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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This mid-price Originals release is the same 24 bit remastering as when Decca issued it at full price in 1998.Sonically, it is stunning-absolutely superb! No Rosenkavalier is better recorded-or played. This was Christopher Raeburn's first recording as outright Producer following John Culshaw's departure to the BBC, and he excelled himself and his mentor in every way.
There are no cuts in this recording-this may be seen as "for good or ill", as I am bound to observe that many ardent Straussians, myself included , take the view that Strauss knew what he was doing when he sanctioned the cuts!!! However, this is the whole work!
The cast has never been bettered, probably not equalled as an ensemble. Crespin is truly seductive as the Marschallin, creamy beautiful tone and sooo sexy!-a vital component in this role. Minton is the Octavian of your dreams, and Helen Donath's crystal purity as the rather silly Sophie is often unfairly compared as second best to Lucia Popp-she is in fact every bit as good, and arguably less "knowing" than Popp which is a truer account of the role. Jungwirth is a younger virile sounding Ochs-as he should be-and does not overdo the clowning. He has superb low notes too! The Italian tenor in the levee is some fellow called Pavarotti who sings the part unusually well-wonder what became of him?
All the minor roles are culled from the stalwart ranks of the Wiener Staatsoper and are predictably superb.
That leaves the one main contentious point-the conducting of Solti. It is of course "straight"-there is no trace of a rubato as ever with Solti-and altough his reading is thought by many to be too fast in places, it does not seem that way to me-it is certainly never rushed. Passage after passage seem to me to be judged "just right"-and there is no lack of opulence, this is not an acerbic reading in the style of Bohm or Dohnanyi.
OK, I personally would have preferred a more lilting Ochs's waltz (Ohne mich..), but this is still effective and modern scholarship suggests that this is how it SHOULD be conducted!
MY ideal recommendation would be to buy this set AND the SONY Bernstein Vienna set, which is really cheap.
Then you would have the 2 ideal extremes of performance-"straight" with Solti and "exaggerated-but wonderfully so" with Bernstein. If it's just one set-then the Solti is the safest choice as it is STILL the best recorded, has a dream cast with no weaknesses, is superbly conducted-COMPLETE-by Solti who obviously loves the work, and it shows-and lastly, the price. There are not really enough stars to award, and this recording is one of the truly great achievements in recording history. Unreservedly recommended. Stewart Crowe
There are no cuts in this recording-this may be seen as "for good or ill", as I am bound to observe that many ardent Straussians, myself included , take the view that Strauss knew what he was doing when he sanctioned the cuts!!! However, this is the whole work!
The cast has never been bettered, probably not equalled as an ensemble. Crespin is truly seductive as the Marschallin, creamy beautiful tone and sooo sexy!-a vital component in this role. Minton is the Octavian of your dreams, and Helen Donath's crystal purity as the rather silly Sophie is often unfairly compared as second best to Lucia Popp-she is in fact every bit as good, and arguably less "knowing" than Popp which is a truer account of the role. Jungwirth is a younger virile sounding Ochs-as he should be-and does not overdo the clowning. He has superb low notes too! The Italian tenor in the levee is some fellow called Pavarotti who sings the part unusually well-wonder what became of him?
All the minor roles are culled from the stalwart ranks of the Wiener Staatsoper and are predictably superb.
That leaves the one main contentious point-the conducting of Solti. It is of course "straight"-there is no trace of a rubato as ever with Solti-and altough his reading is thought by many to be too fast in places, it does not seem that way to me-it is certainly never rushed. Passage after passage seem to me to be judged "just right"-and there is no lack of opulence, this is not an acerbic reading in the style of Bohm or Dohnanyi.
OK, I personally would have preferred a more lilting Ochs's waltz (Ohne mich..), but this is still effective and modern scholarship suggests that this is how it SHOULD be conducted!
MY ideal recommendation would be to buy this set AND the SONY Bernstein Vienna set, which is really cheap.
Then you would have the 2 ideal extremes of performance-"straight" with Solti and "exaggerated-but wonderfully so" with Bernstein. If it's just one set-then the Solti is the safest choice as it is STILL the best recorded, has a dream cast with no weaknesses, is superbly conducted-COMPLETE-by Solti who obviously loves the work, and it shows-and lastly, the price. There are not really enough stars to award, and this recording is one of the truly great achievements in recording history. Unreservedly recommended. Stewart Crowe
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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3 reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
The Ultimate Rosenkavalier
17 Jan 2009
Format:Audio CD
There are a few recordings of Strauss where the singing, the conducting, the orchestra, and all other elements of the production and engineering work together to create a recording that is definitive across all standards. This is one such recording, and even as great and brilliant Rosenkavaliers by eminent conductors like Carlos Kleiber, Bernard Haitink and Christian Thielemann come with their own sets of strengths, Solti still trumps them all in a reading of the opera that not only sets the tone for the music but also for Strauss and Hofmannsthal's delightful Viennese drama. More so than Karajan and Erich Kleiber, Solti sets the music on a kind of propulsion and pulse that never flags, allowing the multiple scenes that usually substitute well for melatonin to capture the listener's attention.
Solti himself once consulted Strauss on the ideal baton technique for this opera, and the composer remarked as a matter of fact that one should look no further than the text to find the rhythmic pulse on which this Viennese clock runs. Solti took this to heart and produces a reading of the Straussian score that is clearly intertwined into the humor and comedy of the text. It is not nearly as indulgent as Karajan's classic Philharmonia interpretation, but this is for the better. The exchanges during the more placid and contemplative episodes of the opera are paced so naturally that any student of German can tune his ears to the sometimes witty, sometimes philosophical, and oftentimes intimate gabfest. In keeping with the majority of the work in his Straussian operas, Solti conducts this opera with the Vienna Philharmonic. The orchestra's assets have never been put in greater display than in this opera where the gossamer strings, the mellifluously dovetailed woodwinds, and the burnished, bronzen brass sections are balanced so create a perfect sound picture of the bygone Viennese epoch.
The cast couldn't be bettered. While Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Maria Reining have been passed down by history as the definitive Marschallins, I would say that Regine Crespin betters them both by combining a naturally regal, feminine, beautiful, and sympathetic tone with a sense of expression that is always sensitive to the text without overtly focusing on too many details. This is a Marschallin of poise and elegance, of wisdom and refinement. Passionate and funny in Act I, she comes to her own in Act III and creates a portrait of the character that is described by a graciousness unparalleled by Schwarzkopf's cool interpretation. All the wisdom of the Marschallin in the first Act is played to a tee, with that deep and contemplative scene about time never sung better as it is in this recording. Only Reining could equal Crespin in her assumption of the part, and the French soprano betters her due to her security of voice. Crespin's Marschallin was thankfully captured at the prime of her instrument, producing the most sonorous sounds that truly define the grace and elegance of the Princess von Wurdenburg. A class act, if there were any other.
Yvonne Minton plays the Count Octavian di Rofrano in this recording. While many listeners consider Christa Ludwig to be the ultimate German mezzo, the Australian singer Minton in a way betters Ludwig's assumption by creating a count more boyish and more alive in comparison to the former's Octavian. Ludwig was never particularly fond of the role either, and in the end, even if her vocalism is memorable, Minton creates a character that is more alive, more youthful and vibrant, and more in keeping with the qualities of a callow youth in love. Along with Helen Donath's gorgeous and unparalleled bell-like Sophie, Minton sings the finest presentation of the Rose on disc. The glorious, lush orchestral backdrop is simply perfect and creates the ideal foil for these two talented singers to soar in one of the most beautiful scenes in the opera. But ultimate doesn't get better than when the two singers are joined by Crespin's Marschallin in what must be the best closing trio in recordings--sung with refulgent tone and intimately expressed to end a most memorable recording.
Manfred Jungwirth is delightful and vocally resplendent as Ochs, and he creates a dumb, funny, and comic relief of a character that plays into the irony of the opera. Luciano Pavarotti is perfect as the Italian tenor, and the rest of the cast rounds out what I deem as the finest Rosenkavalier of all time.
Solti himself once consulted Strauss on the ideal baton technique for this opera, and the composer remarked as a matter of fact that one should look no further than the text to find the rhythmic pulse on which this Viennese clock runs. Solti took this to heart and produces a reading of the Straussian score that is clearly intertwined into the humor and comedy of the text. It is not nearly as indulgent as Karajan's classic Philharmonia interpretation, but this is for the better. The exchanges during the more placid and contemplative episodes of the opera are paced so naturally that any student of German can tune his ears to the sometimes witty, sometimes philosophical, and oftentimes intimate gabfest. In keeping with the majority of the work in his Straussian operas, Solti conducts this opera with the Vienna Philharmonic. The orchestra's assets have never been put in greater display than in this opera where the gossamer strings, the mellifluously dovetailed woodwinds, and the burnished, bronzen brass sections are balanced so create a perfect sound picture of the bygone Viennese epoch.
The cast couldn't be bettered. While Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Maria Reining have been passed down by history as the definitive Marschallins, I would say that Regine Crespin betters them both by combining a naturally regal, feminine, beautiful, and sympathetic tone with a sense of expression that is always sensitive to the text without overtly focusing on too many details. This is a Marschallin of poise and elegance, of wisdom and refinement. Passionate and funny in Act I, she comes to her own in Act III and creates a portrait of the character that is described by a graciousness unparalleled by Schwarzkopf's cool interpretation. All the wisdom of the Marschallin in the first Act is played to a tee, with that deep and contemplative scene about time never sung better as it is in this recording. Only Reining could equal Crespin in her assumption of the part, and the French soprano betters her due to her security of voice. Crespin's Marschallin was thankfully captured at the prime of her instrument, producing the most sonorous sounds that truly define the grace and elegance of the Princess von Wurdenburg. A class act, if there were any other.
Yvonne Minton plays the Count Octavian di Rofrano in this recording. While many listeners consider Christa Ludwig to be the ultimate German mezzo, the Australian singer Minton in a way betters Ludwig's assumption by creating a count more boyish and more alive in comparison to the former's Octavian. Ludwig was never particularly fond of the role either, and in the end, even if her vocalism is memorable, Minton creates a character that is more alive, more youthful and vibrant, and more in keeping with the qualities of a callow youth in love. Along with Helen Donath's gorgeous and unparalleled bell-like Sophie, Minton sings the finest presentation of the Rose on disc. The glorious, lush orchestral backdrop is simply perfect and creates the ideal foil for these two talented singers to soar in one of the most beautiful scenes in the opera. But ultimate doesn't get better than when the two singers are joined by Crespin's Marschallin in what must be the best closing trio in recordings--sung with refulgent tone and intimately expressed to end a most memorable recording.
Manfred Jungwirth is delightful and vocally resplendent as Ochs, and he creates a dumb, funny, and comic relief of a character that plays into the irony of the opera. Luciano Pavarotti is perfect as the Italian tenor, and the rest of the cast rounds out what I deem as the finest Rosenkavalier of all time.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
One of the greats.
20 Jan 2010
I remember when this recording was first released on LP. Some of the critics, obviously desperate to find something to complain about, opined that Solti's approach was too hard driving. Some also felt Crespin's voice was just too big for the part, having been used to some of the great Marschallin's that had gone before (Schwartzkopf, Reining, etc.). I thought they were idiots then, and my opinion hasn't changed over the years.
Regine Crespin was one of the great dramatic sopranos of the post war years. Sadly, I never saw her Marschallin. However, I did see her Sieglinde (opposite Vickers - now there was a performance!). Even the recording at hand, good as it is, doesn't quite catch what was so incredible about Crespin on stage. The voice was unique. It was huge, of course. But it had a certain vulnerability, for lack of a better word, about it. It might be a French trait. I don't know. But it was just about the most mesmerizing voice I've ever heard on stage. And you can ask just about anyone who heard her live. It's always the same. You will get a response that borders on rapture.
So this is a recording without weakness. And the new remastering seems to me, at least, to have made the whole thing slightly cleaner, slightly smoother sounding. But make no mistake about it, those fabulous dial twirlers, the Decca engineers, got full measure of the analogue medium here. In fact, it took the advent of the CD and current remastering techniques, I think, to do their work, and Mr. Solti and his artists' work, justice.
By-the-way, what a shame they haven't duplicated the original American LP box's cover, which was silver, with a rose, silver, of course, embossed on it in relief. Very elegant.
Regine Crespin was one of the great dramatic sopranos of the post war years. Sadly, I never saw her Marschallin. However, I did see her Sieglinde (opposite Vickers - now there was a performance!). Even the recording at hand, good as it is, doesn't quite catch what was so incredible about Crespin on stage. The voice was unique. It was huge, of course. But it had a certain vulnerability, for lack of a better word, about it. It might be a French trait. I don't know. But it was just about the most mesmerizing voice I've ever heard on stage. And you can ask just about anyone who heard her live. It's always the same. You will get a response that borders on rapture.
So this is a recording without weakness. And the new remastering seems to me, at least, to have made the whole thing slightly cleaner, slightly smoother sounding. But make no mistake about it, those fabulous dial twirlers, the Decca engineers, got full measure of the analogue medium here. In fact, it took the advent of the CD and current remastering techniques, I think, to do their work, and Mr. Solti and his artists' work, justice.
By-the-way, what a shame they haven't duplicated the original American LP box's cover, which was silver, with a rose, silver, of course, embossed on it in relief. Very elegant.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Wonderful, but.....
23 Dec 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a terrific performance but....
despite being advertised as a remastered 24-bit recording, it is often stridently unpleasant to listen to on the higher notes or when Solti launches into his sudden, triple-forte dramatic crescendi that others do without, and one wonders why when RCA was able to resuscitate their great Reiner recordings now more than a half-century old, that Decca wasn't able to do better here, and finally, the haunting memory which cannot be forgotten of in how much better voice Crespin was only a short time before, when she recorded her Rosenkavalier highlights (also for Decca) and which sadly she was unable to equal here.
Therefore as an all-round performance, I'd recommend the Carlos Kleiber one with Jones, Fassbaender, and Popp on DG, but for CD alone, Karajan with Schwarzkopf is still hard to beat.
And as far as this Solti performance is concerned, it is woefully let down by its poor sound, and not even some truly magnificent playing (as one would expect) from the Vienna Philharmonic can repair the damage done to this most beautiful of scores in a distinguished field of competitors less fatally flawed.
despite being advertised as a remastered 24-bit recording, it is often stridently unpleasant to listen to on the higher notes or when Solti launches into his sudden, triple-forte dramatic crescendi that others do without, and one wonders why when RCA was able to resuscitate their great Reiner recordings now more than a half-century old, that Decca wasn't able to do better here, and finally, the haunting memory which cannot be forgotten of in how much better voice Crespin was only a short time before, when she recorded her Rosenkavalier highlights (also for Decca) and which sadly she was unable to equal here.
Therefore as an all-round performance, I'd recommend the Carlos Kleiber one with Jones, Fassbaender, and Popp on DG, but for CD alone, Karajan with Schwarzkopf is still hard to beat.
And as far as this Solti performance is concerned, it is woefully let down by its poor sound, and not even some truly magnificent playing (as one would expect) from the Vienna Philharmonic can repair the damage done to this most beautiful of scores in a distinguished field of competitors less fatally flawed.
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