Strauss: Orchestral Works
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Metamorphosen,
Tod und Verklärung, Also sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan

Artists: Herberg Bolmstedt, Dresden Staatskapelle

Cat No: DSPRCD050

Price: £9.99 (plus p+p)

Originally recorded for Denon in 1988/9, these recordings are now available on CD for the first time in 15 years and present highly acclaimed performances from one of the world’s leading conductors.

Track List

CD 1

Also sprach Zarathustra Op.30
1. (Sehr breit)
2. Von den Hinterweltern
3. Von der großen Sehnsucht
4. Von den Freuden und Leidenschaften
5. Das Grablied
6. Von der Wissenscaft
7. Der Genesende
8. Das Tanzlied
9. Nachtwanderlied
   
10. Don Juan Op.20

CD 2

1. Till Eugenspiegels lustige Streiche Op.28 (Symphonic Poem)
2. Metamorphosen ( A study for solo strings) Av.142
3. Tod und Verklärung Op.24 (Symphonic Poem)

‘Blomstedt's relaxed and witty account of Till Eulenspiegel will, I suspect, become one of my favourite recorded performances of this work. His Tod und Verkkirung, notable for scrupulous observance of Strauss's dynamics, is thrilling and ardently played'. 'Blomstedt conducts a memorable performance of Metamorphosen. Blomstedt has the advantage of the Dresden orchestra, which plays Strauss as almost no one else does, for an interpretation that comes near to rivalling Karajan's (DG) in mellowness'. Gramophone

‘The cultured richness of the Dresden string-playing and Blomstedt’s spaciously noble interpretation combine to place his recording of Metamorphosen alongside Karajan’s in distinction. Death and Transfiguration is hardly less impressive. Till is as captivatingly witty as you like, and the Denon sound is first class, gloriously full’. Penguin Guide

'This is an excellent performance, recorded with all Denon's usual skill and of course played by the Dresden orchestra with an almost arrogant authority'. (Also Sprach) 'Blomstedt's Don Juan is an ardent cavalier and the oboe soloist a real artist' Gramophone

‘These performances are classics. The Staatskapelle Dresden and conductor Herbert Blomstedt were one of the greatest artistic forces of the 1980s. This set of Richard Strauss tone poems was recorded at the peak of their collaboration. If they are not in your collection already, Dal Segno’s reduced price and ready availability leaves you no excuse.’
The Bruckner Seventh which resulted from this collaboration, recorded in 1980, is legendary among collectors: one could say that it is one of the greatest performances of anything ever to be caught on tape.’
The other performances are even finer. Till Eulenspiegel is just about perfect, playful and mischievous, and Don Juan is given a fantastic performance too.
‘The crowning achievement of this set, however, is of Also Sprach Zarathustra, which is frankly jaw-dropping, even in direct comparison to my reference versions: the 1974 Karajan/Berlin reading on DG Originals and Kempe’s 1971 performance with the Staatskapelle Dresden. I am honestly at a loss for words to describe this performance.
No listener with a pulse could remain unaffected by music-making of this calibre.
Here we have glorious playing preserved in a recording which at the time was state-of-the-art, and which, to all intents and purposes, remains so. It is hard to imagine any of the major labels today being able to replicate this set’s combination of acoustic clarity, impact and atmosphere. At the price Dal Segno is charging this is a mandatory purchase. Brian Reinhart, Musicweb International