Dmitri Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony, which was written in the pivotal months after the Battle of Stalingrad, follows the principle of triumph through adversity – ‘per aspera ad astra’ – not just musically, but also conceptually: Everything that is dark and shameful will perish; everything that is beautiful will triumph.’ This ‘triumph,’ though, is restrained. The Eighth is a large-scale work that ends in something like a pastoral mood, played pianissimo; poses of jubilation were not in Shostakovich’s nature. The concert opens with the delightful, lively Overture to ‘Rienzi.’ And the ‘Dance of the Seven Veils’ from ‘Salome’ shows the fin-de-siècle’s enigmatic penchant for decadence.
RCO: 125 Years of the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam: Birthday Concert
On 3 November 1888, the Concertgebouw Orchestra officially presented itself to the public when it gave the opening concert of the first subscription year of Het Concertgebouw N.V.. Exactly 125 years later, the orchestra is giving its Anniversary Concert, featuring a new work – a gift from the Concertgebouw to the RCO – Mysteriën (Mysteries) by Louis Andriessen, the Netherlands’ most famous living composer. Also on the programme is Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, dedicated in 1898 to the orchestra, which celebrated its tenth anniversary that year, and to Willem Mengelberg, its chief conductor at the time (Unitel Cat. A865500040000).
RCO: Andris Nelsons conducts Strauss and Brahms
In 2014, Strauss’s birth 150 years ago is being commemorated. Strauss was a champion of the symphonic poem, and one of his first works in that genre was Macbeth. Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche followed soon after, fully revealing Strauss’s mastery in the sharp melodic characterisations and brilliant instrumentation. With its energetic and cheerful character (despite Till’s execution, which is vividly depicted in the music), the work complements Brahms’s Symphony No. 2, which is imbued with a sunny, lush atmosphere. The brilliance of the grand finale is a quality rarely heard in Brahms’s. (Cat. No. UNITEL: A865500160000)
Barenboim conducts Strauss & Tchaikovsky
On the occasion of the Festival de Música y Reflexión at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Daniel Barenboim returns to his native city to perform with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra who regularly “exceed all expectations” (FAZ) with their festival programme. During their Summer Residency at the magnificent theatre, they play Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 and Richard Strauss’s Don Quixote, enlisting the help of Kian Soltani and Miriam Manasherov. The soloists unite effortlessly with Barenboim’s orchestra which famously brings together young Israeli and Arab players from the warring states of the Middle East in a model of peaceful harmony. PROGRAM Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5; Strauss: Don Quixote
New Year’s Eve Concert 1980
For his New Year’s Eve Concert 1980, Sir Georg Solti returned to Munich’s Herkulessaal, where he led the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in another colorful potpourri of entertaining pieces. The concert opens with Richard Strauss’ scintillating tone poem “Don Juan,” the first work to manifest Strauss’ mature individual style. The episodic work is based on Nikolaus Lenau’s romantic version of the Don Juan legend. Its triumphant premiere in Weimar in 1889 established Strauss as one of the leading German composers of his time. “The Moldavia,” part of Bedrich Smetana’s vast symphonic cycle “My Fatherland,” was composed in 1884 and has been synonymous with Czech music ever since. Despite the work’s highly descriptive programmatic episodes, it is the sweeping and melancholy “Moldavia” theme that captivates all listeners. In his “Two Episodes from Lenau’s ‘Faust’,” Franz Liszt, like Strauss above, also turned to Lenau for the first of his four “Mephisto Waltzes” (the episode is actually called “The Dance in the Village Inn”). It is a work which reaches heights of frenzy and sensuality. “Les Préludes” is one of Liszt’s most famous symphonic poems. The title was drawn from a poem by Alphonse de Lamartine. It was first performed in Weimar in 1854, seven years before the first “Mephisto Waltz.” The concert closes with Franz von Suppé’s Overture to the drama “Poet and Peasant” (1846). Suppé, one of the first Viennese operetta composers, also wrote many overtures, songs, etc. for Viennese comedies in his day. This is one of his most lastingly popular pieces.
New Year’s Eve Concert 1979
Gaiety and temperament are the keynotes of this New Year’s Eve program with the London Philharmonic Orchestra recorded live in Munich’s Herkulessaal on New Year’s Eve 1979. It begins with “Gaieté Parisienne,” an arrangement of Jacques Offenbach’s most popular operetta melodies. This is followed by a generous helping of central European esprit in the Slavonically inspired dances of Léo Delibes’ “Coppélia” ballet, and in the Viennese lightness of Franz von Suppé’s “Pique Dame” Overture, a delicious little work by the founding father of the Viennese operetta. Amilcare Ponchielli’s “Dance of the Hours” has delighted “promenade” concertgoers for years now – perhaps because it reminds us of his two great pupils Puccini and Mascagni? The luscious lyricism of the waltzes from Richard Strauss’s “Rosenkavalier” is dispelled by the solemn majesty of Sir Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4.” From Victorian England we travel to Czarist St. Petersburg, to the magical world of Peter I. Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite.” And since all good things must come to an end, the Land of Sweets disappears under a vigorous sprinkling of fiery paprika in Johannes Brahms’s “Hungarian Dance No. 5,” which closes the program on a spicy note.
Mehta conducts Mahler and Strauss
Strauss: A Hero’s Life
A Hero’s Life: In 2014, the year that marked the 150th birthday of the composer, Daniel Barenboim conducted his Staatskapelle Berlin with Strauss’ tone poem. The aplomb with which the composer is quoting his own works in this musical portrait of a “hero” was criticized as well as admired… but A Hero’s Life stays one Strauss’ masterpieces.
Richard Strauss – Birthday Gala
Richard Strauss premiered nine of his fifteen operas at the Semperoper Dresden – this unique relationship was celebrated with a special gala in honour of the composer’s 150th birthday in 2014, featuring the famous arias from Elektra, Salome, Arabella, Die ägyptische Helena and Daphne as well as orchestral music from Der Rosenkavalier, Intermezzo and Die schweigsame Frau. —– Program: Der Rosenkavalier, Waltz Suites 1 & 2 / Elektra, Monologue / Feuersnot, Love Scene / Salome, Final Scene / Arabella, Final Scene Act I / Intermezzo, 2nd Orchestral Interlude / Die ägyptische Helena, “Zweite Brautnacht” / Die schweigsame Frau, Potpourri Overture / Daphne, Final Scene
Strauss, Four Last Songs / An Alpine Symphony
“Renowned soprano Anja Harteros demonstrated she had ample vocal power to rise above the orchestra.” She “was able to colour her production of the text with a range of autumnal shades together with such impeccable diction”. “Maestro Thielemann with the world class Staatskapelle Dresden sets such a consistently high standard of performance and attending one of its concerts is a joy to treasure.” (Seen and Heard International) —– Program: Richard STRAUSS: Four Last Songs, Malven / Wolfgang RIHM: Ernster Gesang (Serious Songs) / Richard STRAUSS: An Alpine Symphony.