Richard Strauss - Sinfonia Domestica; Tod und Verklärung (George Szell)

Information

Composer: Richard Strauss

1. Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration), Op. 24
2. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Thema I. Bewegt - Thema II. Sehr Lebhaft - Thema III. Ruhig
3. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Scherzo. Munter - Wiegenlied. Mäßig langsam
4. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Adagio. Langsam
5. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Finale. Sehr Lebhaft
6. Tanz der sieben Schleier (Dance of the Seven Veils)

Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell, conductor (1-5)
Philadelphia Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy, conductor (6)

Date: 1957-1964
Label: Sony Classical

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Review

If Ein Helbenleben was Strauss's depiction of his own all-round prowess, Symphonia Domestica (1903) is music with the sweet smell of success. Self-satisfied? You bet, as Strauss illustrates his family circumstances in graphic detail--nocturnal amorousness and children's bathtime included. Its a work that needs a firm hand from the conductor to give it coherence, and Szell duly obliges. While not skimping on tenderness when required, he steers a safe course through Strauss's lavish family album, almost convincing you that there's an actual symphony going on in the process. Death and Transfiguration (1889) is younger, keener Strauss--anxious to prove himself equal to the best and succeeding in every respect except integrity. Not that you miss this in Szell's gripping performance--life and death intensity in the truest sense. The "Dance of the Seven Veils" from Salome packs a real punch in Ormandy's account: the raucous opening sounding like an on-location recording from the local harem. This is great fun you can afford to take seriously.

-- Richard Whitehouse
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Richard-Verklarung-Sinfonia-domestica-Schleier/dp/B000025G2D

---------------------------------

George Szell seemed to avoid Strauss's most splashy tone poems-- Zarathustra and Heldenleben--perhaps out of his natural dislike of kitsch, or possibly because Columbia (now Sony) had Eugene Ormandy and Philadelphia covering that territory. It's our gain, because while there are lots of great recordings of these latter two works, how many great performances of the Sinfonia domestica can you point to? Granted, it's a tough piece to bring off--a day in the life of the composer's family, complete with bathing the baby and a really graphic sex scene. But it's also one of the few works by Strauss that actually ends at the end, and not 20 minutes before. In any case, this is the performance to have, and Death is just as good.

-- David Hurwitz
http://www.amazon.com/Strauss-Verkl%C3%A4rung-Sinfonia-Domestica-Schleier/dp/B000002915

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

***

George Szell (June 7, 1897 – July 30, 1970) was a Hungarian-born American conductor and composer. He is widely considered one of the twentieth century's greatest conductors. He is remembered today for his long and successful tenure as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra, and for his recordings of the standard classical repertoire he made in Cleveland and with other orchestras. Szell's manner in rehearsal was that of an autocratic taskmaster, with a well-known reputation as a perfectionist and a deep knowledge of instruments. His repertoire consisted mostly of the core Austro-German classical and romantic repertoire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Szell

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

FLAC, tracks

Links in comment

Enjoy!