Richard Strauss’ “Beloved Dresdeners”

courtesy of Naxos of America

I only recently discovered that Profil has been maintaining an ongoing project to build up a library of recordings by the Staatskapelle Dresden. This ensemble was founded in 1548 by Maurice, Elector of Saxony, which makes it one of the world’s oldest orchestras. It has a reputation that matches its age, going all the way back to an association with Heinrich Schütz. The position of Hofkapellmeister was held by both Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner (at different times, obviously). More recent leaders include Herbert Blomstedt, Giuseppe Sinopoli, and Bernard Haitink; and the current Chief Conductor is Christian Thielemann.

This month Profil’s project advanced to its 44th installment. This is a two-CD album consisting of compositions by Richard Strauss that are seldom encountered in recorded form. Strauss apparently referred to the Staatskapelle Dresden as his “beloved Dresdeners;” and this album definitely gives the composer a loving treatment.

Thielemann is listed as conductor, but what is most interesting is the intimacy of most of the selections on the album. The earliest work is the Opus 7 serenade, scored for pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, along with four horns and one contrabassoon. Strauss composed this when he was sixteen years old. Towards the end of his life, he renewed his interest in wind ensembles with two sonatinas. The first of these, given the title “From an Invalid’s Workshop,” is included on the album, scored for double wind quintet plus two additional horns, a third clarinet in C, basset horn, bass clarinet, and contrabassoon. On a similar scale is another late work, the “Metamorphosen” for 23 solo strings. Finally, horn player Robert Langbein gets special treatment in a recording of the Opus 11 (first) horn concert in E-flat major.

All four of these compositions are given attentive readings. One can almost imagine that the ensemble made this recording to repay the love that Strauss had lavished on the group during his lifetime. Most importantly, there is a clarity to the recording technology by virtue of which the attentive listener can appreciate the fine level of details that guided Strauss’ efforts as a composer. Make no mistake, each of these compositions demands significant attention from both players and conductor. The level of commitment on both sides of the baton is so evident that each of these seldom-heard pieces emerges with passionate dedication to Strauss’ legacy.