The
music of the Strauss family remains
one of the most popular areas of the
orchestral repertory. This remarkable
family of six composers created nearly
fifteen hundred compositions, notable
chiefly for their glorious melodies,
but also for their wonderful mastery
of the orchestra.
This attractively contrived
programme features well loved classics
of the Viennese repertory alongside
some well chosen rarities. That itself
is a major plus, since the opus numbers
immediately tell us that these composers
were extremely prolific, and there is
always more to discover. Thus Eduard
Strauss’s Burning and Yearning, a polka
in ‘French Style’, is a delight; so
too Johann I’s Zampa Galop.
Not that these rarities
are the only attractions. There are
some fresh and inviting performances
of well-loved classics too. For example,
Johann II’s Memories of Covent Garden
emerges with honours, and his Perpetuum
Mobile is treated to a performance of
panache, instrumental virtuosity and
real wit. And a vital rendition of the
famous Radetzky March rounds proceedings
off.
The production standards
are at one with all this. The booklet
is well produced and the notes by Peter
Kemp of the British Johann Strauss Society
are a model of lucidity and insight.
The recorded sound too is most pleasing,
allowing the sharp focus of the performances
to make an urgent impression or a beguiling
effect, as the case may be.
If these are all advantages,
and considerable advantages too, what
of the drawbacks? The answer to that
question is that there are no major
problems, save that the music is available
in more characterful and sonically pleasing
performances elsewhere. The Johann Strauss
Orchestra (London orchestral players)
is conducted by Christopher Warren-Green,
who is chiefly known as the leader of
the Philharmonia Orchestra. He directs
crisply articulate performances of all
this music, but his band is relatively
small, and the string sound in particular
lacks fullness and body. Whether this
is the result of lack of numbers or
of the recorded sound is by the by.
One of the glories of this music is
the rich and colourful orchestral sonority,
and this ensemble sounds decidedly thin
and under-characterised besides the
Vienna Philharmonic. Having said that,
some might argue that the ensembles
who first played the music were smaller
rather than larger in number, in which
case this approach becomes the ‘authentic’
alternative.
Terry
Barfoot
The Johann Strauss Orchestra/Christopher
Warren-Green 