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presdoug 
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 Topic: Richard Strauss
Posted: February 12 2015 at 13:20 |
I would like to start a thread on composer Richard Strauss. One of my favourites. I love all of his tone poems and symphonies, and even some of his operas. Lately, been listening to "Tod und Verklarung" a lot. I love "Also Sprach Zarathustra" the most, in all it's over 30 minute long glory. Timeless. My favourite Richard Strauss conductors are the man himself, Hermann Abendroth, Hans Knappertsbusch, Fritz Reiner, Clemens Krauss, and Pierre Monteux.
Edited by presdoug - February 12 2015 at 13:28
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Padraic
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Posted: February 12 2015 at 14:04 |
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I'm only just now getting bit by the classical bug in a meaningful way, so I wish I could contribute, but I've been exposed to very little of Strauss. Something that will need to change. :)
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presdoug
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Posted: February 12 2015 at 14:09 |
 Padraic wrote:
I'm only just now getting bit by the classical bug in a meaningful way, so I wish I could contribute, but I've been exposed to very little of Strauss. Something that will need to change. :)
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He is definitely worth your while. As an intro to Richard Strauss, I would suggest the tone poems Till Eulenspiegel and Don Juan. As for classical in general, let me know how your journey goes-sounds exciting! 
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Padraic
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Posted: February 12 2015 at 14:25 |
Will do. Wonder if anyone ever started a classical music discussion thread...
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presdoug
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Posted: February 12 2015 at 14:49 |
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I started one on The Symphony in specific.
I see you found one on classical recommendations, great.
Edited by presdoug - February 12 2015 at 14:55
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SteveG
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Posted: February 12 2015 at 14:55 |
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I cannot imagine the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey without the works of both Richard Strauss and Johan Strauss II. Simply amazing!
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presdoug
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Posted: February 12 2015 at 16:58 |
SteveG wrote:
I cannot imagine the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey without the works of both Richard Strauss and Johan Strauss II. Simply amazing! |
So true.
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jacksiedanny
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Posted: February 12 2015 at 17:43 |
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My fav area of classical is the tone poems.
A Hero's Life is said to be Strauss' most developed.
I only have his last, an Alpine Symphony in the collection.
The race that were best at tone poems are the British - is Ireland part of Britain? (Cos Moeran is top at this.)
The most amazing of them all is Scriabin. Amazing when you look at the years of his tone poems. Lightyears ahead of any other composer.
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Rick Robson
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Posted: February 12 2015 at 20:00 |
Great Doug! So glad to see another one of your insightful classical threads! The Symphony, Berlioz appreciation thread and now Strauss! And what about Johann?
As suggested there in The Symphony some time ago, from Strauss I knew first The Alpine Symphony, composed by him between 1911 and 1915 - so much grandeur!! As of common knowledge, Strauss was a very keen mountaineer, and for me he brilliantly translated to such a beautiful symphony his feelings upon climbing those majestic Alpine mountains, in such a way that I found quite easy to feel that atmosphere when listening to it, that haunting dark night atmosphere right at the begining of it is tremendous! - I have the recording of the BPO conducted by Karajan, man it's amazing how he manages to put on that first part a kind of 'effect' of creating a picture in which instruments float imperceptebly and merge into each other, rendering sort of a shimmering scene of mist! - like just before dawn, or just as if dawn starting. Well, those are my impressions anyway, awesome! 
Edited by Rick Robson - February 12 2015 at 20:50
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 "Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." LvB
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presdoug
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Posted: February 13 2015 at 07:08 |
jacksiedanny wrote:
My fav area of classical is the tone poems.
A Hero's Life is said to be Strauss' most developed.
I only have his last, an Alpine Symphony in the collection.
The race that were best at tone poems are the British - is Ireland part of Britain? (Cos Moeran is top at this.)
The most amazing of them all is Scriabin. Amazing when you look at the years of his tone poems. Lightyears ahead of any other composer.
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Interesting post, thanks. A Hero's Life was for many years my favourite Strauss tone poem, and I still highly regard it. I checked about Ernest John Moeran, who is new to me. I will investigate his music further. When I think of British tone poems, Elgar's "In The South" and Delius's beautiful "Brigg Fair" come to mind. Scriabin is someone I know very little of, having heard only his 3rd Symphony. Would you suggest a tone poem of his to start with?
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presdoug
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Posted: February 13 2015 at 07:15 |
Rick Robson wrote:
Great Doug! So glad to see another one of your insightful classical threads! The Symphony, Berlioz appreciation thread and now Strauss! And what about Johann?
As suggested there in The Symphony some time ago, from Strauss I knew first The Alpine Symphony, composed by him between 1911 and 1915 - so much grandeur!! As of common knowledge, Strauss was a very keen mountaineer, and for me he brilliantly translated to such a beautiful symphony his feelings upon climbing those majestic Alpine mountains, in such a way that I found quite easy to feel that atmosphere when listening to it, that haunting dark night atmosphere right at the begining of it is tremendous! - I have the recording of the BPO conducted by Karajan, man it's amazing how he manages to put on that first part a kind of 'effect' of creating a picture in which instruments float imperceptebly and merge into each other, rendering sort of a shimmering scene of mist! - like just before dawn, or just as if dawn starting. Well, those are my impressions anyway, awesome!
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Hi, Ric, thanks, and as always, great to hear from you! Your impressions of An Alpine Symphony are quite interesting and beautiful in their unfolding. I love especially that rising crescendo about 3 minutes into things, what a realisation! Yes, the Karajan recording is quite something. A thread on Johann Strauss, that's an idea.
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Rick Robson
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Posted: February 13 2015 at 15:38 |
presdoug wrote:
Rick Robson wrote:
Great Doug! So glad to see another one of your insightful classical threads! The Symphony, Berlioz appreciation thread and now Strauss! And what about Johann?
As suggested there in The Symphony some time ago, from Strauss I knew first The Alpine Symphony, composed by him between 1911 and 1915 - so much grandeur!! As of common knowledge, Strauss was a very keen mountaineer, and for me he brilliantly translated to such a beautiful symphony his feelings upon climbing those majestic Alpine mountains, in such a way that I found quite easy to feel that atmosphere when listening to it, that haunting dark night atmosphere right at the begining of it is tremendous! - I have the recording of the BPO conducted by Karajan, man it's amazing how he manages to put on that first part a kind of 'effect' of creating a picture in which instruments float imperceptebly and merge into each other, rendering sort of a shimmering scene of mist! - like just before dawn, or just as if dawn starting. Well, those are my impressions anyway, awesome!
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Hi, Ric, thanks, and as always, great to hear from you! Your impressions of An Alpine Symphony are quite interesting and beautiful in their unfolding. I love especially that rising crescendo about 3 minutes into things, what a realisation! Yes, the Karajan recording is quite something. A thread on Johann Strauss, that's an idea. |
Oh right on! It takes my breath away... to say the least.
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"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." LvB
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jacksiedanny
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Posted: February 13 2015 at 16:25 |
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Scriabin "Poem Of Ecstacy"
Edited by jacksiedanny - February 13 2015 at 16:28
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presdoug
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Posted: February 15 2015 at 13:14 |
In my list of great Richard Strauss conductors, I left out a very good and important one, Bruno Walter. I've been revisiting his early recordings of the composer, and am astonished that despite the limits of the technology of the day (mainly the 1920s in this case), his accounts read as very probing and emotional in their substance, the essence of the music, if you will. Despite admitting to finding the composer's music somewhat puzzling, he still understood it, judging by Walter's recordings of it. 
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Polymorphia
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Posted: February 15 2015 at 15:12 |
Padraic wrote:
I'm only just now getting bit by the classical bug in a meaningful way, so I wish I could contribute, but I've been exposed to very little of Strauss. Something that will need to change. :)
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I think you'd like Strauss. Similar to Mahler in many ways (and a close friend of Mahler's).
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Argonaught
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Posted: February 15 2015 at 15:18 |
SteveG wrote:
I cannot imagine the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey without the works of both Richard Strauss and Johan Strauss II. Simply amazing! |
I have a record with the 2001 soundtrack .. some monumental music.
jacksiedanny wrote:
Scriabin "Poem Of Ecstacy" |
Probably, one of the best works in the Romantic genre, along with the Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz.
Edited by Argonaught - February 15 2015 at 15:21
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Thank you, Fripp, for our daily Prog (Red 39:54)
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presdoug
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Posted: February 15 2015 at 16:08 |
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^I tried the Poem Of Ecstacy, and I unfortunately couldn't really do anything with it.
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Jared
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Posted: February 15 2015 at 16:11 |
Richard Strauss' profile was raised last year; it having been the 150th anniversary of his birth. His Tone Poems are certainly the most accessible of his works, and have been capably covered by many since his death. For consistency, I think the Rudolph Kempe box set on EMI is pretty unbeatable. A smaller set on DG by Karl Bohm also shouldn't be dismissed as the young Bohm was a friend of Strauss and was familiar with the way his music should be interpreted. Of course, Karajan should never be overlooked, especially in late Romantic orchestral repertoire (Mahler, Bruckner, Strauss) which was his forte. If you wish to dip your toe in these waters, may I recommend his single disk which contains a very strong Tod Und Verklarung, Metamorphosen and arguably still the finest 'Four Last Songs' with Gundula Janowitz; four remarkably beautiful lieder and the final things he ever wrote. If you veer into his operas (by and large they aren't for the faint hearted) I'd suggest you started with Rosenkavalier which, although possibly his longest, is certainly the most accessible... here, the lovely Renee Fleming has this down to a tee....
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Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson
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Jared
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Posted: February 15 2015 at 16:20 |
presdoug wrote:
When I think of British tone poems, Elgar's "In The South" and Delius's beautiful "Brigg Fair" come to mind. |
both are very fine examples.... check out Arnold Bax: Tintagel, George Butterworth: The Banks Of Green Willow and RVW's Norfolk Rhapsody No.1 & In A Fen Country for others... 
Edited by Jared - February 15 2015 at 16:20
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Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson
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presdoug
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Posted: February 15 2015 at 16:45 |
^thanks, I will check those examples of yours...
As far as Strauss interpreters, mention should also be made of the inimitable Sir Thomas Beecham, who was also friends of the composer, and whose Strauss Festival the composer visited in England in '49. Beecham has left us wonderful accounts of Ein Heldenleben and Don Quixote.
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Richard Strauss
