# R. Strauss Challenge (Main orchestral + main operas) - My results (yawn)



## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

This was the most boring and unnecessary Challenge I've done in Talk Classical. There was no sense of discovery as in the Bruckner and Mahler challenges. All my preconceptions of Karajan came true and then I had to add the famous Kempe recordings. Then we add some Reiner and we complete the library. Only the Thielemann Alpensinfonie was good news.

*Favourite recordings of Richard Strauss...*
*Op.20* - Kempe SKD
*Op.24* - Reiner WPO
*Op.28* - Karajan BPO
*Op.30* - Kempe SKD / Karajan BPO 74
*Op.35* - Karajan BPO 65
*Op.40* - Reiner CSO
*Op.53* - Karajan BPO
*Op.54* - Karajan WPO / Ozawa SKD
*Op.58* - Böhm SKD
*Op.59* - Karajan PO
*Op.64* - Thielemann WPO
*Met.* - Barbirolli NPO / Kempe SKD
*VLL* - Karajan BPO / Masur LGO

Purchases I want to make:









B00JEPZVYM









B00ESNMWVK









B00FJZQRR6









B009TT07WO









B00BV2B6IG


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I do admire your work, not always agree with you, but...... besides that, great job, well done.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Yeah, great job, as ususl. I'm just looking forward to your Beethoven project. Strauss was never a favourite of mine.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

I don't care for HvK in any Strauss, and I also find Kempe to be generally accurate, but rather generic, pedestrian and not very exciting.
For me, I'd grab the Reiner/Strauss collection - all of which I have in various versions over the years....some Reiner additions that really must be added tho: 
the '62 - _Also Sprach Zarathustra_ - a stunning performance, much better recorded than the '54 version. I agree with many orchestra musicians that this is one of the greatest orchestra recordings ever made.
make sure to get the '60_ Don Juan_, as well - again, this surpasses the very excellent '54 version - this was, IIRC, recorded on one take, straight thru. 
_Till Eulenspiegel, Tod And Verklarung_ - from 1950 - with RCA SO [MetOpera + NYC free-lancers] - these are wonderful versions, equal to his excellent VPO recordings from 1956. These might be more difficult to find - the _Till Eulenspiegel_ was included on "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" [Reiner], and the _Tod & Verklarung_ on an RCA CD with _Symphonia Domestica_

for additional Strauss - I like Toscanini, Solti, Zubin Mehta - each conductor produced some fine Strauss recordings.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

R. Strauss's music is great. Too bad some cannot see that. : (


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

jdec said:


> R. Strauss's music is great. Too bad some cannot see that. : (


 You never know, perhaps some people will see the light sooner or later.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Pugg said:


> You never know, perhaps some people will see the light sooner or later.


I think if Strauss had lived in our generation - he would be the "John Williams" of all time - I think he would have reveled in the movie medium. He missed by about 60-75 years.


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## KJ von NNJ (Oct 13, 2017)

I have had the Kempe 9 disc box set of Orchestral Works for a long time. It is old world Strauss and the Staatskapelle Dresden were Richard Strauss's orchestra. I find Kempe to be a bit circumspect at times but the detail is very rich. The playing is always lively and alert. There are several works performed in the set that I consider to be favorites. Kempe's Strauss has character.
There is a really good recording of the complete Josephs Legende on Denon, played by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hiroshi Wakasugi. Anyone who loves Strauss should hear this recording.
I like Karajan's EMI Ein Heldenleben. His DG recordings of Four Last Songs with Janowitz, a stunning Death and Transfiguration plus a stirring Metamorphosen make it one of the great Strauss releases.

Of the operas, Kempe is wonderful in Ariadne auf Naxos. Solti really brings the heat on his recording of Elektra. Der Rosenkavalier has several great recordings and it is difficult to mention just one. I would have to go with Karajan's 1956 on EMI. It is exceptional. Die Frau Ohne Schatten has Solti in exceptional form as well. For Salome, Solti, Sinopoli and Karajan are all excellent. I like Dohnanyi too.


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## gardibolt (May 22, 2015)

I'm very fond of Strauss' Also sprach Zarathustra, and I've been accumulating recordings of it (35 of them at last count). I think I like William Steinberg/Boston SO's recording the best. The Tanzlied, in particular, in Steinberg's hands is just luscious. The Reiner outings are another good option. I do like the Kempe set as well, though his AsZ isn't at the top of my list.


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