R. Strauss: Last Songs

This production from the C Major label brings together the very best currently available in terms of Richard Strauss and Wolfgang Rihm. In a recording from the Semperoper, Anja Harteros sings Richard Strauss’s “Four Last Songs,” accompanied by the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Christian Thielemann. In addition, listeners are given the rare opportunity to experience a live performance of the extremely lavishly scored “Alpsymphony”: two harps, 16 horns (twelve of them positioned offstage), four trombones, two contrabass tubas, a heckelphone, organ, celesta, bass drum, timpani, wind machine, and more. Simply put, anyone who has seen it (and not just heard it) will be left speechless. Christian Thielemann also plays a special kind of trump card at the opening: with Wolfgang Rihm’s orchestral work “Ernster Gesang,” he recalls the composer’s musical roots. As a special bonus, we also hear a version of Strauss’s song “Malven” freshly orchestrated by Wolfgang Rihm. All in all, this is 103 minutes of pure musical luxury.