Strauss, R - Orchestral Works [Box set]

In recent years Zinman and the Tonhalle have given us some superior recordings, e.g., the complete Beethoven and Schumann symphonies. And it is now clear that under Zinman the Tonhalle has become one of the great European orchestras. It may not have the long association with the music of Strauss that Kempe's Dresden Staatskapelle has had -- after all they premièred some of these works 100 years ago. But it certainly can, as an orchestra qua orchestra, stand comparison with the more storied ensemble. And it is clear that Zinman has the measure of Strauss's music. His approach vis-à-vis Kempe's is a bit leaner -- inner voices and textures are amazingly clear and clean -- and yet a bit more leisurely. There are no moments that I can recall where the music sounds driven, something that occasionally happens with Kempe. Comparison of timings bears this observation out; almost all Zinman's timings are longer than Kempe's. In spite of the longer timings, Zinman, a rhythmically alert conductor, never imparts a sense of ennui or lethargy. 'Slower' does not mean 'boring' or 'sluggish.' Further, Zinman probes some of the lesser works -- 'Aus Italien,' say -- and finds more meaning than Kempe does. Another early work, 'Macbeth,' almost never played in orchestral concerts, comes alive in Zinman's hands. It gives the first evidence (as opposed to the earlier 'Aus Italien') that Strauss is his own man with his own methods, his own sound. This performance suggests (as opposed to Kempe's) that it really ought to feature more on concert programs.

All the performances here have something genuine and even moving to say about the music. Many of the them stand well above that level. I do not hesitate to say that one of Strauss's supreme masterpieces, the late 'Metamorphosen,' is given one of the greatest performances I've ever heard. It is almost heartbreaking in this radiantly beautiful performance. It is coupled with two of Strauss's other late masterpieces, the 'Oboe Concerto and 'Four Last Songs.' Neither of the soloists, Zurich's principal oboist Simon Fuchs or soprano Melanie Diener, is well-known but each gives a notable performance. I particularly like Diener's dark, rich sound and her sensitivity to Hesse's and Eichendorff's texts. The reappearance of the main theme from 'Tod und Verklärung' at the end of 'Abendrot' brought tears to my eyes. It is hard not to hear this as Strauss's commentary on his own imminent death.

One nice touch is the coupling on one CD, the first I ever recall, of 'Sinfonia domestica' and its strange companion piece, 'Parergon zur "Sinfonia domestica",' the latter a left-hand piano concerto based on the child's theme from the 'Sinfonia.' It was written at a time when Strauss's son was facing a life-threatening illness, some twenty years after he was portrayed as 'The Child' in the 'Sinfonia.' Swedish pianist Roland Pöntinen (the only well-known soloist in this collection) plays beautifully.

The tone poems for which Strauss was initially best-known -- Ein Heldenleben, Tod und Verklärung, Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Also sprach Zarathustra, Sinfonia domestica -- are given wonderful performances. 'Don Juan' has all the requisite cockiness, 'Till Eulenspiegel' the impishness, and 'Zarathustra' the orchestral richness and depth (oh, those added horns and trumpets!) one could ask for. 'Ein Heldenleben's' complicated counterpoint is brought out cleanly, never turning muddy as is sometimes the case. 'Don Quixote,' featuring the Tonhalle's principal cellist, Thomas Grossenbacher, and violist, Michel Rouilly, does not quite reach the exalted level of the recording by Paul Tortelier and Max Rostal in the Kempe set, but it is a beautiful reading nonetheless. I had never heard 'Romance in F Major' for cello and orchestra. It is a nine-minute beauty, Grossenbacher's cello here singing it lyrically, and one could only wish it was played more in concert.

One real plus for this set is the recorded sound given the Tonhalle by Arte Nova's producer Chris Hazell and engineer Simon Eadon. It is clearly superior to that of the older Kempe set. When you add it all up -- the superb performances, the lifelike sound, the budget price (in the US, something less than $6 per disc) -- this set is a must-have, even for those who already own the Kempe set, but particularly for those who do not have a very large collection of Strauss orchestral works.

TT=ca. 8 hrs

Strongest recommendation.

Scott Morrison

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