Jonathan Darlington was music director of the Duisburg Philharmonic
until 2011 and together they have made a series of fine recordings,
mainly of German romantic repertoire. This fine performance of Richard
Strauss’s tone poem, Don Quixote, marks a notable addition
to their discography.
Don Quixote is a complex and extensive composition with a
most imaginative structural plan and deployment of forces. The formal
title – Fantastic Variations on a Theme of Knightly Character
– is at once imaginative and true to the nature of the original source.
As well as deploying variation form, Strauss elected to have two solo
instruments: a cello for Don Quixote and a viola for his faithful
servant, Sancho Panza. Beyond this, moreover, the score abounds in
remarkable insights through its orchestration.
In the role of our hero Don Quixote the cellist Friedemann Pardall
is an excellent soloist, and he is ably abetted by his Sancho Panza,
the violist Mathias Feger. While their contributions make a suitably
strong impression, they are not brought as far forward in the sound-perspective
as in some other performances, such as that featuring the magnificent
Mstislav Rostropovich with the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von
Karajan (Olympia MKM238). This is no bad thing, to be sure, since
concerto performances don’t have larger-than-life soloists in the
concert hall. In this regard Raphael Wallfisch with Neeme Järvi and
the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (CHAN10206X) seem closer to
the balance achieved in the Duisburg performance, while they too offer
a sensitive and rewarding interpretation.
However, comparison with other performances – across the whole of
the catalogue – reveals an obvious drawback as far as the Duisburg
performance is concerned. Rival recordings give much better value
for money, since they include substantial couplings, usually of other
symphonic poems by Strauss. For example, the new Acousence version
gives just forty minutes’ music (Don Quixote) whereas Järvi
on Chandos includes the work in good sound as part of a well-filled
two CD set. For less money than the new version, the Sinfonia
Domestica, Till Eulenspiegel, Macbeth and Also
sprach Zarathustra can be acquired, all in good versions with
fine sound.
(The Label have taken on-board our comments and have
decided to market this as a mid-price disc to reflect the playing
time. Check the price a retailer wants to charge you. - Len Mullenger)
Therefore whatever the artistic merits of the admittedly splendid
performance led by Darlington and his Duisburg forces, the advice
is clear.
This excellent performance, recorded in a warmly sympathetic acoustic,
enters a competitive market place and offers poor value for money
in comparison with its rivals.
Terry Barfoot
