# Richard Strauss Tone Poems Recordings



## Granate

Hi TC. I have a Strauss challenge planned for September 2017 (after other more ambitious challenges)
I don't want to listen to all the recordings. I had a look here but there was nothing else apart from recordings of the Vier Letzte Lieder. Then I headed to Amazon.com and made a list of conductors. If this forum is too picky, please also include *Metamorphosen*!

I made that list, but before I reveal it, would you like to share your favourite recordings? Maybe if I am missing some.

I already listened to all Karajan recordings issued for EMI/WC and DG. Thanks!

Previous thread in Orchestral Music

Collected recordings thread

Poll for favourite tone poem

*Vier Letzte Lieder Recordings thread*


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## Ekim the Insubordinate

I like Fritz Reiner's recording of Zarathustra on the RCA Living Stereo series.


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## Pugg

I love the EMI box by Rudolf Kempe and Previn did a wonderful job on Philips once.


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## bigshot

If you want everything in one set, you want Kempe


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## Merl

I love Jarvi, Mehta and especially Blomstedt (as good as his Beethoven with the Dresden crew).


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## Heliogabo

Yes, aside Karajan (I'll hear Klemperer soon), Kempe is a great choice.


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## DavidA

Try Beecham's Heldenleban and Don Quixote


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## Ekim the Insubordinate

I almost forgot that I also have a wonderful recording of the Alpensinfonie on the Pentatone label, with Marek Janowski conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. I highly recommend it.


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## Vaneyes

In addition to the aforementioned (Hv)Kemosabe, the following...


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## Triplets

Haitink and Blomstedt have been particularly distinguished moder Straussians. Kempe, Szell, and Reiner led the way in the early stereo days. In ancient times, Mangleberg was the class of the 78 era


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## Bill H.

Among the older (pre-stereo) conductors, don't forget Clemens Krauss, who was a close friend of the composer in the latter's late life.


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## Antiquarian

I particularly enjoy _Don Quixote_ Fritz Reiner with the Chicago Symphony. Living Stereo/RCA. It's paired with _Don Juan_.


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## Barbebleu

Neeme Järvi with the RSNO are rather good on the tone poems.


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## Merl

Honeck's Strauss recordings with the Pittsburg forces are superb. Fantastic sound.


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## KenOC

Merl said:


> Honeck's Strauss recordings with the Pittsburg forces are superb. Fantastic sound.


This one? I picked it up for almost free and it is indeed very good.


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## realdealblues

For Richard Strauss all you really need is Rudolf Kempe in my book but I of course do like many others as well.

Herbert Von Karajan (Navigating between the various recordings my picks are)
Death And Transfiguration (1982)
Metamorphosen (1980)
Ein Heldenleben (1959)
Don Quixote (1986 w/Antonio Meneses)
Also Sprach Zarathustra (1973)
Don Juan (1983)
Till Eulenspiegel (1986)
Last Four Songs (1973 with Janowitz)

Fritz Reiner
Also Sprach Zarathustra (His 1954 recording gets all the credit but his 1962 recording was far better in my opinion)
Don Juan (Same as above, I like the 1962 recording better)

Otto Klemperer
Death and Transfiguration (Amazing!!!)
Metamorphosen (Devastating!!!)


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## Heck148

Reiner complete set is the way to go. He was unequaled in the music of R Strauss...make sure you get the '62 version of ASZ...one of the greatest of all orchestra recordings. Solti and Toscanini were excellent in this repertoire also


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## Brahmsian Colors

Agree completely with Heck. Reiner is outstanding in Richard Strauss, his Ein Heldenleben particularly so. Though some might respond in lukewarm fashion to Mehta's recordings with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on London/Decca, I consider them to be excellent.


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## Heck148

Reiner did 2 versions each of TillEulenspiegel and Death & Trasnsfiguration - both with VPO, and RCASO [MetOpera/NY free-lancers] - they are all superb.
His live "Till Eulenspiegel" from '58 live concert is awesome, but maybe NA at present.

Mehta is a very fine Strauss conductor....his LAPO recordibngs are very good - [tho Decca's 'knob-twiddling" can be excessive and distracting]...
I have a live concert broadcast tape of Mehta conducting Symphonia Domestica with CSO from c 1990 - best I've ever heard - the virtuosity of the CSO is breathtaking....


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## Brahmsian Colors

Heck148 said:


> Reiner did 2 versions each of TillEulenspiegel and Death & Trasnsfiguration - both with VPO, and RCASO [MetOpera/NY free-lancers] - they are all superb.
> His live "Till Eulenspiegel" from '58 live concert is awesome, but maybe NA at present.
> 
> Mehta is a very fine Strauss conductor....his LAPO recordibngs are very good - [tho Decca's 'knob-twiddling" can be excessive and distracting]...
> I have a live concert broadcast tape of Mehta conducting Symphonia Domestica with CSO from c 1990 - best I've ever heard - the virtuosity of the CSO is breathtaking....


Interesting that you should mention Decca's "knob twiddling". I've heard evidence of it in the form of some peaky treble, seemingly based on recorded sound that's too up front on some other Decca recordings, notably with Istvan Kertesz's Dvorak and Schubert. Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt's Beethoven also manifests somewhat shallow sonics.


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## Heck148

Haydn67 said:


> Interesting that you should mention Decca's "knob twiddling". I've heard evidence of it in the form of some peaky treble, seemingly based on recorded sound that's too up front on some other Decca recordings, notably with Istvan Kertesz's Dvorak and Schubert. Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt's Beethoven also manifests somewhat shallow sonics.


I don't think that the Kertesz/LSO Dvorak had too much knob-twiddling [gain riding] - probably some spot miking tho, which they left constant [I think, from a good friend who is a recording engineer]. Ken Wilkinson & Co liked to highlight the brass...

The Mehta/LAPO recordings were notorious for this, and also some of the Solti/CSO recordings....with the Mehta/LAPO discs - you'd hear no trumpets at all, then 3 measures later, it sounded like 20 trumpets blasting you out of the room... same with horns, and tuba.
Decca got into with Solti/CSO as well - they messed up the very ending of the great 1970 Mahler 5 - by miking the trumpets way down...this was totally unnatural - I heard them play it live in Carnegie Hall - the trumpets at the end were simply overwhelming - the loudest natural [unamplified] musical sound I've ever heard - unbelievable - no recording system could have done it justice, but they miked it _down_?? 
The Abbado/CSO/DG recording, or Solti/CSO II [1990] are far more life-like, but still not up to the "real McCoy"...

I think Decca also diddled around with the balance in Solti/CSO Mahler 9, mvt I....there is some weird "in and out" balances in that one, too...it seems they ceased doing so by mvt III, and IV, which are more natural sounding, and better balanced.


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## Brahmsian Colors

Heck148 said:


> I don't think that the Kertesz/LSO Dvorak had too much knob-twiddling [gain riding] - probably some spot miking tho, which they left constant [I think, from a good friend who is a recording engineer]. Ken Wilkinson & Co liked to highlight the brass...


Thanks for correcting me on that matter, Heck. When I make reference to "peaky treble", I am indeed responding primarily to what I sometimes hear as bright and/or spikey sounding brass. In light what you say about your friend, the sound engineer, and his awareness of Wilkinson, et al's preference for highlighting the brass, it does put things into clearer perspective. I've also heard this tendency manifested intermittently in Kertesz's Brahms recordings. While his interpretations of Brahms and Dvorak have long been among my most favored, I must admit there are still moments when that brass highlighting causes my sensitive ears to protest. I really don't know if any remastering has corrected this issue on cds, as I'm still overwhelmingly an analog fan of recorded music.


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## Boot Hamilton

I DO have a soft spot for my London Vinyl, which I've had since it's '69 release, of Zubin Mehta and the LA Philharmonic's Ein Heldenleben.


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