And finally, the opening of an alpine symphony, with its slow descending scales, directly quotes from the start of strausss much earlier f minor symphony. At summers end by john engels the writers almanac with. An alpine symphony, by richard strauss, depicts a dawn to dusk climb up a mountain. Eine alpensinfonie an alpine symphony jordan music. Richard strauss alpine symphony the classical music. Principle guest conductor thomas dausgaard is your trail guide for richard strauss final symphonic poem, an alpine symphony, on june 15 and 17. At least i have learned how to orchestrate, pronounced richard strauss 1864. Alsop leads the alpine symphony in 19, richard strauss composed a musical hike into the alps. Here, strauss returns to his beginnings for what turned out to be his last major orchestral tone poem. Although musicians from each orchestra section share their excitement for an alpine symphony, its an especially big night for the horns. The piece is a musical portrayal of a climbing partys alpine ascent and descent. The first test disc, which was pressed near hannover, germany, contained a recording of richard strauss s an alpine symphony, played by the berlin philharmonic. Click on the button to go to the page where you can download the music at the end of each line you find more information about the music of that specific performer. The choice of this tone poem for the new digital medium is not.
An alpine symphony mariss jansons symphonieorchester. Richard strauss, jordan, paris opera orchestra strauss. The orchestra celebrated the 100th anniversary of this event with a colourful and expressive performance under the baton of andris nelsons. Welcome to the new classical music guide online forums. The position of eine alpensinfonie in richard strausss oeuvre indeed, in any music history more generally has always been problematic. Mar 26, 2014 william mival with a recommendation from recordings of richard strausss alpensinfonie homepage. The score frequently receives an unfavourable press and criticism is often fierce, the work being undermined and belittled, not taken seriously in many. It wasnt long after german conductor and composer richard strauss 18641949 premiered an alpine symphony in 1915 that critics began lambasting it as frivolous cottoncandy. It was his first piece sporting this genretitle since his symphonia domestica of 1903 and reveals an affinity to the natural world similar to that found in many of mahlers symphonies. Npr s tom huizenga takes us through the music with the help of two trail.
Bernard haitink conducts the vienna philharmonic in strausss an alpine symphony eine alpensinfonie op. Sep 09, 2012 bernard haitink conducts the vienna philharmonic in strauss s an alpine symphony eine alpensinfonie op. At the age of just fifteen, the budding composer richard strauss 18641949 lost his way during a summer hike on the heimgarten in the bavarian alps, and ended up in a thunderstorm. Strausss alpine symphony played twice in one night the. It would be the last of his bigscale, symphonic tone poems. Alpine symphony richard strauss 18641949 the socalled alpine symphony in reality a symphonic poem, was first produced in berlin in 1915, by an orchestra of extraordinary size, the score calling for one hundred and sixteen instruments. It consists of 22 separate musical interludes, starting with night, and then sunrise, after which each successive section represents a stage in the ascent of the mountain. In 1911, strauss wrote that he was torturing himself with a symphony a job that, when alls said and done, amuses me even less than chasing cockroaches. Likewise, as wagners music seems to get more interesting and lovely with every new hearing, much of strauss orchestral music including alpine seems to become somewhat lacking in depth.
Was it an attempt to glorify nature in music, or more a testament to the. Richard strauss alpine symphony page 2 the classical. It is sometimes referred to as just symphony in f minor. Strauss alpine symphony charts 11 hours climbing the swiss alps, its abundant orchestration perfectly depicting an experience strauss himself had with his friends. London symphony orchestra strauss an alpine symphony. Few composers have mastered all the nooks and crannies of. Richard strauss musical mountain climb new hampshire. Led by daniel harding, the ensemble of exceptional orchestral musicians from around the world takes on one of strauss most imposing scores, and the power. Strauss also sprach zarathustra makes for a memorable intro in 2001. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In 19, richard strauss composed a musical hike into the alps.
An alpine symphony, an album by richard strauss, philadelphia orchestra, charles dutoit on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. Imagine youve been caught in a terrifying storm as you descend a mountain. With strauss alpine symphony, though, every instrument and special effect is necessary to make it work. With few exceptions such as an alpine symphony and the sinfonia domestica, he recorded each of the tone poems as many as three times between dg and emi, and appreciation of the quality of his last efforts was hampered by harsh, glaring digital sonics.
Richard strauss karajan, berliner philharmoniker eine. He went on to spend the final thirtyodd years of his life composing other kinds of music, songs, and, of course, opera. An alpine symphony by richard strauss premiered 100 years ago today. At the time he composed this piece, strauss was living in the southern bavarian town of garmisch now. Stephen johnson explores strausss massive alpine symphony. Richard strauss 18641949 began writing an alpine symphony in 1911 and completed it several years later. The vienna philharmonic orchestra performs richard strauss eine alpensinfonie an alpine symphony, opus 64, christian thielemann conducting. Conductor marin alsop guides her audience, and her baltimore symphony orchestra. In 2012, matsumoto resounded with the sounds of the saito kinen orchestra performing r.
Strauss wrote most of an alpine symphony at his chalet in the mountain setting of garmisch, completing the sketches in 1914 and orchestrating them during the next year. An alpine symphony was richard strauss s last tonepoem, inspired by a mountaineering expedition in his boyhood and incorporating nietzsches idea of liberation through nature. Strauss captures this emotion with the help of a full orchestra. Strauss an alpine symphony vienna philharmonic orchestra bernard haitink conductor royal albert hall, 7 september 2012. This recording can live with the very best accounts and in most cases is the superior choice. Climb richard strauss musical mountain, an alpine symphony, with npr music. Richard strauss an alpine symphony opus 64 discogs. Associate concertmaster heidi harris says strauss music depicts a mountain journey. Venture up the steepest symphonic peaks with the oslo philharmonic and vasily petrenko in strauss spectacular alpine symphony. Help us with donations or by making music available. Naxos has struck gold with this magnificent recording of strausss an alpine symphony. All you ever wanted to know about the alpine symphony and more. An alpine symphony was richard strausss last tonepoem, inspired by a mountaineering expedition in his boyhood and incorporating nietzsches idea of liberation through nature.
Conductor marin alsop guides her audience, and her baltimore symphony orchestra, up to the summit of strauss monumental alpine symphony, and back down again. It is program music from first to last and is played continuously. Notes millers arrangement consists of on the glacier, perilous moments, at the summit 3 before rehearsal 68 to rehearsal 86 in the orchestral score. Strausss monumental an alpine symphony divides opinion. The textures and colors are glorious, but taking this trip up this mountain is not exactly rewarding, and that is not the fault of the musicians. An alpine symphony, 4 songs jarvi, lott with lott, felicity on arkivcd. Conductor marin alsop guides her audience, and her baltimore symphony. Strauss alpine symphony as conducted by daniel harding. Oct 28, 2015 richard strauss musical mountain climb. An alpine symphony by richard strauss digital concert hall. Cds were originally designed to store and play back sound recordings, but later were modified to store data. Ive got four versions of the alpine symphony to recommend.
Richard strauss alpine symphony the classical music guide. October 28, 2015 marking the 100th anniversary of an alpine symphony, take a guided. Recorded december 7, 2008, at walt disney concert hall. An alpine symphony richard strauss concerts, introduction. Marking the 100th anniversary of an alpine symphony, take a guided tour through strauss evocative music with conductor semyon bychkov. The immediate impulse for strausss return to an alpine symphony was the premature death in 1911 of. It was to be one of his final largescale orchestral works and shows the last great german romantic composer at the pinnacle of his art.
Our listening guide this week takes the form of a packing list to help you scale richard strauss final symphonic poem, an alpine. William mival with a recommendation from recordings of richard strausss alpensinfonie homepage. Strausss an alpine symphony was completed in 1915, eleven years after the completion of its immediate predecessor in the genre of the tone poem, symphonia domestica. Nprs tom huizenga takes us through the music with the help of two trail.
He infuses the score with numerous instrumental colours and rich combinations of sounds, evoking the images and events that take place on the trek. Vienna philharmonic orchestra bernard haitink richard. Deceptive cadence marking the 100th anniversary of an alpine symphony, take a guided tour through strauss evocative music with conductor semyon bychkov. Apr 15, 2012 an alpine symphony, richard strausss ode to a mountainous ascent, is rarely performed because of the claims it makes on an orchestra. An alpine symphony, richard strausss ode to a mountainous ascent, is rarely performed because of the claims it makes on an orchestra.
Alpine symphony daniel harding, saito kinen orchestra on allmusic 2014 because the saito kinen orchestra annually. Strauss an alpine symphony by chicagosymphony chicago. A typical performance entails upwards of fortyfive minutes of continuous music. Also a star in the pantheon of classical music is bruchs violin concerto no 1 so popular in fact that bruch himself lamented the lack of performances of his other works.
Because the saito kinen orchestra annually performs at a summer festival held in the japanese alps near matsumoto, the choice of richard strauss immense alpine symphony for this 2012 recording seems quite appropriate for the occasion. The programme also includes shostakovichs disturbing. Strauss, r alpensinfonie eine an alpine symphony weimar staatskapelle, wit by richard strauss. One of karajans favourite compositions was heard during this concert from october 2008 richard strausss alpine symphony, which karajan conducted with the berliner philharmoniker in 1982. Strausss alpine symphony played twice in one night. Strausss massive alpine symphony features over 100 musicians including. In his alpine symphony strauss recounts an attempt to conquer the summit of an alpine mountain. Strauss wrote very challenging horn parts for this piece, but he writes so well for the instrument his father was a horn player that its the best kind of challenge and one to.