Strauss, R.: Arabella [CD]

There was a time when this 1957 recording was the only Arabella available. It stayed that way because it was virtually superb. It's still definitive in that Della Casa and Gueden, London and certainly Edelmann were all top of their trees at the time and in good voice. The Decca recording is their legendary quality made in their preferred studio, a hall, this one the Sofiensaal in Vienna. Also the remastering for CD has removed the LP's bias of heavy low register and the orchestral balance, as well as the balance between singers and orchestra has been changed, all for the better. It no longer sounds like the Solti battle of orchestra and singers but much nearer to the competitors efforts with this tricky piece.

What is there to like:

Della Casa in her best recorded voice though see tempos below

Gueden probably the same and really superb, don't know why I have said in the past I prefer Rothenberger, both are quite marvellous

Edelmann, excellent as the COunt.

London, good impression of crude bear like Russian but I find him to be too much so and over bearing beyond belief but mostly against Uhde and Fischer-Dieskau

Orchestra, remastering gives superb orchestral sound and the playing was of course exactly what you expect of Vienna Philharmonica, again superb.

Diction clear and if you download or already have a libretto its very easy to follow the singers.

++++++

So what's not so good and why do I like aspects of the other live Della Casa recordings:

Well tempo, somewhat indulgent in parts and it makes the work seem long and dragged out.

London and Della Casa don't really sound like the ideal "love match" and whilst Mandryka is a Russian half-educated woodsman, he is nevertheless Russian gentry and London doesn't convey this and modify his tone to suit. I suspect its partly his voice and partly the Solti element! But having the more lyrical Diskeau around doesn't help...

I don't like the Fiakermilli of Coertse very much at all but for no particular reason really, I'm just being very picky, the tenors here are also a bit of a problem as they often are in this work due to the high tessitura Strauss gave them all, but on repeated hearing they are acceptable.

So should you buy this or not?

Well I still think the live Munich recording is the number one choice but now both this and that are bargain basement prices you should have both - then you have a studio recording and a live recording and between them you cover the wonderful Della Casa with alternate casts and conductors and although she does sound, well less youthful at times in the Munich live, it's still quite a superb performance and deeply satisfying. If you become addicted to Della Casa then you could buy the Orfeo Live Salzburg Keilberth but its 4-5 times the prices of the Keilberth live Munich one and not that much better, indeed its a fine illustration of a perfect first night with a festival quality cast though somehow it doesn't quite linger in the mind. I think it is perhaps a little faster than Keilberth in Munich and that tells in the end. I don't think the Testament release of the BBC broadcast with Boehme is worth having really except for Uhde as Mandryka and a young della Casa who brings the whole evening off in the last act. Boehme is too fast in the first act as if he's anxious to get to his dinner or meet the Queen!

Alternatively you could buy one of these and something else from Della Casa, either her superb live Capriccio (D'Orfeo) or her Cosi, Marriage of Figaro or even Don Giovanni......oh and the Testament Excerpts from Ariadne is her final recorded Swansong and a must have. Also consider the live in Vienna disc from various VSO productions!

Played in isolation though this is still the superb studio recording it always was and Della Casa And Guelden were at their best. Comparisons are odious and I for one will often play the first act/CD as I did the first 2 LP's.