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Sunday, April 29, 2018

Richard Strauss - Eine Alpensinfonie; Don Juan (Herbert Blomstedt)


Information

Composer: Richard Strauss
  • (01) Don Juan, Op. 20
  • (02-21) Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
Herbert Blomstedt, conductor

Date: 1989
Label: Decca


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Review

With Karajan's for DG and Haitink's for Philips, this new Decca issue means there are now three versions of Eine Alpensinfonie in the catalogue that one would unhesitatingly describe as great performances and interpretations. The work itself, though increasingly popular with the public, is still only grudgingly admired by many commentators. Even the sensitive Michael Steinberg, in his note accompanying this latest performance, calls it ''a first-rate piece of second-rate Strauss''. Such dividing lines are bound to be arbitrary. I would equate the Alpine with Mahler's Eighth Symphony if one was to try to place them in relation to their creators' other large-scale works; and Strauss's often-quoted tribute to Mahler, who died while he was at work on this tone-poem, makes it clear that he took his friend and colleague as a model while creating this huge hymn to Nature.

Both these works depend heavily for their full effect on the quality of performance. Performed less than wholeheartedly, they can make out a case for the views of their detractors. Blomstedt's performance, like Haitink's and Karajan's, is wholehearted and is magnificently played by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. His tempos are slower, but he justifies his expansive treatment of the penultimate Ausklang section because it comes as the noble consummation of an interpretation in which the work's deeper and more spiritual elements emerge powerfully from the tone-painting.

Decca's recording is vivid and spacious, with a wide dynamic range. Not the least of the virtues of Blomstedt's conducting is his scrupulous observance of Strauss's dynamics. Consequently the great climaxes when they come are really thrilling and impressive and the entry of the organ makes an awe-inspiring effect. How well balanced both performance and recording are, too. We hear the important part given to the bass tuba in ideal perspective, for example. The strings are as mellow and supple as Berlin's, with subtle use of vibrato: the solo playing in the ''Wandering by the brook'' section is most beautiful. Other outstanding moments are provided by the trumpets in ''Vision'', the poetic oboe in ''On the summit'' and the clarinet, cor anglais and flute in the ''Calm before the storm''. If you want to sample the excellence of recording and performance, try track No. 15, ''The sun gradually dims''. One can feel the heat and light departing and the chill entering one's bones. Superb playing, typical of a very fine issue which also offers an excellent Don Juan as make-weight.'

-- Gramophone

More reviews:
ClassicsToday  ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 10
http://www.amazon.com/Strauss-Juan-Alpine-Symphony-Blomstedt/dp/B00000E3S2

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Richard Strauss (11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, lieder, tone poems and other orchestral works. Strauss was also a prominent conductor throughout Germany and Austria, enjoying quasi-celebrity status as his compositions became standards of orchestral and operatic repertoire. Strauss made a large number of recordings, both of his own music as well as music by German and Austrian composers. Along with Gustav Mahler, Strauss represents the late flowering of German Romanticism after Richard Wagner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Strauss

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Herbert Blomstedt (born July 11, 1927) is a Swedish conductor. Blomstedt is most noted for his performances of German and Austrian composers, and also as a champion of Scandinavian composers. He has been Music Director or Principal Conductor of the Norrköping Symphony (1954–1962), Oslo Philharmonic (1962–1968), Danish Radio Symphony (1967–1977), Swedish Radio Symphony (1977–1982), Dresden Staatskapelle (1975-1985), San Francisco Symphony (1985-1995), and Leipzig Gewandhausorchester (1998–2005), making many well-regarded and awarded recordings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Blomstedt

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