Listening to tone poems by Richard Strauss give us a glimpse into the mind, heart and soul. Scaling the emotional trails of philanderers, poets and philosophers, these musical portraits need a musical animator to make the two-dimensions of the score become a sonic multifaceted portrait painted with just a baton alone. The catalog is brimming with artists that possess the communicative prowess to bathe the scores in a vivid light.
Conductors such as Herbert von Karajan, Georg Solti and Mariss Jansons have made recordings that for generations of listeners have brought endless pleasure, with the deep and penetrating vision they have into the music and stories within. Krzysztof UrbaĆskiâs latest release with NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester programs three works that appear on Karajanâs famed 1973 album.
Opening with the colorful portrayal of the fiction libertine is âDon Juanâ. UrbaĆskiâs tempos are brisker than Karajan, in an overall faster rendition, but UrbaĆski never feels hurried. The pacing throughout feels natural and the work unfolds organically; the narrative reveals UrbaĆskiâs understanding. The vibrancy of Don Juan is obvious, but the colors are a little muted overall. Phrases and emotions are strongly conveyed and contrasted, but the precision in observing rests for their full values curtails the emotional impact, sounding somewhat fussy. The conclusion lacks the complete unity in the playing which Vasily Petrenko finds with the Oslo Philharmonic.
From the pursuits of the philanderer to the jaunts of an entertainer, UrbaĆski turns to the comedy and frivolity of âTill Eulenspiegelâ. UrbaĆski holds the reigns tightly at the beginning and throughout. UrbaĆski depicts the comedian as a darker, more serious, and sinister character, with a more manic persona, resulting in a highly personal take. UrbaĆskiâs strings are cooler, whilst the brass are more astringent. Petrenko and Karajan are warmer, finding more of the court jester, with greater lyricism, keeping the high jinks lighthearted.
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Delving into the mind of the philosopher, UrbaĆskiâs âAlso Sprach Zarathustraâ is a darker affair. The radiance Karajan brings to his opening is quite joyous, with many crests to the sound, whereas UrbaĆski is more controlled, broody and more ominous. Karajan finds tenderness, with a stronger precision and clarity to the string parts. In UrbaĆskiâs hands, the section marked âdas grabliedâ is primarily all one color, and while somber, it doesnât fully capture the subtleties and cantabile lines Karajan cajoles from the Berlin Philharmonicâs wind players. âDas Tanzliedâ has moments in which the rubato over-sentimentalizes the emotion, thus occasionally detracts from its dance-like qualities. In the final bars, UrbaĆski brings some welcomed tenderness to this rather enigmatic work.
UrbaĆskiâs rendition was recorded live from several performances in the Laeiszhalle, Hamburg, in 2019, and the overall listening experience is akin to sitting in the hall. The NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester are flawless in their playing, with all the solos carefully and commendably played. The percussion timbres are well-chosen, adding something distinctive to UrbaĆskiâs vision. The recording, however, lacks the same detail and bass definition as Karajan or Petrenko, which gives UrbaĆski a disadvantage in painting the luscious velvety colors needed to make the Straussian palette of sound.
These crowd-pleasing Strauss tone poems are a worthy listen from UrbaĆski, but donât have the same passion, poetry or vision of some other conductors. Petrenkoâs pacing is similar to Karajanâs in âTill Eulenspiegelâ and in âDon Juanâ he offers a cleaner sound and marginally more restrained, but still invigorating experiences. The choice is, then, between the transparency of UrbaĆski, who sometimes offers glowing segments at the expense of an overall outlook of a poem, to a big-picture vision that can persuade but lacks a certain polish. Despite the range of performances available, UrbaĆski fans will appreciate this album.
Strauss – Also sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra
Krzysztof UrbaĆski
Alpha Classics, CD ALPHA 413
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