Search - Richard [1] Strauss, Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony Orchestra :: Strauss: Don Quixote; Don Juan

Legendary control in good but dating sound

08/27/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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!

04/21/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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.The second Don, that of "Don Juan", is Reiner's first (1954) recording of the two he made while in Chicago. The general concensus among Reinerphiles is that this is the preferred recording of the two; personally, I can tell little or no difference between these two great recordings as I obviously can in his two recordings of "Also sprach Zarathustra.""