Richard Strauss! (Random Reviews from the Overflow Room No. 5)
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- Yes, I have about fifty million versions of Also Sprach Zarathustra, even though the whole piece often sounds like one giant decrescendo. What on earth (or in outer space) was Strauss thinking?
‘This is a penance’. One of the great Dave quotes. Dave. Love love your knowledge and even more your sense of humor. Amazing!!!
Lack of "gapless" playback, i.e., pauses between tracks, is an example of how digital media continues to fail classical music. Before figuring out how to enable "gapless" playback on digital music software, it was impossible to listen to the Goldberg Variations, operas, or the second part of Mahler's 8th Symphony. Gaps between digital tracks is usually a software problem and users can sometimes turn on "gapless" playback in software to eliminate the pauses. That said, after fixing that problem, purchasing digital downloads has been a method of finding Dave's out-of-print faves.
I just realised that Toscanini was only 3 years younger than Strauss.
Also Sprach Zarathustra could head a list of "Greatest Musical Bait-and-Switches EVVAAHH!" At least, if your first exposure to it was via "2001: A Space Odyssey."
I am detecting a dearth of recordings of the oboe and horn concertos. What’s up with that? They’re marvelous!
Not really.
The opening of Thus Spake Zarathustra is a timpanist s dream solo
Absolutely agree re Toscanini Tod und Verklarung, brings back fond memories, I heard this on LP borrowed from a library. Amazing SQ given the time period when it was recorded. Thanks for reminding!
1952. The RCA Tod und Verklarung is a mixture of a live Carnegie broadcast and formal recording session, after he refused to approve the entire recording session. He was a fanatic about that piece even more than usual. There's a rehearsal where he spends over five minutes balancing the first wind chord after the opening, which he also works over and over.
There is actually a newer gapless transfer of the Strauss Järvi Discs around, at least on UA-cam Music, but you have to check because the old ones with the annoying gaps are still there, too ...
Agree on the Steinberg. I purchased this DG lp when it was first released way, way back in my college years. The album cover was a selling feature too. :p Yes, I have updated to the cd version in order to be modern.
Hi David, I wrote to Chandos last year about the gaps in the downloads. I think it was just in Vol.1. Anyway, they wrote back and says they’d fixed the problem and sent me another link so they’re sounding great now.
Interesting to see the Maazel Philharmonia Zarathustra on camera. It was youthful Maazel ('63) and, IMO, among his very best. The Second section (the Ab Major "religion") is exquisite, and the rest sounds great and moves along very effectively. I have the same "Royal Classics (?)" release, which is made from a clean LP copy, I think. That means, for whatever reason, EMI never gave it an official release. Too bad. LR
Jarvi Strauss box please Chandos.
I can’t get into Strauss for some reason. I have the Steingberg CD but only for the incredible Planets performance. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to the rest.
He's definitely an acquired taste.
I liked him from 1st hearing. Immediately. STAYING interested in his music is another matter, @@dennischiapello7243
What's your opinion on the complete Strauss Lieder by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau? Is my guess that they're too good to ever end up in the overflow room correct?
Mostly!
We won't agree about the Elgar Cello Concerto, but we sure do about Schumann's. Dull, drab, a musical portrait in dingy gray. I actually prefer his violin concerto!
I also agree with you about Strauss' FRoSCH Fantasy and Leinsdorf's much better arrangement. For too much of it, Strauss just takes the over the top bombastic, overwrought, overlong finale (which Karl Bohm used to trim) and removes the voices, which renders it utterly pointless.
Okay, Dave. I have a question for you. Who's a composer that you generally don't care for, but did compose at least one work that you adore?
I don't think there are any, but I'll think about it.