Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: I: Allegro
2. Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: II: Andante
3. Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: III: Allegro
4. Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: I: Allegro
5. Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: II: Andante con moto
6. Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: III: Rondo (Allegro molto)
7. Oboe Concerto In D Major: I: Allegro moderato
8. Oboe Concerto In D Major: II: Andante
9. Oboe Concerto In D Major: III: Vivace
10. Duett-Concertino: I; Allegro moderato
11. Duett-Concertino: II: Andante
12. Duett-Concertino: III: Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)

Disc 2:

1. Burleske
2. Parergon zur Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 73
3. Panathenaenzug, Op. 74

Disc 3:

1. Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28
2. Don Juan, Op. 20
3. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero
4. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
5. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Wife
6. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Certainty Of Victory
7. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Battlefield
8. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: War Fanfares
9. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Work Of Peace
10. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Withdrawl From The World
11. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Renunciation

Disc 4:

1. Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: I: Allegro
2. Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: II: Lento
3. Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: III: Rondo
4. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Bewegt - Thema I - Thema II - Thema III
5. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Scherzo (Munter)
6. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Wiegenlied - Massig langsam
7. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Adagio - (Langsam)
8. Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Finale (Sehr lebhaft)

Disc 5:

1. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
2. Tod und Verklarung, Op. 24
3. Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59

Disc 6:

1. Salome, Op. 54: Dance Of The Seven Veils
2. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Overture
3. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Jourdain - Minuet
4. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Fencing Master
5. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entrance and Dance of the Tailors
6. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Minuet of Lully
7. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Courante
8. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entry Of Cleonte
9. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Intermezzo (Prelude To Act 2)
10. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Dinner
11. Schlagobers, Op. 70: Waltz
12. Josephslegende, Op. 63: Symphonic Fragment

Disc 7:

1. Metamorphosen: Study For 23 Solo Strings
2. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night
3. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunrise
4. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Ascent
5. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Entering The Forest
6. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Strolling By The Stream
7. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: By The Waterfall
8. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Apparition
9. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In Flowery Meadows
10. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In A Mountain Pasture
11. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Lost In The Thickets And Undergrowth
12. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Glacier
13. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Dangerous Moments
14. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Summit
15. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Vision
16. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Mists Rise Up
17. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Sun Grows Dark
18. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Elegy
19. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Quiet Before The Storm
20. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: A Thunderstorm - Descent
21. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunset
22. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Conclusion
23. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night

Disc 8:

1. Aus Italien, Op.16: I: Andante
2. Aus Italien, Op.16: II: Allegro molto con brio
3. Aus Italien, Op.16: III: Andantino
4. Aus Italien, Op.16: IV: Finale (Allegro molto)
5. Macbeth, Op. 23: Symphonic Poem

Disc 9:

1. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Introduktion (Massiges Zeitmass)
2. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Massig (Don Quixote)
3. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Maggiore (Sancho Panza)
4. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation I: The adventure with the windmills
5. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation II: The battle with the sheep
6. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation III: Discourse between knight and squire
7. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IV: The adventure with the pilgrims
8. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation V: The knight's vigil
9. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VI: The meeting with Dulcinea
10. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VII: The ride through the air
11. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VIII: The voyage in the enchanted boat
12. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IX: The combat with the two magicians
13. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation X: The defeat of Don Quixote
14. Don Quixote, Op. 35: Finale (Sehr ruhig)
15. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: I: Entree and stately round
16. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: II: Courante
17. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: III: Carillon
18. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: IV: Sarabande
19. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: V: Gavotte
20. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VI: Tourbillon - Wirbeltanz
21. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: Allemande
22. Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: March

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11364 in Music
• Released on: 1999-10-18
• Number of discs: 9
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .73 pounds
• Running time: 653 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
When it comes to the music of Richard Strauss, none of the world's great orchestras has a more distinguished tradition than the Staatskapelle Dresden. As pit orchestra of the Dresden Court Opera, the Staatskapelle was involved in the premieres, between 1901 and 1911, of Feuersnot, Salome, Elektra, and Der Rosenkavalier; later, with Karl Böhm conducting, its players participated in the premiere of Daphne. Most of Strauss's major tone poems have been in the Dresden orchestra's concert repertory since completion. Back in the 1970s, EMI was able to capitalise on this association when it reunited the Staatskapelle with Rudolf Kempe--a native of Dresden, one of the master conductors of the 20th century, and an absolutely authoritative Straussian--for an integral recording of Strauss's orchestral works and concertos. The cycle was warmly received when it was originally released on LP, and it has become one of the treasures of the CD catalogue since EMI reissued it whole, in three volumes, in 1992. With this latest repackaging, the whole impressive enterprise becomes available in one box.

Across the board, Kempe and the Dresdeners give magnificent readings of the music. Their Zarathustra is imposing and grand; their Heldenleben suitably heroic and quite smashingly played; their Till Eulenspiegel and Don Juan delightfully brisk, characterful, and exultant (the latter is dispatched in a blazing 16:06, and receives as ardent and exhilarating a reading as you are ever likely to encounter on disc). One of the finest of all the offerings is the account of Eine Alpensinfonie, a Kempe favourite and still a sonic knock-out after nearly three decades.

The less familiar orchestral works are here, as well, including the early tone poems Aus Italien and Macbeth and the admittedly rather frothy ballet scores Josephslegende and Schlagobers. Of special value are the accounts of all Strauss's concerted works, from the early Violin Concerto (played by Ulf Hoelscher) and Burleske for piano and orchestra (with Malcolm Frager as soloist), through Don Quixote (featuring Paul Tortelier in magisterial form) and the two horn concertos, to the Oboe Concerto of 1946 and the final Duett-Concertino for clarinet and bassoon. It's hard to imagine any label tackling such a project in today's bottom-line environment, or coming up with such definitive readings from today's performers. All the more reason to celebrate the appearance of this compendium. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews

First rate
These performances by a great Strauss orchestra led by one of the finest Strauss conductors are admirable: perceptive, imaginative and wonderfully played. The price of the re-issue is competitive and the collection as a whole deserves 5 stars. Buyers looking for the popular Strauss tone poems will be more than satisfied, and they also have the chance to explore his lesser-known concertos. If there is a reservation, it's on the technical side. Many of these discs were transferred from (great sounding) analogue to CD in the mid 80s. EMI's transfer standard has improved a lot since then and I am certain that better results could be obtained from the master tapes. However, using the old transfers has meant that EMI has kept the price down, so it is a matter of swings and roundabouts. This is a really excellent collection for the money.

Without Doubt The Best Strauss Collection
There is no finer collection of Strauss's orchestral works than this; although Karjan is a strong contender. This fine box set contains superlative interpretations of Tod und Verklarung and Eine Alpensinfonie. Listen particularly to the Waterfall and Apparition scenes in Eine Alpensinfonie; this is playing of authoritarian stature. The brass is bold and masterly, the percussion gloriously audible (in a lot of recordings it comes across quietly) and of course Kempe's pacing and command take the listener into a glorious world.

The recordings are clear and glorious in tone and depth. This collection is a must for all Richard Strauss fans. It is easy to see why Rudolf Kempe and the Staatskapelle Dresden are authoritarian Strauss interpreters; the scores are given a sonic depth on an almost cosmic scale.

excellent! well almost.....
an excellent box set. But a word of caution, if you are looking for a good recording of Also Sprach Zarathustra, then the one on this box set might let you down. The famous opening fanfare, is let down by some awful timpani playing, and bad brass intonation but otherwise its pretty good. Everything else on this cd set is top notch and highly reccomended.