Richard Strauss: Orchestral music

[BBMmk2]

I'd say just get this set of Karajan's 80s recordings (plus one or two others) on 5CDs for £14.99 and have done with it.

But then I love Strauss' music!

The front cover looks rather disappointing!?

[Nick Armstrong]

The front cover looks rather disappointing!?

You're not wrong, Bbm!

[BBMmk2]

You're not wrong, Bbm!

Have you bought it Cali? If so how is it. despite the cover? DG on an off day, most certainly!!

[Nick Armstrong]

Have you bought it Cali? If so how is it. despite the cover? DG on an off day, most certainly!!

No way. I don't buy boxes like that - I've probably already got the ones I want!

[Thropplenoggin]

Unfortunately the Kempe version doesn't appear to be available aside of a box set.

EA: what are your thoughts on Jansons/Royal Concertgebouw Orch. and Bychkov/DR Sinfonieorchester Köln? The latter is certainly very underrated.

Shipway is on Qobuz here: http://player.qobuz.com/#!/album/7318599919508 (A phenomenal aural experience. I'm too new to the work to say with confidence but it's perhaps a potential BaL 'winner'.)

[Parry1912]

If so how is it. despite the cover?

Three BAL recommendations and some Gramophone Award winners.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'd say just get this set of Karajan's 80s recordings (plus one or two others) on 5CDs for £14.99 and have done with it.

But then I love Strauss' music!

Ooooh YES!

You also get the'70s Oboe and Horn concertoes, too - and Anna Tamova-Simtoff in the Four Last Songs - not as good as the Janowitz but wonderful all the same.

Alpie has often expressed reservations about Karajan's Alpensinfonie - I suppose somebody had to. I think it is the best performance of the work on record: the only one (as far as I know) apart from the composer himself that's actually conducted by someone who was an active mountaineer, and I think it shows. The unique feeling of exhaustion and exultation that anyone who's reached the summit of a long hard climb is magically caught by the sour intonation of the BPO trumpets; the gasps of breath of the Oboist just before the big tune - it just is tha Music of one mountaineer conducted by another. And the Berlin strings on the tune: THAT glissando! Like someone running their fingers down your spine! By this stage in his life Karajan's spinal injuries meant that his days climbing were just memories, but the whole lifetime of experience that he remembered is channelled into this incandescent performance: all others are men sitting in armchairs with a book of photographs!

TERRIBLE sound on the original disc, tho': and the offstage horns were better balanced on the LP release - but recent remasterings have improved matters considerably.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

all others are men sitting in armchairs with a book of photographs!

This sentence is, of course, utter codswallop: there are some magnificent alternatives - Kempe, Haitink, Stein just to name three.

Got a bit carried away by my enthusiasm. Sorry.





(But Herbie still beats the lot of 'em!)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Shipway, surely?

If you had to choose only one, which would it be?

Sorry, yes - Shipway.

Choose one?
It might have to be Thielemann - the 2012 Blu ray version.

BUT YOU CAN'T RESTRICT ME TO ONE!!!!

[Thropplenoggin]

This sentence is, of course, utter codswallop: there are some magnificent alternatives - Kempe, Haitink, Stein just to name three.

Got a bit carried away by my enthusiasm. Sorry.





(But Herbie still beats the lot of 'em!)

Surely, as with Mahler, Strauss benefits from the clarity and perspective (depth?) that modern recordings offer. Wrap yer lugoles round Shipway's recent offering - I'd be interested to learn if you hear more detail in it, as you know the work well.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Surely, as with Mahler, Strauss benefits from the clarity and perspective (depth?) that modern recordings offer. Wrap yer lugoles round Shipway's recent offering - I'd be interested to learn if you hear more detail in it, as you know the work well.

It's been on my "to do" list since the CD was released - Shipway is a conductor I've admired since his Forest Philharmonic days: a fantastic Mahler #9 in Walthamstow Town Hall especially memorable. (A pupil of Karajan's by-the-way.)

[Thropplenoggin]

It's been on my "to do" list since the CD was released - Shipway is a conductor I've admired since his Forest Philharmonic days: a fantastic Mahler #9 in Walthamstow Town Hall especially memorable. (A pupil of Karajan's by-the-way.)

And, I believe, Barbirolli.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

And, I believe, Barbirolli.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Alpie has often expressed reservations about Karajan's Alpensinfonie ...
...The unique feeling of exhaustion and exultation that anyone who's reached the summit of a long hard climb is magically caught by the sour intonation of the BPO trumpets; the gasps of breath of the Oboist...

So it's not scrappy playing after all.

And the Berlin strings on the tune: THAT glissando! Like someone running their fingers down your spine!

That is very fine indeed, but some others do it equally well, even the men sitting in armchairs with a book of photographs.

TERRIBLE sound on the original disc, tho': and the offstage horns were better balanced on the LP release - but recent remasterings have improved matters considerably.

The remastering has improved things, though it's still quite oppressive. Re the offstage horns, Karajan re-recorded them following the CD release as he was dissatisfied with the original balance, and made matters worse.

I wonder, ferney, whether you'be heard the Karajan DVD? It's a live recording, and has none of the perceived drawbacks.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

So it's not scrappy playing after all.

NO!!! You can see the vapour on the climbers' breath as they gasp on reaching the summit - feel the salt in their vastus lateralis-es; the groan of agony transforming into one of sheer exultation.

That is very fine indeed, but some others do it equally well, even the men sitting in armchairs with a book of photographs.

Well, you've heard many more recordings than I so I'll take your word for it. (But Haitink, Kempe and Stein don't match Karajan here.)

Re the offstage horns, Karajan re-recorded them following the CD release as he was dissatisfied with the original balance, and made matters worse.

Yes. He was a ryddu fool at times, tinkering about at the mixing desk!

I wonder, ferney, whether you'be heard the Karajan DVD? It's a live recording, and has none of the perceived drawbacks.

No; lacking a decent DVD player, I've never thought it appropriate to buy Music DVDs except when I've found them on special offer or in charity shops.