BaL 25.10.14 - Strauss: Oboe Concerto

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30 a.m.
Building a Library: Strauss 150
Sarah Devonald with a personal recommendation from recordings of Richard Strauss's charming, late Oboe Concerto

Available versions:

John Anderson, Philharmonia Orchestra, Simon Wright
Douglas Boyd, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Paavo Berglund
Manfred Clement, Staatskapelle Dresden, Rudolf Kempe
Simon Fuchs, Tonhalle Orchestra, David Zinman
Martin Gabriel, VPO, Andre Previn
Frantisek Hantak, Brno State Philharmonic, Martin Turnovsky
Heinz Holliger, Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Heinz Holliger, Cincinnati SO, Michael Gielen
Heinz Holliger, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Edo de Waart
Gordon Hunt, Berlin Radio SO, Vladimir Ashkenazy
Alex Klein, Chicago SO, Daniel Barenboim
Lothar Koch, BPO, Herbert von Karajan
Leon Goossens, Philharmonia Orchestra, Alceo Galliera
Yeon-Hee Kwak, Muncher Rundfunkorchester, Johannes Goritzki
Francois Leleux, Swedish Radio SO, Daniel Harding
Lajos Lencses. Stuttgart Radio SO, Sir Neville Marriner (download)
Alf Nilsson, Stockholm Sinfonietta, Neeme Jarvi
Pauline Oostenrijk, Residentie Orchestra Den Hague, Neeme Jarvi
Louise Pellerin, Bienne SO, Thomas Rosner
Evelyn Rothwell, Halle Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli
Hansjorg Schellenberger, BPO, James Levine (download)
Stefan Schilli, Bavarian Radio SO, Mariss Jansons
Jonathan Small, RLPO, Gerard Schwarz
Hans-Werner Watzig, Berlin Radio SO, Heinz Rogner (download)

[pastoralguy]

A wonderful, bittersweet piece that never fails to move me every time I hear it.

[visualnickmos]

A surprisingly(?) high number of recordings..... of a very charming piece. I was 'taken' with it when I discovered it in the EMI big box Kempe Strauss set...

[Roehre]

9.30 a.m.
Building a Library: Strauss 150
Sarah Devonald with a personal recommendation from recordings of Richard Strauss's charming, late Oboe Concerto

Available versions:

John Anderson, Philharmonia Orchestra, Simon Wright
Douglas Boyd, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Paavo Berglund
Manfred Clement, Staatskapelle Dresden, Rudolf Kempe
Simon Fuchs, Tonhalle Orchestra, David Zinman
Martin Gabriel, VPO, Andre Previn
Frantisek Hantak, Brno State Philharmonic, Martin Turnovsky
Heinz Holliger, Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Heinz Holliger, Cincinnati SO, Michael Gielen
Heinz Holliger, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Edo de Waart
Gordon Hunt, Berlin Radio SO, Vladimir Ashkeazy
Alex Klein, Chicago SO, Daniel Barenboim
Lothar Koch, BPO, Herbert von Karajan
Leon Goossens, Philharmonia Orchestra, Alceo Galliera
Yeon-Hee Kwak, Muncher Rundfunkorchester, Johannes Goritzki
Francois Leleux, Swedish Radio SO, Daniel Harding
Lajos Lencses. Stuttgart Radio SO, Sir Neville Marriner (download)
Alf Nilsson, Stockholm Sinfonietta, Neeme Jarvi
Pauline Oostenrijk, Residentie Orchestra Den Hague, Neeme Jarvi
Louise Pellerin, Bienne SO, Thomas Rosner
Evelyn Rothwell, Halle Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli
Hansjorg Schellenberger, BPO, James Levine (download)
Stefan Schilli, Bavarian Radio SO, Mariss Jansons
Jonathan Small, RLPO, Gerard Schwarz
Hans-Werner Watzig, Berlin Radio SO, Heinz Rogner (download)

Do they mention which ending is used, or whether they offer both?

[Black Swan]

I have always loved this work and have the Gordon Hunt/Berlin Radio SO/Ashkenazy. Which also has the Duett-Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon as well as the Violin Concerto.

[Richard Tarleton]

Do they mention which ending is used, or whether they offer both?

Hello Roehre please can you expand on this? We attended a superb performance by BBC NOW with Francois Leleux, the programme notes mention that after the first performance in Switzerland Strauss revised and extended the coda of the finale by 11 bars - is this what you refer to, and does anyone play the first performance version?

The programme notes (by Michael Kennedy) say "It was a sign of Switzerland's coolness towards Strauss at this juncture of his life that he was allocated a seat at the back of the hall. As the orchestra assembled, a woman in the front row noticed the composer, went up to him and led him to her seat".

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Do they mention which ending is used, or whether they offer both?

I don't know about that. Perhaps the Goossens, Rothwell and other early versions might show a variance?

[Petrushka]

I've only known this piece for a few years having unaccountably let it pass me by and the first recording I heard was from Richard Woodhams with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Wolfgang Sawallisch (which I see isn't listed - presumably nla). I've since heard the Kempe with Manfred Clement (excellent) but my favourite of those I've heard is Lothar Koch with Karajan and the BPO.

A wonderful and charming work that deserves to be heard more often than it is.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I shall put my head on the block by declaring this work to be the finest oboe concerto ever written. I have great affection for those by Mozart, Vaughan Williams and Mathias too, the Strauss is in a class of its own. I first heard it in Sheffield City Hall in the mid-60s, performed by Evelyn Rothwell, the Halle and Barbirolli. It was one of those occasions that can never be erased from the memory.

[verismissimo]

I shall put my head on the block by declaring this work to be the finest oboe concerto ever written...

That sounds right, Alpie. The question is - why are there so few fine concertos for this powerful, plaintive instrument?

[Barbirollians]

So the splendid Neil Black version on Sony must be deleted ?

Getting my versons mixed up referring to ASV - which is where the equally excellent Boyd/Berglund recording was from .

[LeMartinPecheur]

I don't know about that. Perhaps the Goossens, Rothwell and other early versions might show a variance?

I'm sure the Goossens/PO/ Galliera is the earlier version. It was recorded in Sept 1947.

[Nick Armstrong]

Love the piece, though the oboe is far from being my favourite instrument.

I have the Lothar Koch/BPO and Manfred Clement/Dresden recordings - not sure I'm in the market for another unless it really is astonishing.

I'd be interested to hear the Hansjörg Schellenberger performance: I heard the BPO several times live when he was principal oboe and his astonishing tone, musicianship and charismatic presence shone out from the orchestra, almost to a fault - I remember thinking that almost all pieces sounded a bit like oboe concertos when he was playing!

Enjoyed this performance, at 2pm on Wednesday afternoon on R3, while driving... Sounded ok on the M20 anyway!

14.00
Strauss
Oboe Concerto in D
Olivier Doise (oboe)
Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, Myung-Whun Chung (conductor)

[Petrushka]

I find the story of the genesis of the Oboe Concerto quite touching. As the Second World War entered its final phase in 1944/5 the elderly composer retreated to his house in Garmisch and took to reflecting on Mozart. It was there that, quite by chance, John de Lancie, an oboist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra serving with the American forces met the composer and asked him if he'd ever thought of writing a concerto for the oboe to which the answer was 'no'. Three months later, long after de Lancie had left Garmisch he read in a magazine interview with Strauss that he was currently working on an oboe concerto at the prompting of an American GI!

Given this story, I'm surprised that John de Lancie (who later became principal oboe in the Philadelphia Orchestra) didn't record the work.

[Nick Armstrong]

I find the story of the genesis of the Oboe Concerto quite touching. As the Second World War entered its final phase in 1944/5 the elderly composer retreated to his house in Garmisch and took to reflecting on Mozart. It was there that, quite by chance, John de Lancie, an oboist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra serving with the American forces met the composer and asked him if he'd ever thought of writing a concerto for the oboe to which the answer was 'no'. Three months later, long after de Lancie had left Garmisch he read in a magazine interview with Strauss that he was currently working on an oboe concerto at the prompting of an American GI!

Given this story, I'm surprised that John de Lancie (who later became principal oboe in the Philadelphia Orchestra) didn't record the work.

Well Ms Derham recounted that story, but gave a rather garbled account of the first performance - having said that de Lancie was principal oboist of the Pittsburgh Symphony, she went on to say that, although Strauss had given him the rights to play it, he couldn't because of his junior position in "his orchestra" and hence he gave the rights to a colleague in another orchestra (Mitch Miller?) who took the solo part; and that de Lancie didn't get to play it till after he retired... Derham helpfully put it down to "Sod's Law" which didn't really help clarify matters.

It's here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04l36bx

Anyone know what actually happened?