed no reluctance to conduct his own music, neither to record it, leaving behind a fairly extensive discography dating back to the acoustic era. A few years ago, Preiser offered two volumes of Strauss conducted by Strauss, drawing on war-time magnetic tapes from German Radio. The entrepreneurs at Music and Arts offer a two-disc "Strauss conducts Strauss" set originating in earlier sources, chiefly air-check platters from German Radio broadcasts of the mid-1930s. The Preiser sets have retreated into the domain of the "no longer available." The Music and Arts set, by contrast, is currently on offer. The two CDs contain (in order of presentation): "An Alpine Symphony," "Don Juan," "Till Eulenspiegel" (CD 1); "Thus Spake Zarathustra," "Macbeth," and "Death and Transfiguration" (CD 2). Despite some surface-noise, the 1936 "Alpine Symphony," with the "Broadcasting Orchestra Munich," spans a fair range of frequencies and reveals many inner details of the orchestration. Listen to the beautiful, completely musical, cow-bells in the episode of "the Meadow." How Mahlerian it is! Strauss tended to push the tempi, and not only in his own works, but this "Alpine Symphony" clocks in at just over 43 minutes, five minutes less than the 1941 performance. The composer's vision of this (his own) work stresses its aspiration toward the sublime, and the seriousness of the interpretation reminds us that "An Alpine Symphony," like "Thus Spake Zarathustra," comments musically on Nietzsche. (M&A does us the favor of alloting individual tracks to the "Symphony's" 22 sections.) The 1942 performance of "Zarathustra," although from 78rpm platters rathern than tapes, offers quite good sound. Strauss manages a kind of paradox in his role as conductor: He achieves portentousness by being completely businesslike in his unfolding of the music. In the shorter tone-poems, Strauss adopts his typical brisk tempi. "Death and Transfiguration" especially benefits by being tightened up. I prefer Strauss's "Death" to Furtwängler's or Walter's. This is a vastly rewarding archival release."

Strauss' magisterial conducting !

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 08/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When you listen this exceptional album, you will be amazed due the impressive conducting status Richard Strauss had.



Along this double album, you will be exceptional witness of these well known pieces. His Alpine Symphony is to my mind (including a fabulous register of his Sinfonia Domestica and his Till with the Vienna Philharmonic) a resounding event. His Zaratustra is notable and vivid.



Thanks to this colossal effort of Music& Arts, we will be able to enjoy of these true musical treasures for the posterity.



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