Barry Tuckwell displays his usual impeccable musicianship in Strauss’ two horn concertos, negotiating the bravura hunting-call passages of the Schumann-esque No. 1 with impressive confidence, while producing continuously beautiful tone in the more lyrical and refined No. 2 from the composer’s late period. We hear the soloist in a more intimate setting in Strauss’ gorgeous Andante for Horn and Piano (with Tuckwell producing a wonderfully smooth legato) and in the early Introduction, Theme and Variations, which, like Concerto No. 1, contains few hints of the strikingly original musical personality yet to emerge.
Soprano Marie McLaughlin lends her lovely singing to another early work, Alphorn for soprano, horn, and piano, as well as to the moving Introduction to the final scene of Strauss’ opera Capriccio. Here Tuckwell’s burnished sound reminds us of the poignant solo found in Strauss’ Four Last Songs, while McLaughlin’s tender wistfulness perfectly captures the music’s mood. Vladimir Ashkenazy proves himself quite a capable Straussian in both the orchestral and piano accompaniments. Decca’s 1990 recordings offer pleasing presence and warmth. [10/5/2005]
