Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Ein Heldenleben
Op. 40 (1898) [43:33]
Metamorphosen (1945) [26:27]
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra/Cornelius Meister
rec. live, 22 February 2007, 17-20 February 2014 (Metamorphosen),
Vienna ORF Funkhaus, Grosser Sendessaal.
CAPRICCIO C5208 [70:00]
I'm not the worlds biggest fan of everything Richard Strauss
wrote, but this combination of the less-appreciated Ein Heldenleben
and masterpiece Metamorphosen is attractive. The themes of both
have been echoing around in my head for days now so this recording can count
as an effective communicator whatever your critical approach is. Cornelius
Meister is prepared to let rip with the Vienna RSO and there is no shortage
of High Romance and Heroism, but what I appreciate about this live
performance is in fact the feeling of relative restraint which allows
expressive and dramatic moments to enter and insinuate rather than having
them bashed over your head like a heavy champagne bottle.
Competition is pretty stiff for Strausss Ein Heldenleben, with
the recent release from Challenge Classics with Ingo Metzmacher conducting
the Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (see review) hot on the heels of Cornelius Meister.
Metzmachers orchestra is richer and more spectacular, but the Vienna
players are more nimble and transparent sounding. I certainly wouldnt go as
far as saying that the Berlin sound is overblown, but if you prefer your
high-Romanticism to have the kind of cleanness of line which makes Strausss
striking harmonies stand out all the more then you might prefer this ORF
recording. The coupling with Varhse may also make the difference, but if it
scares you I would still urge you to make the acquaintance of this key
composer one way or another.
We should also all of course listen to the historic 1941 recording
conducted by dedicatees Willem Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw Orchestra
(see review). This has a darkness of mood and gritty tenacity
which is hard to equal, and the very good Naxos re-mastering makes it very
approachable. Most modern recordings turn up with a kind of Hollywood sheen
by way of comparison, but as I say, the communicative qualities of Cornelius
Meisters leadership makes this Vienna recording one which nestles in the
imagination, plants its seeds and grows unbidden. Ein Heldenleben
is not about any one particular hero and it shouldnt sound jingoistic or
bombastic. Its a superb score with plenty of quirky details, and Cornelius
Meister and the Austrian sound engineers are all alert this character in the
music as well as in the grand impressive picture of the orchestra as a
whole. As such this performance has plenty going for it, and as a live
performance there is an edge of excitement to add to the fun.
Metamorphosen is one of Strausss late masterpieces and one which
has had many fine recordings over the years. Otto Klemperer with the
Philharmonia on EMI is on the broader end of the spectrum at a well-filled
28 minutes but with bags of intensity doesnt give the impression of being
exceptionally slow. Around 27 minutes is common, and Cornelius Meister gives
the music plenty of weight while not becoming over-sustained. Listening to
Herbert von Karajan with the Berliner Philharmonic on DG is an intriguing
contrast. At 27:30 or so it only adds a minute to Meisters performance
duration but seems to linger eternally, and even where the pace quickens the
soup remains thick. The Vienna RSO strings have a vibrato-rich, gorgeous
dark tone, and the attentive detail in dynamics keeps up a sense of flow
even when the music is in sepulchral repose. The studio acoustic is not very
generous, and while the whole is perhaps not the best defined of recordings
it still packs plenty of emotional punch.
If this coupling attracts then I would certainly go for this release, but
most particularly for the fine Ein Heldenleben.
Dominy Clements
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