London Symphony Orchestra - Strauss Eine Alpensinfonie (22 tracks) +Album Reviews

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London Symphony Orchestra
Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie
Genre: Classical

Track Listings (22) - Disc #1
1. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Nacht (Night)
2. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Sonnenaufgang (Sunrise)
3. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Der Anstieg (The ascent)
4. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Eintritt in den Wald (Entering the forest)
5. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Wanderung neben dem Bache (Wandering by the brookside)
6. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Am Wasserfall (At the waterfall)
7. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Erscheinung (Apparition)
8. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Auf blumigen Wiesen (On flowering meadows)
9. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Auf der Alm (In the mountain pasture)
10. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Durch Dickicht und Gestr?pp auf irrwegen (On the wrong track
11. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Auf dem Gletscher (On the glacier)
12. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Gefahrvolle Augenblicke (Precarious moments)
13. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Auf dem Gipfel (On the summit)
14. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Vision (Vision)
15. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Nebel steigen auf (Rising mists)
16. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Die Sonne verd?stert sich allm?hlich (The sun gradually dims
17. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Elegie (Elegy)
18. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Stille vor den Sturm (Calm before the storm)
19. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Gewitter und Sturm, Abstieg (Thunderstorm, descent)
20. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Sonnenuntergang (Sunset)
21. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Ausklang (Waning tones)
22. Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Nacht (Night)

CD Details

All Artists: London Symphony Orchestra
Title: Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Lso Live
Original Release Date: 1/1/2010
Re-Release Date: 2/9/2010
Album Type: Hybrid SACD - DSD, Import
Genre: Classical
Style: Symphonies
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 822231168928

Synopsis

Product Description

LSO Live is thrilled to welcome Bernard Haitink back for his first recording with the London Symphony Orchestra since their internationally acclaimed Beethoven cycle in 2006. In his massive Eine Alpensinfonie, Strauss recounts an attempt to conquer the summit of an Alpine mountain. He infuses the score with numerous instrumental colors and rich combinations of sounds, evoking the images and events that take place on the trek. It was to be one of his final large-scale orchestral works and shows the last great German Romantic composer at the pinnacle of his art.

CD Reviews

An Alpine Sym. played with dignity, restraint, and tendernes

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 02/10/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When LSO Live started out, their live concert recordings were in the budget category, so one couldn't cavil at short timings. Now they are selling at full price, with no filler for the Alpine Symphony. Certainly they aren't alone in that, but with an excellent budget version on Naxos under Antoni Wit, not to mention Zinman on Nuova Arte, and any number of classic mid-price alternatives, I'm not sure this new Haitink recording is competitive.

Having said that, what one looks for first is artistic merit. This is a remake for Haitink, even though his first version with the Concertgebouw dates back several decades. Strauss is among his best composers, and that first Alpine Sym. was a beauty. Its only flaw, in some eyes, was a certain restraint. Does it add dignity to the Alpine Sym. to take it more seriously, or should this gaudy orchestral showcase be played full throttle for thrills and spills? Each listener will have to answer for himself. The new Haitink is definitely one of the dignified ones; tempos are often slow, phrases lovingly lingered over. The LSO plays quite spectacularly, despite being held back by their conductor. The recorded sound from Barbican Hall is close-up and transparent (I've never understood complaints about the sound quality from LSO Live, which has always struck me as first rate). In the end, I much prefer the thrilling accounts from Karajan, Mehta (on Sony, with the Berliners), and Thielemann with Vienna.

Haitink is more like a dream about mountain-climbing than the actual adventure."

Great recording

Inspecteur Clouzot | Paris, FRANCE | 04/15/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I really like this tone poem. It is incredibly descriptive, and very entertaining. The sound is excellent, and it is nice to hear a live recording without the applause at the end. The interpretation was very much to my taste, but this is of course the most subjective element.

Also, I don't know whether it's just my disc, or if all copies have this problem, but I noticed a sound glitch in track 5 (Wanderung neben dem Bache) 35 seconds in.

Other than that, it's a wonderful recording!"