Exploring Strauss
Phil Badger
I recently purchased the Kempe/Dresden box of Richard Strauss' Orchestral
Works and enjoyed it immensely. I now wish to start exploring his operatic
works and I'm interested in hearing the group's opinion on where to start,
and which recordings they recommend. For some reason, he's not a composer
I've paid much attention to in the past.
Regards,
Phil Badger
phil_...@yahoo.com
Alain Dagher
Lisa Della Casa with Karl Bohm conducting on Decca Legends. Also, the Renee
Flemming disc called "Strauss Heroines" is pretty great. I'm not knowledgeable
when it comes to voices, but these two discs sound alright to me. Then you
could go on from there.
Alain
Simon Roberts
: Hello all,
In addition to his operas, don't neglect the Four Last Songs (among
others). I would recommend Janowitz/Haitink/Philips (or if you can't find
that, Janowitz/Karajan/DG), Norman/Masur/Philips, Della Casa/Boehm/Decca
as my probably top choices for them. Among the operas I would probably
suggest you start with two. At one end, Salome (Sinopoli/DG and
Karajan/EMI would be my first choices), at the other, Rosenkavalier
(Solti/Decca, Karajan/Gala (not his studio recordings on DG and EMI) and
Kleiber/Decca would probably be my first choices). If you don't do mono,
skip Della Casa and the Karajan Rosenkavalier.
Simon
Tony Movshon
I broadly agree, except I would add Solti's Salome to the recommendations
(Simon is allergic to Nilsson, but most others aren't). And I would add
a plug for what I think is Strauss' greatest opera, Ariadne auf Naxos, for
which Kempe on EMI is my recommendation. After these three, if you like
Salome, try Elektra (Solti on Decca). Then you're basically done with the
operas -- except for Frau ohne Schatten, the rest can safely be ignored.
--
Tony Movshon (ducking in anticipation of flames from someone passionate
about Daphne, Schweigsame Frau, or Capriccio ...)
benjo maso
"Tony Movshon" <mov...@nyu.edu> schreef in bericht
news:3AA03EF2...@nyu.edu...
I'm passionate about neither of these three opera's, although Capriccio has
a great final scene. But Arabella is quite nice, especially sung by Lisa
della Casa (Solti, Decca). I agree with your recommandations for Salomé,
Elektra & Ariadne. Concerning Rosenkavalier: I prefer Böhm's exciting live
recording (DGG, with Ludwig, Troyanos, Mathis, Adam) to Solti's glossy
studio version. Karajan on Gala is great, but the quality of the sound
doesn't match the performance.
Benjo Maso
Ehrlich606
<phil_...@yahoo.com> writes:
Strauss wrote 15 operas, to wit:
Set 1
Guntram - 1895
Feuersnot - 1900
Salome - 1903
Set 2
Elektra - 1908
Der Rosenkavalier - 1911
Ariadne auf Naxos - 1915
Die Frau ohne Schatten - 1919
Set 3
Intermezzo - 1924
Set 4
Egyptian Helen - 1927
Arabella - 1932
Set 5
Die Schweigsame Frau - 1935
Friedentag - 1938
Daphne -1938
Die Liebe der Danae -1940
Capriccio - 1941
Dates are off the top of my head. A few comments of each.
Guntram was RS' first attempt at an opera, he wrote the libretto himself. It
is not a very good piece, but it has a lovely theme in the prelude which
reappears at the climax of the "works for peace" section of "Heldenleben". It
is not particularly good. There was a studio version on CBS ten years ago or
so, I don't know if it is still out there. "Feuersnot" or "Need of Fire" is a
rather bawdy play that is based on the premise that unless the heroine gives
herself to the hero, the townspeople will be forced to live in darkness,
because all of the fires go out. So the climax of this opera is preceded by a
rather tasteless scene where the townspeople hector the heroine to make love to
the hero. The actual climax is wordless, featuring the "Love Scene" to this
opera, justly famous as well as graphic, at the climax of which all the lights
go back on. It really is quite outrageous. There is one studio version out
there, with Bernd Weikl and Julia Varady.
The last opera in Set 1 is Salome, a famous opera, which, like Elektra
following, is essentially an 80 minute tone poem with words. This is probably
the best place to start because you know the vernacular of the tone poems. The
most famous recording is the one with Solti and Vienna PO, with Birgit Nilsson.
There are others. For Elektra, I still prefer Karl Boehm, Dresden, with Inge
Borkh, but many prefer the Solti version, also with Vienna and Nilsson. You can
also get excerpts from both operas, which are widely available. Reiner with
Chicago on RCA is probably your best bet here.
The operas in Sets 2 and 4 are the six operas that Strauss wrote with the
Austrian poet Hugo von Hofmannstal. Hofmannstal was a brilliant and learned
writer, sort of the German language equivalent to a Joyce, Barth, or Pynchon.
Hence, the libretti he wrote for Strauss are probably among the most literate
ever written, and in terms of their allusions, the most complicated. Elektra
has been discussed. Rosenkavalier is an attempt to rewrite the Marriage of
Figaro for the 20th Century. It is famous for having all three top roles sung
by sopranos, they all sing a magnificent concluding trio in the final scene.
This opera is also famous for its waltzes. Best versions: usually Karajan,
Philharmonia and Schwarzkopf is cited.
"Ariadne" is a very light textured little opera that was originally envisioned
as a play within a play, that is, an entertainment to take place during a
performance of a revised "Bourgeois gentilhomme" by the 17th Century French
playwright Moliere. Hence, it has an unusual structure. Act I is a satire on
entertainers, in Act II, the same entertainers put on essentially two operas at
once, a comedy, and a romantic tragedy. For me personally, this opera is the
lyric highpoint of Strauss' career. The arias for the main soprano are simply
fabulous. Best version: Kempe, Dresden, Janowitz.
"Frau ohne Schatten" or "Woman without a Shadow" is really a meditation on the
neuroticism of upper class Viennese life, also an attempt to do a 20th Century
"Magic Flute", but because of the timing of its premiere, the life affirming
elements of the piece took on a much wider meaning, given the carnage of the
world war just concluded. There are weaknesses to this opera but altogether it
has some of the finest set scenes in all of Strauss (in the composing, I mean.)
Full blast Wagnerian orchestra. Best version: Boehm, Vienna, 1954.
After "Frau", Strauss didn't work with Hofmannstal for awhile, who was busy
doing other things like founding the Salzburg Festivals. In the meantime,
Strauss wrote an opera about _himself_ ("Intermezzo"), including a role for his
wife as termagent, and even his son (as a small boy.) Utterly tasteless, but
it works. There are entire scenes where the main character (a composer and
conductor named "Richard Storch") plays cards, or his wife goes sledding, and
so on. Amazing. There's a good version on EMI.
"Egyptian Helen" uses the same orchestra as "Frau" but is a weaker composition.
Here, Hofmannstal wanted to explore the nature of fidelity in the wake of long
separations brought on by war, etc. Hence, the topic could easily be
transposed to WW2 or Vietnam. There are several elements that are "modern
mythological" including a sea shell that sits on a console and serves as a
combination radio-TV set as well as a chorus of "sprites" who serve as the
external superego of the hero. Quite weird, though the last scene of Act I is
justly famous. Good, not great, Strauss. Again, large scale orchestra, but
not heavy handed. Dorati, Detroit, with Gwyneth Johns is the only studio one
available, it's adequate.
"Arabella" was written posthumously, Hofmannstal died after writing the first
draft of a stroke while getting dressed for his son's funeral, a suicide (Pity
his widow!). The germ idea was a celebration of the multicultural/assimilative
elements of Austria Hungary, already outmoded by this time, but that's really
what underlies the romantic story of a down at heel Austrian girl and the
wealthy but rough hewn Croatian who loves her. A nice romantic opera, but you
might not be ready for this yet. Has two of Strauss most famous bits of music
for opera, the aria (loosely translated) "When Mr. Right comes along" sung by
the two sisters, and the entire staircase scene from the third act. Yes, it
has a happy ending for both sisters. Typical large Straussian orchestra, but
lighter textures (lighter than say Helen). Several good versions, my favorite
is Keilberth, Munich, with Lisa della Casa.
Set 4
After losing Hofmannstal, Strauss signed up Stefan Zweig, another playwright.
Zweig wrote a libretto that was attempting to re-write an old Ben Jonson play,
the key idea being the value of artists in a militaristic society (as I said,
these elements are not always obvious) phrased in terms of a conflict between a
nephew who is an actor and his uncle who is an old sea captain. "The Silent
Woman" of the title refers to the actress who breaks through the old man's
gruff exterior, and humanizes him, as part of a charade. The play uses a large
orchestra, has marked contrasts between lightly textured buffo scenes and LOUD
crowd scenes, it uses a lot of Elizabethan melodies for color and is Strauss'
attempt to write an Italian type comedy.
The opera is famous because Zweig was Jewish so the Nazis stopped the show.
Strauss was furious and expressed himself to Zweig freely about it in a letter.
The Gestapo interecepted and Strauss, with a Jewish daughter in law and two
half-Jewish grandchildren, was forced to eat crow. Zweig was already in exile
by this time and eventually killed himself. There's an adequate version on EMI
with the Dresden orchestra under Janowski.
"Friedenstag" and "Daphne" were originally a double bill, the first is about
making peace in the 16th Century wars of religion, the second is an opera about
a girl who turns into a tree. There are a few versions of each, but except for
the transformation scene in Daphne, there's not much here.
"The Loves of Danae" is a kind of rewrite of "Meistersinger" or "Rosenkavalier"
in Ancient Greece, in which the elderly king of the gods Jupiter forsakes the
woman Danae for the man she loves, Midas. Danae has never been properly
recorded, even though there are several nice touches, and I feel that the end
of Act III, beginning with the famous interlude, is as good as the best
Strauss.
"Capriccio" is based on the premise where two men, a composer and a poet, both
love a Countess, in pre-Revolutionary France. The actual action involves about
eight people hanging out with the Countess and discussing art. It's actually a
lot more fun than it sounds. The final scene, from the "Moonlight" interlude
to the end, is one of the great excerpts of operatic Strauss, and the action is
a soliloquy of the Countess, who has to choose between the two suitors
(actually, the "choice" is really about whether the words (poet) or the music
(composer) is most important in an opera.) She doesn't make a final choice.
Many fine versions, try Bohm, Bavarian RSO, again with Gundula Janowitz.
All 15 of these operas can be entertaining if you like Strauss' music making.
The other thing is that they all have unique "sound worlds." They are a lot of
fun. The best bet is to start with Salome and Elektra, and then work forward
chronologically, skipping the ones that don't please you but coming back to
them later.
Enjoy.
Ehrlich606
>
>I broadly agree, except I would add Solti's Salome to the recommendations
>(Simon is allergic to Nilsson, but most others aren't). And I would add
>a plug for what I think is Strauss' greatest opera, Ariadne auf Naxos, for
>which Kempe on EMI is my recommendation. After these three, if you like
>Salome, try Elektra (Solti on Decca). Then you're basically done with the
>operas -- except for Frau ohne Schatten, the rest can safely be ignored.
The problem here is not that you are going to be flamed, it's the idea of "the
rest can safely be ignored." Sure, they can be ignored. I ignored all Strauss
after Rosenkavalier for a long time, until I listened to the Four Last Songs
with a friend of mine, who missed his wife who was trapped behind the Iron
Curtain. And he cried and cried. That's when I realized there must be
something to later Strauss.
The guy has just listened to 9 CD's of Strauss, and wants more. He doesn't
want to ignore it, he wants to hear it.
BTW, you and the other guy are right about the "Four Last Songs" -- I forgot.
Other things I would recommend for the budding Strauss enthusiast:
1) Get the wind music, you can get all of it on a Philips twofer with De Waart
and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. If you liked the Duet Concertino and the
Oboe Concerto, you'll love this stuff.
2) Kempe did not record _all_ of the symphonic music. For example, he only
recorded one Couperin suite (there's another one, called "Divertimento"), he
did not record "Muenchen" (best with Previn, but OOP, Jarvi on Detroit will
do), he only recorded the Waltz from Schlagobers, while the whole ballet is out
there, along with the suite under Jarvi, Detroit (Jarvi is not very good, but
it's the best there is.) There is also a _complete_ Josephslegende just out on
DG with Sinopoli and the Dresdeners, in case our listener wants to wallow in
that.
3) Other pieces not on the Kempe set include the immortal "Festival Prelude"
which is a big fat noisy spectacular that goes absolutely nowhere (but no
Straussian can do without it), the "Japanische Festmusik" which has never been
recorded in stereo, but which exists in a recording under Strauss' baton, nor
did he record the fabulous "Festmusik der Stadt Wien", 13 minutes of
overpowering antiphonal brass. (In all seriousness, the Festival Prelude and
the Japanese thing are "Panathenaenzug" type pieces, BUT the "Stadt Wien"
composition really is a masterpiece: don't be fooled by the shorter 5 minute
version: Philip Jones recorded both.)
4) Strauss also wrote two symphonies, the first is long and sounds like
Mendelssohn and the second sounds like the inner movements to "Aus Italien",
the germ to the Alpine Symphony comes at the beginning of this second
symphony.)
5) Of course, Strauss also wrote some huge choral pieces (e.g., "Taillefer"),
some chamber music, some piano music, and about 250 songs, many of which are
pretty good.
6) What the listener should do is look for a series entitled "The Unknown
Strauss" and select from what they have carefully. There was another label that
issued his chamber music, including piano transcriptions of "Aus Italien",
these are good sources for out of the way material, not all of the same
quality. One label is cheap, the other isn't.
Tony Movshon
> In article <97pdbk$oep$2...@netnews.upenn.edu>,
> Simon Roberts <si...@dept.english.upenn.edu> wrote:
> # Rosenkavalier
> # (Solti/Decca, Karajan/Gala (not his studio recordings on DG and EMI) and
> # Kleiber/Decca would probably be my first choices).
>
> Solti? Really? This recording seems to have the same problem as most of
> Solti's Strauss recordings--i.e., the conductor. He assembles these great
> casts and lets them down with conducting that totally misses the boat on
> the Straussian style. Now I might except his Salome and Elektra, which
> are effective in their way, but his Rosenkavalier, FROSCH, and Arabella
> make me wonder how -anyone-, much less the man who conducted at Strauss'
> funeral, could make such ineffective recordings with those singers.
>
> What if Sawallisch had gotten to record with Solti's casts?
His recordings would be just as dull. I don't agree at all about Solti
as a Strauss conductor. Just because he doesn't wallow, it doesn't mean
he doesn't understand the idiom. His Rosenkavalier is beautifully paced
and played from beginning to end, and I don't know anyone's Frau that's
better (certainly not Sawallisch's, which is a bore). Only in Ariadne
does Solti's unwillingness to relax make for a less than satisfactory
recording.
--
Tony Movshon mov...@nyu.edu
Eric Nagamine
>
> Also, I believe Carlos Kleiber's second video Rosenkavalier (with Lott,
> von Otter, Bonney, and Moll) is supposed to be out on DVD within weeks.
> That may be the best place to start if you can wait for it...
The laser disc was very disappointing in comparison to the live
performances at the MET from the same era with the same cast. IMO, the
earlier Kleiber video with the Bayerischen Staatsoper is a more
involving performance (Gwyneth Jones, Brigitte Fassbaender, and Lucia
Popp)
--
-----------
Aloha and Mahalo,
Eric Nagamine
Eric Nagamine
Scrapping the bottom of the Straussian barrel for the most part aren't
we? :) I'd say that the only things really worth seeking out are the
Wind music, the Festmusik der Stadt Wien, the Deutsche Motette, and some
of the songs.
> Other things I would recommend for the budding Strauss enthusiast:
>
> 1) Get the wind music, you can get all of it on a Philips twofer with De Waart
> and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. If you liked the Duet Concertino and the
> Oboe Concerto, you'll love this stuff.
I second this. The Netherlands Wind Ensemble featured some of the finest
wind players in the Netherlands including some from the Concertgebouw
Orchestra. Plus, De Waart who was a former oboist must have been
familiar with the music from his playing days.
> 3) Other pieces not on the Kempe set include the immortal "Festival Prelude"
> which is a big fat noisy spectacular that goes absolutely nowhere (but no
> Straussian can do without it), the "Japanische Festmusik" which has never been
> recorded in stereo, but which exists in a recording under Strauss' baton, nor
> did he record the fabulous "Festmusik der Stadt Wien", 13 minutes of
> overpowering antiphonal brass. (In all seriousness, the Festival Prelude and
> the Japanese thing are "Panathenaenzug" type pieces, BUT the "Stadt Wien"
> composition really is a masterpiece: don't be fooled by the shorter 5 minute
> version: Philip Jones recorded both.)
I wonder why no one has recorded the Japanese Festmusik? Wakasugi did
some things for Denon. Odd that they didn't do as part of those two
disks.
Philip Jones' short version of the Festmusik der Stadt Wien has just
been re-issued in the U.S. as part of the PJBE tribute. The long version
is out of print, so the Stobart recording (all the brass ensemble works)
on Chandos which was equally fine takes the recommendation.
> 5) Of course, Strauss also wrote some huge choral pieces (e.g., "Taillefer"),
> some chamber music, some piano music, and about 250 songs, many of which are
> pretty good.
The Deutsche Motette is a stunning choral work. At one time there was an
Eric Ericson/Stockholm Radio/Chamber choir disc on EMI that was
incredible. Of the songs, there is a set out on the Nightengale label
that collects all the orchestral songs. The parts I heard of it were
very promising.
Phil Badger
>In article <3AA03EF2...@nyu.edu>, Tony Movshon <mov...@nyu.edu> writes:
>
>>
>>I broadly agree, except I would add Solti's Salome to the recommendations
>>(Simon is allergic to Nilsson, but most others aren't). And I would add
>>a plug for what I think is Strauss' greatest opera, Ariadne auf Naxos, for
>>which Kempe on EMI is my recommendation. After these three, if you like
>>Salome, try Elektra (Solti on Decca). Then you're basically done with the
>>operas -- except for Frau ohne Schatten, the rest can safely be ignored.
>
>The problem here is not that you are going to be flamed, it's the idea of "the
>rest can safely be ignored." Sure, they can be ignored. I ignored all Strauss
>after Rosenkavalier for a long time, until I listened to the Four Last Songs
>with a friend of mine, who missed his wife who was trapped behind the Iron
>Curtain. And he cried and cried. That's when I realized there must be
>something to later Strauss.
>
>The guy has just listened to 9 CD's of Strauss, and wants more. He doesn't
>want to ignore it, he wants to hear it.
>BTW, you and the other guy are right about the "Four Last Songs" -- I forgot.
I bought a copy of the Lisa Della Casa recording this evening and have
already listened to it twice. Thanks to Simon (and others) for
recommending it -- I have a feeling this CD will be spending a fair
amount of time in my player. The Four Last Songs are a particular
treat.
>Other things I would recommend for the budding Strauss enthusiast:
>
>1) Get the wind music, you can get all of it on a Philips twofer with De Waart
>and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. If you liked the Duet Concertino and the
>Oboe Concerto, you'll love this stuff.
I enjoyed both (particularly the oboe concerto). I'll be especially
sure to seek out the De Waart disc you recommended.
I'm grateful to everyone who provided recommendations and input,
particularly Ehrlich606, for providing the above information on the
other Strauss works and the informative post with the chronology and
synopses of all of Strauss' operas.
I stopped at the local Tower on my way home from work and could only
find the Kleiber Rosenkavalier and the aforementioned Della Casa disc
(since Tower have chosen to reduce their once decent classical and
jazz selections to a measly couple of shelves in order to make room
for a larger dance and techno section). I plan to get acquainted with
Der Rosenkavalier this weekend.
Kind regards,
Phil Badger
phil_...@yahoo.com
David Standifer
randomly toss in that I like Nilsson/Solti for Elektra... Salome?
Studer/Sinopoli and Behrens/Karajan please.
I also like Studer's Four Last Songs, which I understand is aberrant,
but oh well. I just love Studer's silvery quality in Strauss, Mahler,
etc. But enjoying the Salome is permissible in most circles, I think.
David
Jon A Conrad
>> What if Sawallisch had gotten to record with Solti's casts?
>His recordings would be just as dull. I don't agree at all about Solti
>as a Strauss conductor. Just because he doesn't wallow, it doesn't mean
>he doesn't understand the idiom. His Rosenkavalier is beautifully paced
>and played from beginning to end,
I'm with you this far (except for that first sentence, which comes home
here:)...
>and I don't know anyone's Frau that's
>better (certainly not Sawallisch's, which is a bore).
Hardly. Sawallisch's is the one Frau that *isn't* a bore at any point.
Unilke Boehm (who goes for the Big Moments and ignores -- or, more and
more, cuts -- the rest) or Solti, Sawallisch "gets" it all. From start to
finish it's beautifully articulated, phrased, balanced, joined into
coherent phrases that make compelling scenes that add up to unified acts
that make a single drama, everything in just proportion. Even his cast
understand it on this level, which does a great deal to make up for the
tonal lacks of some of them (though Studer and Schwarz, at least, are
competitive with the best ever at this point in their careers). The
Sawallisch Frau is one of the glories of recorded opera.
(My personal short list for Strauss operas would also include Solti or E.
Klieber for Rosenkavalier, Sinopoli for Salome, Kempe for Ariadne with
Nagano for the first version. No Elektra completely matches what I want to
hear -- maybe it can't be done. Capriccio would have to be Boehm because
his cast *doesn't* include the atonal Mr. Hotter.)
Jon Alan Conrad
Department of Music
University of Delaware
con...@udel.edu
Tony Movshon
> Salome? Studer/Sinopoli and Behrens/Karajan please.
>
> I also like Studer's Four Last Songs, which I understand is aberrant,
> but oh well. I just love Studer's silvery quality in Strauss, Mahler,
> etc. But enjoying the Salome is permissible in most circles, I think.
Some might argue that "enjoying" Salome reflects some rather, um,
unusual tastes.
--
Tony Movshon
mov...@nyu.edu
Tony Movshon
> Tony Movshon <mov...@nyu.edu> wrote:
> >and I don't know anyone's Frau that's
> >better (certainly not Sawallisch's, which is a bore).
>
> Hardly. Sawallisch's is the one Frau that *isn't* a bore at any point.
> Unilke Boehm (who goes for the Big Moments and ignores -- or, more and
> more, cuts -- the rest) or Solti, Sawallisch "gets" it all.
Hmm. I never "got" Frau until I heard the Solti recording. I suffered
through the old Boehm for a while, and while Sawallisch was certainly
an improvement, his recording did not hold my interest well either. But
I confess that I have not spent much time with Sawallisch since getting
the Solti, and with your endorsement ringing in my ears, I suppose I
should give it another try.
--
Tony Movshon
mov...@nyu.edu
Brian Cantin
Well, I enjoy Salome, but I don't intend to lose my head over her.
--
Brian Cantin
An advocate of poisonous individualism.
To reply via email, replace "dcantin" with "bcantin".
Simon Roberts
: Solti? Really? This recording seems to have the same problem as most of
: Solti's Strauss recordings--i.e., the conductor. He assembles these great
: casts and lets them down with conducting that totally misses the boat on
: the Straussian style. Now I might except his Salome and Elektra, which
: are effective in their way, but his Rosenkavalier, FROSCH, and Arabella
: make me wonder how -anyone-, much less the man who conducted at Strauss'
: funeral, could make such ineffective recordings with those singers.
: What if Sawallisch had gotten to record with Solti's casts?
: S. (flame away)
No, I won't. I recommend Solti for the cast. Solti's nothing special,
but he's not bad either surely better than Karajan's wimpy EMI outing),
and unlike the Salome and Elektra, That Woman isn't involved....
Simon
Simon Roberts
: I also like Studer's Four Last Songs, which I understand is aberrant,
: but oh well.
Yes, it is; please stop it.
At least you're not recommending Gwyneth Jones or Caballe....
Simon