Chandos launches another reissue of Neeme Järvi’s excellent Richard Strauss symphonic poem cycle, subjecting these performances from the late 1980s to 24-bit/96 kHz digital remastering. The new transfers boast slightly more presence and depth compared to the original releases, but not so much that you need to replace them. In any event, Chandos’ bargain price and Järvi’s terrific conducting make this initial two-for-one volume worth your while. Granted, the Scottish National Orchestra strings don’t soar and sing out like their Viennese brethren for André Previn or their Los Angeles rivals under Zubin Mehta, nor do they pour on the schlag as their Dresden counterparts do for Rudolf Kempe. But if you envision Eine Alpensinfonie and Ein Heldenleben as pure orchestral drama on the high seas, with the brass section in your face, strutting their testosterone to high heaven, you’ve come to the right recordings.
While some listeners might prefer quicker basic tempos and sharper rhythmic delineation than Järvi’s big-boned Don Juan delivers (i.e., Szell/Cleveland and Kempe/Dresden), Järvi turns in an unusually lithe and transparent Tod und Verklärung that contrasts to the more opulent textures you hear from Ormandy or Karajan. Concertmaster Edwin Paling’s shapely, intelligent portrayal of the Hero’s Wife adds further distinction to the Heldenleben. Strongly recommended.
