Tír Na HiFi

Haydn String Quartets Op. 2 Nos. 1 & 2....

This is a lovely programme that is well sung and well played.

Grieg – Peer Gynt Suites [von Karajan]....



....beautiful melodies.

I've been listening tonight to two of Richard Strauss's greatest operas - Capriccio and Ariadne auf Naxos. Only Benjamin Britten came closest to Richard Strauss's achievement in opera in the twentieth century and these two pearls are staggering achievements in my opinion. Although one could build a reputation on these two works alone, it's important to remember that these were but two in a string of masterpieces that Strauss composed for the medium. Capriccio is sheer glowing perfection and there has never been a greater interpretation than Wolfgang Sawallisch's 1957 version with the Philharmonia (on EMI) and one of Elisabeth Schwartzkopf's finest recorded performances. (I believe Glenn Gould considered this to be his favourite musical recording.) Schwartzkopf is again on sparkling form in the delightful 1954 version of Ariadne auf Naxos (as conducted by Herbert von Karajan with the Philharmonia on EMI). It is possible to argue that no-one wrote more beautiful arias for the female voice than Strauss. Timeless beauty that will never age.

Joseph Haydn
Symphony 93, 96 & 101
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Claudio Abbado conducting

I got this morning off to a rousing start with Claudio Ababdo conducting the COE in a selection of Haydn symphonies, this is a grogeous set it's a pity that Abbado didn't complete the London cycle

mcq wrote:.... It is possible to argue that no-one wrote more beautiful arias for the female voice than Strauss. Timeless beauty that will never age.

Interesting comments above and being familiar with Strauss' orchestral songs I can well see where you are coming from with that statement. However, even with my great love of his music I have never ventured down the Opera road even though I have read many comments like the above for many years now. I wonder when I will be ready for it or when I will be brave enough to take the plunge?

fergus wrote:

mcq wrote:.... It is possible to argue that no-one wrote more beautiful arias for the female voice than Strauss. Timeless beauty that will never age.

Interesting comments above and being familiar with Strauss' orchestral songs I can well see where you are coming from with that statement. However, even with my great love of his music I have never ventured down the Opera road even though I have read many comments like the above for many years now. I wonder when I will be ready for it or when I will be brave enough to take the plunge?

Perhaps it's time for you to depart your comfort zone then. wink

Giuseppe Martucci
Symphony No. 1
Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma
Francesco La Vecchia conducting

This is a gorgeous piece, I really should listen to it more often and I must get the D’Avalos set on Brilliant Classics too.

http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http ... iI4gb55uFp

Giuseppe Martucci
Symphony No. 2
Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma
Francesco La Vecchia conducting

The reviewer on Musicweb prefers the Martucci/D'Avalos set to these Naxos discs. A few months ago I listened to extracts from the D'Avlaos and the La Vecchia recordings and I preferred the latter.

http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http ... qe4QaZ6eRz