R. Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos / Falletta, Buffalo Philharmonic

$9.99
Label
Naxos
Release Date
February 10, 2017
Format
Added to Cart! View cart or continue shopping.


    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      STRAUSS, RICHARD
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
    • PERFORMER
      Falletta
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      February 10, 2017
    • UPC
      747313346073
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      8573460
    • LABEL
      Naxos
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Classical
    Works ⌄

    1. I. Act I: Ouvertüre - Auftritt des Jourdain

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    2. II. Menuett

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    3. III. Der Fechtmeister

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    4. IV. Auftritt und Tanz der Schneider

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    5. V. Das Menuett des Lully

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    6. VI. Courante

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    7. VII. Auftritt des Cléonte

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    8. VIII. Act II: Prelude (Intermezzo)

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    9. IX. Das Diner: Tafelmusik und Tanz des Küchenjungen

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    10. I. Prologue (Overture to the Prologue)

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    11. II. Duet: Ein Augenblick ist wenig, ein Blick is viel

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    12. III. Waltz: Eine Störrische zu trösten

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    13. IV. Overture, "The Opera Overture" - Ein Schönes War

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    14. V. Aria: Es gibt ein Reich

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    15. VI. Interlude

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta

    16. VII. Finale: Gibt es kein Hinüber?

      Composer: Richard Strauss

      Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: JoAnn Falletta


Listen to the Naxos Podcast to learn more about this release

I sure hope the folks in Buffalo know what a prize they have in JoAnn Falletta. Her Naxos discography has few peers in terms of imaginative programming and quality of results. The city couldn’t ask for a more positive or alluring cultural calling card, and the present release offers a case in point. There have been many fine recordings of Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, but this one stands with the best: for clarity, elegance, distinguished solo work (superb oboe, William Preucil’s solo violin), you name it. Although scored for a chamber orchestra, it’s amazing how congested and fussy so many performances sound. Not here. Just listen to the opening processional of “The Dinner,” with its bold horns and transparent textures. Great stuff.

However, the real item of interest is the “Symphony-Suite” arranged by D. Wilson Ochoa from Ariadne auf Naxos, the original companion work to Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Arranging suites from Strauss’ operas is a trend that can only be encouraged. Strauss did it himself, of course, but mostly without much enthusiasm or imagination. So here’s a case where the intervention of more caring hands is clearly called for.

This suite, forty minutes in all, contains three chunks from the prologue and four from the opera itself. It is gorgeous. Even those who know the opera well may be surprised at how much lovely material slips by without notice in stage performances, such as the “Intermezzo” music on the second to last track here (sound clip). You do get some of the more famous bits (“Es gibt ein Reich,” for example, and the closing scene), but it really is astonishing how much care Strauss lavished on sections that flit by as mere accompaniment–never mind the thematic interest that they contain. Here, thanks to Falletta and the folks in Buffalo, in this luminously played and recorded performance, we can savor them afresh. So what are you waiting for? Go for it.

- ClassicsToday