Mehta's Lyrical, Burnished Alpensinfonie | Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie; Horn Concerto No. 1 |...

Mehta's Lyrical, Burnished Alpensinfonie | Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie; Horn Concerto No. 1 | Richard [1] Strauss, Zubin Mehta, ...

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	• Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie; Horn Concerto No. 1 Richard [1] Strauss, Zubin Mehta, ... Sony, 1990 average customer review:based on 4 reviews view larger image
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Good, But There Are Better Available

Zubin Mehta and the Berliner Philharmoniker Orchestra's recording of "Eine Alpensinfonie" (or "An Alpine Symphony") is perfectly good, but they are better performances available in my opinion. This is an excellent digital recording, and no doubt the Berlin Philharmonic is one of the world's finest orchestras. But Mehta's choice of recording this Strauss symphony seems a tad redundant, as less than a decade earlier Karajan made a stellar digital recording with the same orchestra (although for DG instead of Sony). And while that Karajan Gold version of "Eine Alpensinfonie" is outstanding, my personal favorite recording of this symphony is on Rudolf Kempe's Strauss Orchestral Works Boxed Set. The Kempe Box's "Horn Concerto No. 1" is also more spirited than this Mehta performance featuring Gerd Seifert as soloist. Not to mention, one could purchase the classic Dennis Brain recording of the Horn Concerto. In all, this Mehta recording is competent, if not exceptional, but one would be best served looking for a definitive performance of Strauss' "Alpine Symphony" and "Horn Concerto" elsewhere.

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Mehta's Lyrical, Burnished Alpensinfonie

Although I loved Karajan's and Kempe's Alpensifonie (especially the musicmaking in Karajan's laserdisc version), and admire Previn's for Telarc, I think, contrary to Mr. Richman, that Mehta's leads the crowd. Never before has the BPO been recorded so majestically, to reveal a radiance, precision, and burnished sound rarely heard since the great DG LPs of 1973-1977 (roughly, Karanjan's analog strauss through his 3d Beethoven cycle). (Why couldn't Gunter Hermanns ever duplicate this using digital recording equipment in the Philharmonie?) One might forget that Mehta's "spiritual home" (at least musically) is in the sound-world of Austro-Germany, and one hears a lyricism, feeling, and poetry in communion with nature that in Mehta's hands elevates the work beyond the pedestrian reputation it suffered from for years, rising up to the realm of pure rapture. Mehta reminds us forcefully here of his Vienna musical roots. It also reminds us what he might have accomplished with the BPO, which, to me, has drifted aimlessly and rather facelessly from Abbado's blandness to Simon Rattle's miscasting. Recommended without hestitation--relish the sonic feast! -- Professor Jeffey A. Van Detta

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Mehta's Lyrical, Burnished Alpensinfonie

Although I loved Karanjan's and Kempe's Alpensifonie (especially the musicmaking in Karanjan's laserdisc version), I think, contrary to Mr. Richman, that Mehta's leads the crowd. Never before has the BPO been recorded so majestically, to reveal a radiance, precision, and burnished sound rarely heard since the great DG LPs of 1973-1977 (roughly, Karanjan's analog strauss through his 3d Beethoven cycle). (Why couldn't Gunter Hermanns ever duplicate this in the Philharmonie?) One might forget that Mehta's "spiritual home" (at least musically) is in the sound-world of Austrio-Germany, and one hears a lyricism, feeling, and poetry in communion with nature that in Mehta's hands elevates the work beyond the pedestrian reputation it suffered from for years to the realm of pure rapture. Mehta reminds us forcefully here of his Vienna musical roots. It also reminds us what he might have accomplished with the BPO, which, to me, has drifted aimlessly and rather facelessly from Abbado's blandness to Simon Rattle's miscasting. Recommended without hestitation--relish the sonic feast! -- Professor Jeffey A. Van Detta

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Just to hear this orchestra is a thrill

It's a major event for Strauss fans when a truly great orchestra shows off its supreme virtuosity, and that's the case here. Karajan made the classic Alpine Symphony early in the digital era--too early, in fact, given the wiry sound and edgy strings that resulted. The later remastering of that performance on DG's "Karajan Gold" series helped quite a bit. But here we get to hear the Berlin Phil. without excuses, and their playing is astounding.

I would rank this performance in the same league as Previn's on Telarc with the Vienna Phil. In both cases the stars are the orchestra and the recording engineers. Neither Previn nor Mehta has a great deal to say from the podium, but they conduct traffic extremely well. Overall, both recordings are orgiastic, sumptuous experiences for the ear.

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Tracks
Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Nacht: Lento | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Sonnenaufgang: Festes Zeitmass, m?ssig langsam | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Der Anstieg: Sehr lebhaft und energisch | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Eintritt in den Wald | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Wanderung neben dem Bache | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Am Wasserfall: Sehr lebhaft | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Erscheinung | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Auf blumige Wiesen: Sehr lebhaft | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Auf der Alm: M?ssig schnell | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Durch Dickicht und Gestr?pp auf Irrwegen | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Auf dem Gletscher: Festes, sehr lebhaftes Zeitmass | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Gefahrvolle Augenblicke: A tempo, legbhafter als vorher | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Auf dem Gipfel | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Vision: Fest und gehalten | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Nebel steigen auf: Etwas weniger greit | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Die Sonne verd?stert sich allm?hlich | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Elegy: Moderato espressivo | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Stille vor dem Sturm | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Gewitter und Sturm; Abstieg | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Sonnenuntergang | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Ausklang: Etwas breit und getragen | Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233): Nacht | Horn Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 11 (TrV 117): 1. Allegro | Horn Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 11 (TrV 117): 2. Andante | Horn Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 11 (TrV 117): 3. Allegro