Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Dance of the Seven Veils

On this CD:

1. Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 40
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Oscar Lampe
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

2. Feuersnot, opera, Op. 50 Liebeszene (Love Scene/Scene d'amour)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Oscar Lampe
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

3. Intermezzo, opera, Op. 72
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Oscar Lampe
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

4. Salome, opera, Op. 54 Tanz der sieben Schleier (Dance of the Seven Veils)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Oscar Lampe
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Dance of the Seven Veils, Music, Richard Strauss, Sir Thomas Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Oscar Lampe, Classical, Classical Music, German/Austrian Romantic Opera, Opera, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Romantic Tone Poem/Symphonic Poem for Orchestra, Unspecified Dance for Orchestra
Strauss: Tone Poems
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • first-rate interpretations, second-rate recorded sound
  • Not worth it!!!!!!!
  • Wonderful Interpretation throughout.
 Strauss: Tone Poems

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Schumann Piano Works
  2. Schubert: 8 Symphonies
  3. Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie
  4. Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures
  5. Brahms: The Complete Symphonies / Karajan, Berlin PO

ASIN: B00002DF9N
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

  1. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Night - Sunrise - Berliner Philharmoniker
  2. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: The Ascent - Berliner Philharmoniker
  3. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Entering The Wood - Berliner Philharmoniker
  4. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Wandering By The Brook - By The Waterfall - Apparition - Berliner Philharmoniker
  5. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Flowery Meadows - On The Mountain Pasture - On The Wrong Track Through Thickets And Undergrowth - On The Glacier - Berliner Philharmoniker
  6. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Precarious moments - On The Summit - Vision - Berliner Philharmoniker
  7. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Rising Mists - The Sun Gradually Dims - Elegy - Berliner Philharmoniker
  8. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Calm Before The Storm - Berliner Philharmoniker
  9. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Thunderstorm, Descent - Berliner Philharmoniker
  10. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Sunset - Berliner Philharmoniker
  11. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Epilogue - Night - Berliner Philharmoniker
  12. Don Juan, Op.20: Tone Poem After Nikolaus Lenau - Berliner Philharmoniker
  13. Waltzes From Act III - Berliner Philharmoniker

Tracks:

  1. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Introduction - Michel Schwalbe
  2. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of The Backworldsmen - Michel Schwalbe
  3. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of The Great Longing - Michel Schwalbe
  4. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of Joys And Passions - Michel Schwalbe
  5. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: The Song Of The Grave - Michel Schwalbe
  6. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of Science - Michel Schwalbe
  7. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: The Convalescent - Michel Schwalbe
  8. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: The Dance Song - Michel Schwalbe
  9. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Song Of The Night Wanderer - Michel Schwalbe
  10. Festival Prelude, Op.61 - Wolfgang Meyer
  11. Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, Op.28 - Berliner Philharmoniker
  12. Salome, Op.54: Dance Of The Seven Veils - Berliner Philharmoniker

Tracks:

  1. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero - Erich Muhlbach
  2. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Adversaries - Erich Muhlbach
  3. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Companion - Erich Muhlbach
  4. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Battlefield - Erich Muhlbach
  5. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Works Of Peace - Erich Muhlbach
  6. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Retirement From The World And Fulfilment - Erich Muhlbach
  7. Death And Transfiguration, Op.24 - Staatskapelle Dresden

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars first-rate interpretations, second-rate recorded sound.......2006-07-30

What admirable interpretations from Böhm! He breathes so much character into each of the musical "paragraphs" in these readings. Each theme is given its own distinct tempo, chosen with exceptional judgement to emphasize its idiosyncracies and expressive character; and Böhm can turn his orchestra on a dime when a good deal of contrast is called for between the end of one paragraph and beginning of the next. There's also enourmous dynamic range and contrast, form the softest pianissimi to thundering fortissimi. These are readings that really bring out the broad ebb and flow of these long pieces, emphasizing the structure, the architecture of them. They're really fantastic.

Do be warned, though, that the recorded sound is very dated: generally it's rather one-dimensional and the resolution is not very high, so that you mostly hear only the most prominent voices of the ensemble at any given time. It's at its worst in the Alpine Symphony, which sounds like a scratchy, screechy 1930's film soundtrack. In the rest of the pieces it ranges from good to serviceable; but if there's any repertoire that really benefits from today's high-fidelity recording technology, massive post-Romantic orchestral scores like these are certainly a front-runner. Buy this set for the marvellous interpretations, but you'll want to explore other, better-recorded readings as well to really hear the full depth and resonance of the orchestral sound.

2 out of 5 stars Not worth it!!!!!!!.......2006-07-19

This seems like a great deal with the amount of material and the price, but the truth is "cheap price, cheap recordings" . I highly suggest if you want to get the most of Richard Strauss's tone poems you should buy different recordings. The main thing I was disappointed with on this box set was the recording of An Alpine Symphony. The recording of the alpine symphony was too old and weak, sloppy and loud (only at times),and just ok overall. The alpine symphony is on the first cd so I after I listened to that, I had a bad attitude about the rest of it. Even though, all of the other recordings are pretty good or ok.

Personally, I would suggest Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic when it comes to Richard Strauss's tone poems.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful Interpretation throughout........2006-01-01

This collection is a wonderful package in that it brings together one of Strauss's life friends and largest advocates (Karl Bohm) with two incredible GERMAN orchestras playing their own nationalistic music.

These recordings rank among my most cherished and loved. Highlights (for me) include the climax of sunrise in the Alpine Symphony, the huge reverberations as the massive sound of the fff chords carry over into silence in Heldenleben, and the wicked-crazy horns as they rip through the Waltz from Rosenkavalier.

These are prime interpretations (better, I feel than any other -- and I mean ANY - sorry Karajan fans!!!). And these two wonderful forces play their musical heritage with passion and brilliance.

As another reviewer pointed out, the sound quality leaves something to be desired, however it is not quite as bad as they would have us believe. What we first must take into account is that Strauss' huge tone poems put enormous demands on the recording equipment of its day that could not be met. Also, Bohm was stressed above all else that "the melody be prominent". Yes - as a result the recording really kicks out the melody line.

Okay - take that into account and listen to these with some imagination. I assure you that you will be able to hear the detail of Strauss' music - but more importantly the style and idea of it. Listen like you would look at a black and white photo. While the B&W leaves more for your imagination, you still "get the picture" - and sometimes the B&W reveales more! It's exactly the same with this incredible box of Strauss.

The interpretation is absolutely stunning and revealing. Bohm nailed this on the head and truly captured the essence of this music. I feel this is a wonderful place for you to start if you know little Strauss - and if you know much about Strauss, this is a great place for you to hear a different, but seemingly perfect interpretation of Strauss.
Strauss: Orchestral Works
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Outstanding performances
  • Reviving a Lost Love
  • Not for beginners...
  • One of the very best of all EMI sets! The 2nd coming for all Straussians!
  • terrible, awful, hideous, lousy
 Strauss: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
  2. Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies
  3. Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies & Tone Poems
  4. Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra
  5. Symphonies 1-3 / Piano Concerto 1-4 / Isle of Dead

ASIN: B000026D4K
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

  1. Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: I: Allegro
  2. Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: II: Andante
  3. Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: III: Allegro
  4. Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: I: Allegro
  5. Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: II: Andante con moto
  6. Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: III: Rondo (Allegro molto)
  7. Oboe Concerto In D Major: I: Allegro moderato
  8. Oboe Concerto In D Major: II: Andante
  9. Oboe Concerto In D Major: III: Vivace
  10. Duett-Concertino: I; Allegro moderato
  11. Duett-Concertino: II: Andante
  12. Duett-Concertino: III: Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)

Tracks:

  1. Burleske
  2. Parergon zur Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 73
  3. Panathenaenzug, Op. 74

Tracks:

  1. Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28
  2. Don Juan, Op. 20
  3. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero
  4. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
  5. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Wife
  6. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Certainty Of Victory
  7. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Battlefield
  8. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: War Fanfares
  9. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Work Of Peace
  10. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Withdrawl From The World
  11. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Renunciation

Tracks:

  1. Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: I: Allegro
  2. Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: II: Lento
  3. Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: III: Rondo
  4. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Bewegt - Thema I - Thema II - Thema III
  5. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Scherzo (Munter)
  6. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Wiegenlied - Massig langsam
  7. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Adagio - (Langsam)
  8. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Finale (Sehr lebhaft)

Tracks:

  1. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
  2. Tod und Verklarung, Op. 24
  3. Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59

Tracks:

  1. Salome, Op. 54: Dance Of The Seven Veils
  2. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Overture
  3. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Jourdain - Minuet
  4. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Fencing Master
  5. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entrance and Dance of the Tailors
  6. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Minuet of Lully
  7. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Courante
  8. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entry Of Cleonte
  9. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Intermezzo (Prelude To Act 2)
  10. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Dinner
  11. Schlagobers, Op. 70: Waltz
  12. Josephslegende, Op. 63: Symphonic Fragment

Tracks:

  1. Metamorphosen: Study For 23 Solo Strings
  2. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night
  3. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunrise
  4. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Ascent
  5. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Entering The Forest
  6. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Strolling By The Stream
  7. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: By The Waterfall
  8. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Apparition
  9. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In Flowery Meadows
  10. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In A Mountain Pasture
  11. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Lost In The Thickets And Undergrowth
  12. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Glacier
  13. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Dangerous Moments
  14. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Summit
  15. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Vision
  16. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Mists Rise Up
  17. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Sun Grows Dark
  18. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Elegy
  19. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Quiet Before The Storm
  20. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: A Thunderstorm - Descent
  21. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunset
  22. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Conclusion
  23. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night

Tracks:

  1. Aus Italien, Op.16: I: Andante
  2. Aus Italien, Op.16: II: Allegro molto con brio
  3. Aus Italien, Op.16: III: Andantino
  4. Aus Italien, Op.16: IV: Finale (Allegro molto)
  5. Macbeth, Op. 23: Symphonic Poem

Tracks:

  1. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Introduktion (Massiges Zeitmass)
  2. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Massig (Don Quixote)
  3. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Maggiore (Sancho Panza)
  4. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation I: The adventure with the windmills
  5. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation II: The battle with the sheep
  6. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation III: Discourse between knight and squire
  7. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IV: The adventure with the pilgrims
  8. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation V: The knight's vigil
  9. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VI: The meeting with Dulcinea
  10. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VII: The ride through the air
  11. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VIII: The voyage in the enchanted boat
  12. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IX: The combat with the two magicians
  13. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation X: The defeat of Don Quixote
  14. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Finale (Sehr ruhig)
  15. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: I: Entree and stately round
  16. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: II: Courante
  17. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: III: Carillon
  18. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: IV: Sarabande
  19. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: V: Gavotte
  20. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VI: Tourbillon - Wirbeltanz
  21. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: Allemande
  22. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: March

Amazon.com essential recording

When it comes to the music of Richard Strauss, none of the world's great orchestras has a more distinguished tradition than the Staatskapelle Dresden. As pit orchestra of the Dresden Court Opera, the Staatskapelle was involved in the premieres, between 1901 and 1911, of Feuersnot, Salome, Elektra, and Der Rosenkavalier; later, with Karl Böhm conducting, its players participated in the premiere of Daphne. Most of Strauss's major tone poems have been in the Dresden orchestra's concert repertory since completion.

Back in the 1970s, EMI was able to capitalize on this association when it reunited the Staatskapelle with Rudolf Kempe--a native of Dresden, one of the master conductors of the 20th century, and an absolutely authoritative Straussian--for an integral recording of Strauss's orchestral works and concertos. The cycle was warmly received when it was originally released on LP, and it has become one of the treasures of the CD catalog since EMI reissued it whole, in three volumes, in 1992. With this latest repackaging, the whole impressive enterprise becomes available in one box.

Across the board, Kempe and the Dresdeners give magnificent readings of the music. Their Zarathustra is imposing and grand; their Heldenleben suitably heroic and quite smashingly played; their Till Eulenspiegel and Don Juan delightfully brisk, characterful, and exultant (the latter is dispatched in a blazing 16:06, and receives as ardent and exhilarating a reading as you are ever likely to encounter on disc). One of the finest of all the offerings is the account of Eine Alpensinfonie, a Kempe favorite and still a sonic knockout after nearly three decades.

The less familiar orchestral works are here, as well, including the early tone poems Aus Italien and Macbeth and the admittedly rather frothy ballet scores Josephslegende and Schlagobers. Of special value are the accounts of all Strauss's concerted works, from the early Violin Concerto (played by Ulf Hoelscher) and Burleske for piano and orchestra (with Malcolm Frager as soloist), through Don Quixote (featuring Paul Tortelier in magisterial form) and the two horn concertos, to the Oboe Concerto of 1946 and the final Duett-Concertino for clarinet and bassoon.

It's hard to imagine any label tackling such a project in today's bottom-line environment, or coming up with such definitive readings from today's performers. All the more reason to celebrate the appearance of this compendium. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding performances.......2007-05-13

Rudolf Kempe's interpretations of Richard Strauss orchestral works (almost complete - one miss the orchestral songs) have been classic recordings since they first appeared on record in the early seventies (1970-75).

Especially fine are his interpretations of the core works, e.g., the symphonic poems Also sprach Zarathustra, Ein Heldenleben, Eine Alpensinfonie, Tod und Verklärung, Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel, Don Quixote. All these are given first rate interpretations.

Furthermore, you get outstanding interpretations of Strauss' two horn concertos as well, with Peter Damm's superb horn playing, and an outstanding performance of Metamorphosen.

There is simply no rival to this collection of "core works of Richard Strauss".

In addition, this box collects also Strauss less interesting orchestral works - see Amazon's listing above. These minor works receive fine interpretations and performances too, but the main attraction is of course the core works above.

Sound quality is very fine - just excellent analogue stereo - and the orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, was one of the top orchestras in the world when these sessions were put on record.

Warmly recommended!

5 out of 5 stars Reviving a Lost Love.......2006-08-07

The highest praise for any conductor must be that he rekindles enthusiasm and love for music that had been recently abandoned. In his autobiography, the conductor Felix Weingartner confesses that he had grown out of touch with Strauss' music; until hearing this set, I had felt the same, with only a few exceptions. But Rudolf Kempe and his really great Staatskapelle Dresden have won me back to Richard's orchestral music. So far, I have only heard part of the set: Zarathustra, Heldenleben, Till, Tod und Verklaerung, Der Buerger als Edelmann, Don Juan, Burleske, and Sinfonia Domestica, but my appetite is whet for more. Because of the refined, subtle, and yet intense conducting of Kempe, what used to strike me as cheap and taudry now strikes me as profound and moving. And the sheer musical skill of Strauss in thematic invention and counterpoint never ceases to amaze. Kempe was truly, in my not so humble opinion, the greatest conductor of the German classics following Furtwaengler; Karajan was empty and shallow by comparison. Kempe brings to this music the same passion and dignity that he brought to Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, Schumann, and other of "his" composers. To make just one comparison, Reiner's Zarathustra, once hallowed by me as by most listeners, now sounds like overripe, rotting fruit as compared to the passionate yet thoughtful quality that Kempe brings to it. The Staatskapelle Dresden, by the way, sounds like the greatest orchestra in the world, only matched by the Berlin Philharmonic under Kempe or Furtwaengler, an orchestra that produces incidentally beautiful sounds but whose main goal is the projection and characterization of the music. No virtuosity for its own sake, just musicianship, musicianship, and more musicianship. EMI's sound is the very epitome of how to record an orchestra: Impactful, yet smooth and detailed, with natural perspectives and no spotlighting. This set belongs in every music lover's library.

3 out of 5 stars Not for beginners..........2006-07-16

Most boxed sets have their ups and downs because no conductor is equally sympathetic to all of a composer's works. Kempe is no exception to this rule.

The masterpieces, Zarathustra, Heldenleben, and Quixote, are superb here. Kempe clarifies Strauss' complex textures in a way that other conductors like Karajan don't. Most of the time, I prefer to hear these works Karajan's way, but it's nice to hear what Kempe does with them, too. No one does Sinfonia Domestica the way Kempe does it...with such gentleness and humor. I listened to Reiner's recording for years, but I put it up for sale on amazon after I heard the Kempe. With all four of these large tone poems, Kempe and Karajan are all I really need.

The Don Juan is just about the best I've ever heard. It is so vital and exciting! Better than Karajan or any other I know. It is hard to imagine that Macbeth will ever be done better than this either. Macbeth is one of the reasons I own this set, but it's hardly one of Strauss' masterpieces. Speaking of non-masterpieces, I also treasure Kempe's recordings of Strauss' strange works for piano and orchestra. The Burleske has more poetry but less excitement than the classic Byron Janis/Reiner recording.

Kempe's recordings of the Horn Concertos are truly awful. Listen to the weak, watery tones of the first-chair horn player stepping into the solo spotlight. One listen to the mono recordings of Dennis Brain conducted by Sawallisch shows what is missing: bold, ringing tone and lots of excitement. If I only knew Kempe's recordings, I wouldn't even care about these pieces.

The bad news continues with the Oboe Concerto (weak oboist) and the charming Duet Concertino (weak bassoon).

Kempe misses the raucous fun that charges the best recordings of Till Eulenspiegel. This is a limp dishrag of a performance (until the last few minutes). At the very start of the performance, you will hear a familiar sound -- our weak horn player from the concertos playing a solo -- and you will long to stop the CD and reach for a different recording.

Metamorphosen is one of my favorite pieces by Strauss. Kempe, as is his wont, tries mightily to clarify Strauss' dense counterpoint here, and I appreciate the effort. I hear things here that I miss in other recordings. But this reading does not move me the way others have. Ormandy, to name just one. Death and Transfiguration is another one that Ormandy did better. Kempe is too fast at times! Really fast!

My greatest disappointment with this set is a recording that has been acclaimed by many as one of the greatest Strauss recordings ever made...Kempe's take on Eine Alpensinfonie. I have lived for many years with the Karajan recording, and I must say that Kempe misses many of the moments that I have come to treasure in Karajan's version. One example would be those 20 horns playing! Karajan makes this absolutely thrilling, which I'm sure is what Strauss intended. With Kempe, this telling touch by Strauss passes by unremarkably. The slow, quiet passage at the summit lacks magic. The apotheosis at the top of the mountain is certainly thrilling in Kempe's hands, but he misses too much on the way up. By the way, his cowbells sound almost comically bad. He certainly does bring out the beauty of the closing sections of the work, though.

If you are really serious about getting to know Strauss' music, this is a necessary purchase for the rarities that will probably never be done better like the Violin Concerto and the pieces I've already mentioned. If you just want Strauss' most famous works, this is a waste of your money (no matter how cheap it is!)because there's a lot of stuff here that either isn't very good or that you probably won't want to listen to that often. You would be better off buying Karajan's recordings (the 1970s recordings, not the remakes from the 80s) of the big three tone poems and then filling in the smaller ones as your interests dictate. Casual listeners will never need to hear pieces like Macbeth or the piano works that make this set so vital to Strauss-aholics like me!

5 out of 5 stars One of the very best of all EMI sets! The 2nd coming for all Straussians!.......2006-02-10

The great Strauss tone poems soar to the highest level imaginable! With Kempe's genius, the lesser works become great! Kempe resists all temptation to be banal or bombastic. He directs the Staatskappele Dresden with a silken, burnished tone yet with restraint that has a radiant glow that never sacrifices the inherent capacity of the music to thrill, deeply move, or elevate to another plain. Each work played is in itself the guide: conductor and orchestra let the works deliver their own brilliance. The Don Juan and Dead and Transfiguration are soul piercing, along with Ein Heldenleben, and....... The Staatskapelle Dresden has always been an inspired ensemble and in Kempe's hands they are simply put, magnificent, delivering one thrilling performance after another. Like Wagner and Faith, you get Strauss or you don't. If you do get it, this set is beyond self recommendation; Buy this set before it disappears from the shelves. Classical Cd shelves these days have hidden boomerangs. One minute here, next minute.....boing going gone)...! The concert hall may never hear greater performances of Strauss' orchestral works as we hear on these nine disks. The sound is nothing short of a rich, full timber as Kempe leads then with inspired and interpretive genius . This all may sound over the edge but I don't think so and I don't think you will be disappointed. Strauss has been served in splendor by the Dresden musicians under Kempe's baton. [Although in an aside I must say that Raphael Fruhbeck de Burgos and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra's performance this past summer of Don Juan and the Rosenkavalier suite were superb.] Then I think of the BSO with Levine...., their Strauss should be something else. Bravo and kudos to all for bringing us this gift. Booklet is very well done with one exception. There is not a word in the booklet about Rudolf Kempe and/or the orchestra itself. 10 stars anyway!!

2 out of 5 stars terrible, awful, hideous, lousy.......2005-04-22

The problem with the "classics" is that too many hacks have hacked them to pieces. My opinion of these recordings, for whatever it is worth, is that they simply do not do justice to Strauss's magnificent music.

There is a reason they are a "bargain". I would avoid this set.
Sometimes a boxed set is a good deal, but this one is not. I find the entire set unspeakably dull and literally unlistenable.

In any event, this is merely my opinion. The majority of the other reviewers think its terrific.



R. Strauss: Tod und Verklärung; Ein Heldenleben; Dance of the Seven Veils
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Strauss, Great Price
 R. Strauss: Tod und Verklärung; Ein Heldenleben; Dance of the Seven Veils

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. R. Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra; Till Eulenspppiegels lustige Streiche; Tod und Verklärung
  2. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan / Karajan
  3. Strauss: Til Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks/Don Juan/Death And Transfiguration
  4. Strauss: Four Last Songs / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
  5. Dvorak: Slavonic Dances

ASIN: B00004VW0H
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Tracks:

  1. Death And Transfiguration, Op.24
  2. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero
  3. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
  4. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Wife
  5. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: Certainty Of Victory
  6. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Battlefield
  7. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: War Fanfares
  8. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Works Of Peace
  9. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: The Hero's Withdrawal From The World
  10. A Hero's Life, Op. 40: Renunciation
  11. Salome, Op.54 - Dance Of The Seven Veils

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Strauss, Great Price.......2003-06-08

This is a budget-line CD of Richard Strauss' Orchestral Works by the great Rudolf Kempe and the Staatskapelle Dresden. These works have previously been available on disc, and are collected along with Kempe's other brilliant Strauss recordings on a very affordable EMI box set. However, if all you want is a few of Strauss' better known pieces, this is a great place to start.
Strauss Conducts Ein Heldenleben
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A Hero's Life - Strauss's orchestral showpiece
Strauss Conducts Ein Heldenleben

Manufacturer: Dutton Labs UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Strauss Conducts An Alpine Symphony
  2. Richard Strauss Conducts Don Quixote
  3. Wagner: Das Rheingold
  4. Mengelberg Conducts Strauss: Ein Heldenleben / Don Juan (also includes Wagenaar: Cyrano de Bergerac Overture)
  5. Walter Conducts Das Lied von der Erde

ASIN: B0001AGOPE
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Hero's Life - Strauss's orchestral showpiece .......2007-02-12

This inspired work blazes with intensity from the first note to the last. The recording has fabulous sound quality for it's time - Recorded in 1941. In fact it's better sounding than most recent recordings. The original surface noise is filtered to near inaudibility - Dutton's restoration is a must-have. There's nothing like hearing Strauss conduct his own works during the wartime. Now that's history!
Ein Heldenleben / Tod Und Verklarung
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Strauss played with delicacy and integrity
  • The reference Strauss
  • Kempe, Dresden, and Strauss were made for each other.
 Ein Heldenleben / Tod Und Verklarung
R. Strauss , Kempe , and Staatskapelle Dresden
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
OperettasOperettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Wagner: Orchestral Music
  2. Mahler Lieder: Des Knaben Wunderhorn
  3. Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven; Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos / Furtwangler, Menuhin
  4. Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter
  5. Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde

ASIN: B00006I0DG
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Tracks:

  1. Tanz Der Sieben Schleier (Dance Of The Seven Veils)
  2. Tod Und Verklarung, Op.24 (Death And Transfiguration)
  3. Der Held (The Hero)
  4. Des Helden Widersacher (The Hero's Adversaries)
  5. Des Helden Gefahrtin (The Hero's Companion)
  6. Des Helden Walstatt (The Hero's Battlefield)
  7. Des Helden Friedenswerke (The Hero's Works Of Peace)
  8. Des Helden Weltflucht Und Vollendung (The Hero's Withdrawal From The World And Fulfilment)

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Strauss played with delicacy and integrity.......2006-07-02

Rudolf Kempe gained his greatest fame with his EMI recordings of Richard Strauss, and here the main work, Ein Heldenleben from 1972, is generously filled out with Salome's Dance of the Seven Veils and Death and Transfiguration, a total of 75 min. The original LPs and earlier CD issues didn't have the best sound, but in this new remastering the old murkiness is cleaned up and they sound very good.

Salome's dance is played at the polar opposite of Karajan's sensuousness, which was drunk on its erotic allure. Kempe's way--and this is what his admirers adore--is to bring delicacy and integrity to Strauss, avoiding all excess. But I think avoiding eroticism in Salome's dance, of all pieces, is right. The Dresden orchestra plays with its usual refined understatement, totally in accord with Kempe.

Death and Transfiguration combines religiosity with a lurid deathbed scene that invites us to eavesdrop on every twitch and gasp of a dying man before he is filled with divine illumination at the end. Here, Kempe's chasteness seems more appropriate. Don't expect the tension and trhills of Karajan or Bruno Walter in his classic mono reading on Sony--we are closer to Haitink's style of Strauss playing.

If anything, the Heldenleben is even more low-key (the Gramophone's word is 'aristocratic') than what precedes it. British critics are embarrassed by Strauss's unalloyed paean to himself, but great recordings by Beecham, Karajan and, quiqte recently, Simon Rattle confirm that Strauss wnated the conductor to pull out all the stops--Heldenleben is one of Strauss's most exciting thrill rides. If you don't agree, neither does Kempe, whose hero has half the swagger and twice the reticence of any reading I've ever heard. BTW the remastering engineers worked the least magic with this recording, which has always been a little tubby and blurred.

Sadly, if you dare to criticize a recording that "everybody knows" is the best, Amazon readers slash you for it, but I'm giving my genuine response to these accounts, which I've known and lived with for thirty years.

5 out of 5 stars The reference Strauss.......2004-04-13

At budget price, this is the best Strauss to grab. The other recordings I've heard are the brilliant and unheard Benjamin Zander with the New England Conservatory Orchestra and Karl Bohm's direction under the same orchestra. You can download the Zander recording at his website and this is another recommendation because the youth orchestra under Zander is unbelievable, particularly the ruthlessly ****ed up trumpet parts of The Hero's Battlefield. Karl Bohm's Ein Heldenleben is fine, but the Battlefield was severely flawed and the Dresden players could not cope with the movement until Kempe directs them again in this recording.

Kempe is a remarkable Straussian in his own right. While Reiner is about precision and control, Karajan with the lushness of Straussian tone and Bohm the fineness, Kempe, in my humble opinion, is possess the qualities of Reiner and Bohm. The Dance of Seven Veils is the best I've heard without middle-eastern exaggeration that other conductors employed, yet under Kempe, the Dance mesmerises still with sensuality. Ein Heldenleben is my least favorite of Strauss' compositions, because of it's too much excessiveness after the Hero's Battlefield. Suffice to say, Kempe directed Ein Heldenleben flawlessly.

The gem of this CD is one of the most emotional of Strauss' compositions, Tod Und Verlarung, seering with white-hot intensity. If you're contemplating your first Richard Strauss CD, make sure to pick this recording.

5 out of 5 stars Kempe, Dresden, and Strauss were made for each other........2003-01-28

This is a re-release, remastered (but I can't hear much change in the sound from earlier versions), of these wonderful recordings. They truly are great performances. Kempe and the Dresden Staatkapelle seemed to have a way with Strauss that never failed him. If you don't have earlier incarnations of these performances, this is your chance to grab them at a bargain price.

This is, without doubt, my favorite recording of Ein Heldenleben, better than Karajan's, although I wouldn't want to be without it, either.
R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben

    Manufacturer: Biddulph Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
    All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    Tone PoemsTone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
    General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
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    Romantic (c.1820-1910)Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B000007N8Z
    Release Date: 1998-05-26

    Tracks:

    1. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40: The Hero - Oscar Lampe
    2. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40: The Hero's Adversaries - Oscar Lampe
    3. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40: The Hero's Companion - Oscar Lampe
    4. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40: The Hero's Battlefield - Oscar Lampe
    5. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40: The Hero's Works Of Peace - Oscar Lampe
    6. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40: The Hero's Retreat From The World And Fulfillment - Oscar Lampe
    7. Love Scene From Feuersnot, Op.50 - Sir Thomas Beecham/RPO
    8. Interlude From Intermezzo, Op.72 - Sir Thomas Beecham/RPO
    9. Dance Of The Seven Veils From Salome, Op.54 - Sir Thomas Beecham/RPO
    Famous Composers Playing Their Own Works: Welte Mignon Piano
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Quality Piano Roll Reproductions
    • Great, great CD
    		 Famous Composers Playing Their Own Works: Welte Mignon Piano

    Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
    Grieg, EdvardGrieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    Humperdinck, EngelbertHumperdinck, Engelbert | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    All Works by LeoncavalloAll Works by Leoncavallo | Leoncavallo, Ruggiero | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    All Works by MahlerAll Works by Mahler | Mahler, Gustav | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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    All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    Character PiecesCharacter Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
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    Romantic (c.1820-1910)Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    FrenchFrench | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B000009KFF
    Release Date: 1994-05-03

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Quality Piano Roll Reproductions.......2006-10-31

    One thing I would mention, other than the obvious (e.g., it's GREAT to hear the composers' own interpretations, etc.), is that the reproduction of the rolls is of good quality, and the recording doesn't sound cheap or poorly made.

    I love the Strauss Traumerai, in particular, though it's all great stuff.

    5 out of 5 stars Great, great CD.......2002-10-09

    Absolutely beautiful collection of Welte Mignon Piano Roll music... You hear great composers play their OWN music, not someone else's interpertation. Track #11 Strauss's 'Reverie' is very beautiful and the last 3 tracks are Gustav Mahler playing his own music, Mahler was a very fine pianist. Track #6 Humperdinck's 'Pantomine' from 'Hansel und Gretel' is very cool. These were all recorded between 1905 & 1906. These are not ordinary Piano Rolls, the Welte Mignon was a breakthrough, Stravinsky spent days over the factory in France recording, "my music for posterity."-------- Where his Welte Mignon recordings are now, who knows, let's just hope one day they too are released.
    Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Dance of the Seven Veils
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Dance of the Seven Veils

      Manufacturer: Testament
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      SymphoniesSymphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music | Baroque | Classical | General | Modern & 20th Century | Romantic | Sinfonia | Sinfonia Concertante
      Tone PoemsTone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      Romantic (c.1820-1910)Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B00000C2C3
      Release Date: 1998-09-08

      Tracks:

      1. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40, A Hero's Life - Symphonic Poem: The Hero
      2. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40, A Hero's Life - Symphonic Poem: The Hero's Adversaries
      3. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40, A Hero's Life - Symphonic Poem: The Hero's Wife
      4. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40, A Hero's Life - Symphonic Poem: Certainty Of Victory
      5. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40, A Hero's Life - Symphonic Poem: The Hero's Battlefield
      6. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40, A Hero's Life - Symphonic Poem: War Fanfares
      7. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40, A Hero's Life - Symphonic Poem: The Hero's Works Of Peace
      8. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40, A Hero's Life - Symphonic Poem: The Hero's Withdrawal From The World
      9. Ein Heldenleben, Op.40, A Hero's Life - Symphonic Poem: Renunciation
      10. Feuersnot - Liebeszene: Love Scene - RPO/Sir Thomas Beecham
      11. Intermezzo - Entr' Acte in A-flat - RPO/Sir Thomas Beecham
      12. Salome, Op.54: Dance Of The Seven Veils - RPO/Sir Thomas Beecham
      Fritz Reiner Conducts Richard Strauss [Box Set]
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Reiner's Chicago Richard Strauss: A Touchstone
      • Reiner's Strauss
      • NOBODY conducted Richard Strauss better!
      • Simply the Best
      		 Fritz Reiner Conducts Richard Strauss [Box Set]

      Manufacturer: RCA
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      WaltzesWaltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by StraussAll Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      RomanticRomantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      Tone PoemsTone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      PianoPiano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
      CelloCello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      Romantic (c.1820-1910)Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      ClassicalClassical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
      Classical MusicClassical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
      Classical Instrumental MusicClassical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
      Opera & VocalOpera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B000003G5X
      Release Date: 1997-04-15

      Tracks:

      1. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Sunrise
      2. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Of The People Of The Unseen World
      3. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Of The Great Longing
      4. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Of Joys And Passions
      5. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Dirge
      6. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Of Science
      7. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 The Convalescent
      8. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Dance Song And Night Song
      9. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Night Wanderer's Song
      10. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 The Hero
      11. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 The Hero's Adversaries
      12. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 The Hero's Companion
      13. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 The Hero's Battlefield
      14. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 The Hero's Works Of Peace
      15. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 The Hero's Retreat From The World And Fulfillment

      Tracks:

      1. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Introduction
      2. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Theme: Don Quixote, The Knight Of The Sorrowful Countenance
      3. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Sancho Panza
      4. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation I: (The Adventure With The Windmills)
      5. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation II: (The Battle With The Sheep)
      6. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation III: (Dialogue Of Knight And Squire)
      7. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation IV: (The Adventure With the Penitents)
      8. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation V: (The Knight's Vigil)
      9. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation VI: (The False Dulcinea)
      10. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation VII: (The Ride Through The Air)
      11. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation VIII: (The Adventure With The Enchanted Boat)
      12. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation IX: (The Combat With The Two Magicians)
      13. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Variation X: (The Defeat Of Don Quixote By The Knight Of The White Moon)
      14. Don Quixote, Op. 35 Finale: (The Death Of Don Quixote)
      15. Don Juan, Op. 20

      Tracks:

      1. Elektra Elektra's Soliloquy: Allein! Weh, Ganz Allein
      2. Elektra Recognition Scene: Was Willst Du, Fremder Mensche?
      3. Elektra Finale: Elektra! Schwester! Komm Mit Uns!
      4. Salome Dance Of The Seven Veils
      5. Salome Final Scene: Ah! Du Wolltest Mich Nicht Deinen Mund

      Tracks:

      1. Symphonia Domestica, Op. 53 Bewegt
      2. Symphonia Domestica, Op. 53 Scherzo
      3. Symphonia Domestica, Op. 53 Wiegenlied/Cradle Song
      4. Symphonia Domestica, Op. 53 Adagio
      5. Symphonia Domestica, Op. 53 Finale
      6. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Suite, Op. 60 Overture
      7. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Suite, Op. 60 Minuet
      8. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Suite, Op. 60 The Fencing Master
      9. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Suite, Op. 60 Entrance And Dance Of the Tailors
      10. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Suite, Op. 60 Entrance Of Cleonte
      11. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Suite, Op. 60 Prelude To Act II (Intermezzo)
      12. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Suite, Op. 60 The Dinner

      Tracks:

      1. Burleske
      2. Der Rosenkavalier: Waltzes
      3. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Introduction
      4. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Of The Inhabitants Of The Unseen World
      5. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Of The Great Longing
      6. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Of Joys And Passions
      7. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Dirge
      8. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Of Science
      9. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 The Convalescent
      10. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Dance Song And Night Song
      11. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Night Wanderer's Song

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Reiner's Chicago Richard Strauss: A Touchstone.......2004-10-09

      Fritz Reiner was more than a fanatical, perfectionistic musical technocrat...His greatest recordings are stamped with undeniable
      humanity, humor, flexibility, even charm- apart from their
      bedrock interpretative honesty and (I choose these words carefully) sheer lust for quality. All these things are represented by Reiner's fabled Living Stereo Chicago recordings of Richard Strauss.

      Of course, there are gaps : no AUS ITALIEN or MACBETH, and no ALPENSINFONIE; you must turn to Rudolf Kempe's Dresden box for definitive stereo versions of these. And Reiner's only stereo versions of TOD & TILL (Vienna, 1956) are on a Decca Legends disc. Now, John Culshaw waxed enthusiastic about these sessions, because, no doubt, Reiner got the Vienna to play more accurately than Culshaw & Co. were used to hearing them play. But, overall, these versions lack the focus and sheer characterization of the 1950 RCA mono versions. (The mono TILL is finally available in the Reiner volume of GREAT CONDUCTORS OF THE 20th CENTURY. The TOD UND VERKLARUNG was available on a 1990 BMG CD, coupled with an earlier transfer of the SYMPHONIA DOMESTICA than the one in this present box. This TOD is currently available on a German BMG 2-fer ( # 74321846082), along with Reiner's '54 ZARATHUSTRA & HELDENLEBEN, and Eugen Jochum's ( ! ) TILL.)

      With those details out of the way, what a LIVING STEREO treasure chest, here! And all 20-bit remastered, in that famous warm, sweet, tube-electronicish sound from the master tapes...Let's take them on, in order of recording:

      The March 1954 HELDENLEBEN (just LISTEN to it, I won't waste space trying to describe it), starts off a journey into a lost world of disciplined melos and relative historical proximity to the composer himself. The '54 ZARATHUSTRA (admittedly with an orchestra-and-organ pitch clash, at the end of the Sunrise) and the SALOME DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS are still "demo" recordings...The December '54 DON JUAN is even more urgently passionate than the 1941 Pittsburgh version or the 1960 remake (which IS available, coupled with all of Reiner's Living Stereo Wagner).

      The SALOME & ELEKTRA scenes, with Inge Borkh, are stupendous;
      too bad RCA Victor didn't spring for one more singer and include Klytaemnestra's dream sequence- the most bone-chilling part of the score. (Search out Reiner's 1952 Met broadcast of ELEKTRA, with Astrid Varnay.)

      The BURGER ALS EDELMANN Suite of April 1956 (minus the 5th & 6th movements) is one of the greatest Strauss recordings of all time: awash in tonal beauty, yet acerbic in its ruthless satire of Monsieur Jourdain. A wiseass-ness coupled with extremely disciplined culture. Which shows why he was Fritz Reiner, and we're not.

      As if all that weren't enough, six months later Reiner achieves the impossible: he miraculously holds together the sprawly,
      nearly-out-of-control structure of the SYMPHONIA DOMESTICA,
      and brings out the humor and high spirits which this piece
      MUST have if is is not to either fall apart, or come off as hopelessly trivial.

      The BURLESKE of March 1957, with Byron Janis, is not without its poetic structure, and the sparks fly without ceasing- in a way almost identical with (and perhaps more fitting in) their '59 recording of Liszt's TOTENTANZ (which is available on THE REINER SOUND.) For a recording that captures more of this work's subtle wit and beauty, go to Kempe's Dresden version, with pianist Malcolm Frager.

      The ROSENKAVALIER WALTZES, in an arrangement by Reiner himself, are good enough to be frustrating, because one finds one self wanting to hear ALL of this opera, with Reiner and his Chicago. (No such luck, but you CAN get Reiner's fabled 1949 MET production on imported Naxos.)

      The April 1959 DON QUIOXTE, with Antonio Janigro on cello, is a spell of autumnal regret and incisive musical characterization, never tippping over into the cartoon-like.

      Finally, there's the 1962 remake of ZARTHUSTRA, Reiner's very last Strauss recording...The orchestra-organ pitch clash is MUCH less severe, but, overall, it must be admitted that, both sonically and musically, the '54 version has far more electricity and characterization (i.e., "higher highs, and lower lows"). Still, the '62 version is worth having for the greater contemplative warmth which Reiner brings to the last five minutes of the score. As if Der Fritzl were contemplating his own not-too-distant end. This is so affecting that it almost makes one cease to regret that the energy/time/money put into this not-entirely-necessary remake COULD have gone into, say, a Reiner/Living Stereo ALPENSINFONIE, Beethoven's FOURTH & EIGHTH, a LE SACRE, a FIREBIRD, or a Brahms FIRST- to name some of the glaring omissions in the Reiner studio discography.

      Still, these recordings opened the commercial way for other eventual treasures, such as Kempe's Dresden set and some of Szell's Cleveland Strauss.

      Sadly, this set may "go," soon. Snap it up ASAP and be intrigued, enraptured, and instructed.

      5 out of 5 stars Reiner's Strauss.......2003-10-22

      Probably no one conducted the music of Richard Strass better than Fritz Reiner. I've heard most of these recordings in other packages, including the original RCA Victor "Living Stereo" LPs. The digitally-reprocessed versions are even more astounding. The earliest of the recordings was made in March 1954 and it doesn't seem possible because the sound is every bit as good as today's digital recordings. It's a real tribute to the RCA engineers, who were experimenting with stereophonic sound using a triple track tape recorder. The 1954 "Also sprach Zarathustra" remains a milestone for intensity, drive, and excitement; the waltz sections are particularly haunting and relentless. The 1962 recording of the same piece is not as sensational as the 1954 version, perhaps because Reiner's health was failing (he died the following year), but it's still quite good. I especially like his "Dance of the Seven Veils" from "Salome"; it is one of the more intense performances of the works, perhaps only matched by Antal Dorati's 1963 recording with the Royal Philharmonic of London for a special Reader's Digest boxed set. Overall, Reiner's performances with the Chicago Symphony were only matched by Strauss' own 1944 recordings with the Vienna Philharmonic, recorded with a Magnetophon tape recorder in the Vienna State Opera House. What a shame that all those recordings are not currently available; they last appeared in a special box set of LPs issued by Vanguard.

      5 out of 5 stars NOBODY conducted Richard Strauss better!.......1999-03-24

      Fritz Reiner was the greatest authority on the music of Richard Strauss, with the likely exception being the composer himself. RCA knew that they had the "cream of the crop" with Reiner in these works, and had the foresight to accord Reiner cutting-edge 1950's technology (early high-quality 3-track stereo), and the best available recording technicians in this country (Jack Pfeiffer, Leslie Chase, Richard Mohr, and Lewis Layton). You absolutely CANNOT go wrong with purchasing this set, for as the years go by, the pennies spent will continue to return musical dividends that will reinvest themselves with each hearing, as you learn over time just how good Reiner was with this music in comparison to others. Indicative of this was when I attended a banquet featuring National Symphony Orchestra superstar conductor Leonard Slatkin, when someone asked him what recordings he planned to make with that orchestra. He answered that he didn't plan to make recordings of the "warhorses," for why should he make a recording of Richard Strauss' "Ein Heldenleben," when Reiner said all that there is to say about it? Enough said!

      The only disappointments (and they are small) are the omission of Reiner's later 1960 recording of "Don Juan" and the recordings of "Till Eulenspiegel" and "Death and Transfiguration" he made with the Vienna Philharmonic, which initially appeared on RCA Living Stereo LPs. The likely reason for the omission of the Vienna recordings is that these are currently under license to Polygram (Decca/London). Buy this set and enjoy/cherish!

      5 out of 5 stars Simply the Best.......1998-09-11

      Except for the openings of Zarathustra, these are the absolute best recordings of these Strauss tone poems available. Even though they were recorded in the 50's and 60's the recorded sound is extremely good, sometimes better than newer recorded sound. The Chicago Brass section was born to play this music
      L'Heritage d'Artur Rodzinski Volume 9 - Rodzinski conducts Richard Strauss - Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40; Till Eulenspiegel's Lustige Streiche, Op. 28; Der Rosenkavalier; Salome danse des sept voiles (Dance of the Seven Veils)
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        		L'Heritage d'Artur Rodzinski Volume 9 - Rodzinski conducts Richard Strauss - Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40; Till Eulenspiegel's Lustige Streiche, Op. 28; Der Rosenkavalier; Salome danse des sept voiles (Dance of the Seven Veils)

        Manufacturer: Dante Records Lys
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
        ASIN: B00000G0X6
        Release Date: 1999-12-01

        Tracks:

        1. Till Eulenspiegel's Lustige Streich, Op.28 - SO De Cleveland/Artur Rodzinski
        2. Der Rosenkavalier: Ste De Valses Du Troisieme Acte - SO De Cleveland/Artur Rodzinski
        3. Salome: Danse Des Sept Voiles - SO De Cleveland/Artur Rodzinski
        4. Ein Heldenleben Op.40: Der Held - Josef Fuchs
        5. Ein Heldenleben Op.40: Des Helden Wiedersacher - Josef Fuchs
        6. Ein Heldenleben Op.40: Des Helden Gefahrtin - Josef Fuchs
        7. Ein Heldenleben Op.40: Des Helden Walstatt - Josef Fuchs
        8. Ein Heldenleben Op.40: Des Helden Friedenswerke - Josef Fuchs
        9. Ein Heldenleben Op.40: Des Helden Weltflucht Und Vollendung - Josef Fuchs

        Music Review:

        1. Sunbursts: Solo Piano Works by 7 American Women
        2. Tchaikovksy: Songs
        3. Tchaikovsky: Symphony no 3, Romeo And Juliet Overture / Pletnev
        4. The Book of the Seven Seals
        5. The Classical Child Early To Bed
        6. The Dance Collection (Box Set) [Box set]
        7. The Musical Goes Symphonic
        8. The Romance Collection [Box set]
        9. The Stanford Sonatas
        10. Timeweaving

        Music Review

        music review

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