RICHARD STRAUSS

According to Michael H. Gray's discographies in Vols.1 & 2 of Otto Klemperer: His Life and Times, Dr. Klemperer recorded the following Strauss works during the Berlin and London phases of his career:

With the Berlin State Opera Orchestra (Orchester der Staatskapelle Berlin): Salome, Op. 54, Salomes Tanz (May 1928); Till Eulenspiegels lustige Steiche, Op. 28 (June 1929); Don Juan, Op. 20 (June 1929).

With the Philharmonia Orchestra: Salome, Op. 54, Salomes Tanz (Dance of the Seven Veils) (March 1960); Till Eulenspiegels lustige Steiche (Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks) (March 1960); Don Juan, Op. 20 ( March 1960); Tod und Verklärung (Death & Transfiguration), Op. 24 (Oct & Nov 1961); Metamorphosen ( Nov 1961).

With the recent releases of EMI Classic's STRAUSS: Tone Poems (CDM 566823) and Archiphon's complete set of Klemperer's Berlin recordings (ARC 121/25), all are now currently available on CD. Reviews of previous releases of these works are reproduced below. Reviews of the current releases will be appearing in upcoming issues of American Record Guide.

Peter J. Rabinowitz reviewed an earlier CD release of some of the Berlin recordings (in the March 1982 issue of The Monophile p.57), "which features an exceptionally tight and propulsive Don Juan." He continues, "I would prefer some of the lyrical moments to be given a chance to sing out more: the big oboe tune and the music following it (after L), for instance, are rushed and underripe. Still, the approach is close to the one that the composer himself favored -- and Klemperer's account is more vital than Strauss's usually were."

Alan Heatherington and Allen Linkowski's reviews in the May/June 1990 and Nov/Dec 1992 issues of American Record Guide address the works currently available on the EMI CD:

"Klemperer projects the [Death & Transfiguration] music with a glorious grandeur that transcends sonic limitations (the performance is from 1962).... Klemperer's Metamorphosen is again very good but not extraordinary, and here the hiss level is distracting. His Dance from Salome is brilliantly detailed and colorful and the Don Juan is very exciting despite rough edges and a less present sound. At nearly 77 minutes of Strauss for a mid-line price it represents a good value in reliably durable performances." Heatherington [Ed.: The sound quality of the latest release should be superior to the one reviewed here, if EMI's new Abbey Road Technology lives up to its claims.]

"Till is also worth having. The 44-year-old Klemperer recorded it in 1929 with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra. . . and though the earlier reading is slightly faster the conception has remained remarkably constant. The reading is rock-solid, rather poker-faced but compelling on its own terms." Linkowski