Thread: Richard Strauss: The best Don Juan

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Post by SINJON60 June 30, 2010 (1 of 14)
Hello all,
As a new member and recent SACD convert I would welcome opinions on the best version of Don Juan by Strauss on Sacd?
Post by Cherubino June 30, 2010 (2 of 14)
SINJON60 said:

Hello all,
As a new member and recent SACD convert I would welcome opinions on the best version of Don Juan by Strauss on Sacd?
Try to listen to Richard Strauss: Alpine Symphony, Don Juan - Jansons and Strauss: Don Quixote, Don Juan - Reiner.
Post by pgmdir June 30, 2010 (3 of 14)
Cherubino said:

Try to listen to Richard Strauss: Alpine Symphony, Don Juan - Jansons and Strauss: Don Quixote, Don Juan - Reiner.
Both excellent. I'd vote for Szell if you can find it, and consider de Billy if you can't.
Post by terence June 30, 2010 (4 of 14)
depends on whether you want multichannel or stereo?
Post by Vaan June 30, 2010 (5 of 14)
Szell!
Post by Polly Nomial June 30, 2010 (6 of 14)
From modern recordings, Strauss: Don Juan, Aus Italien - Bertrand de Billy would be my first choice (much more virile than Richard Strauss: Alpine Symphony, Don Juan - Jansons). Richard Strauss: Aus Italien, Don Quixote, Don Juan - Luisi would surely be a "safe" choice but has attracted mixed reviews sonically and is again not as potent a journey as can be achieved.

To be avoided are Strauss: Tone Poems - Albrecht and Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra etc. - Edo de Waart for poor playing and/or interpretation.

If poor sound (by modern standards) is acceptable, then the forthcoming Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra etc. - Karajan must hold pride of place, as Karajan was and is unsurpassed in most of Strauss' oeuvre as an interpreter and leaves all his contemporaries in the shade except for Kempe (which as he recorded for EMI has not been seen on SACD yet).
Post by SINJON60 June 30, 2010 (7 of 14)
Thank you Polly and thanks to all who contributed.

I shall probably go with the Bertrand de Billy.
Post by seth June 30, 2010 (8 of 14)
Szell.

He conducted half of the world premier recording which Strauss let go out under his (Strauss') name -- now that's an endorsement.

The SACD sounds night and day better than previous LP and CD releases, and is better than most of Szell's Epic recordings because it was made in the acoustically superior Masonic Auditorium (as opposed to Severance Hall).
Post by RWetmore June 30, 2010 (9 of 14)
Definitely Szell even though the recording quality is a bit dated.
Post by Disbeliever June 30, 2010 (10 of 14)
SINJON60 said:

Hello all,
As a new member and recent SACD convert I would welcome opinions on the best version of Don Juan by Strauss on Sacd?
Best one I have heard is RCO Live Jansons SACD Surround/5.0
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