Sir Andrew Davis and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra continue their series of Richard Strauss' orchestral works on ABC Classics with this 2016 live recording of the symphonic poem Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life, 1898) and the Four Symphonic Interludes from the opera Intermezzo (1924). Ein Heldenleben remains one of Strauss' most enduring works in concert and on recordings, and the performance here is a great success for its bravura playing, vibrant colors, and spacious sound. However, the opening work is less well known and there are comparatively few recordings of it. These tuneful interludes reflect the wit and cheerfulness of Strauss' two-act domestic comedy, and even though the music is just as lush and brilliantly scored as the earlier tone poems, they seem to have become overlooked, as much as the underperformed opera itself. Yet thanks to Davis and his enthusiastic musicians, this performance is more than convenient filler, and it deserves to be heard, even if Ein Heldenleben overshadows it with its grandiosity and greater length. ABC's audio is clean and, apart from the applause, surprisingly noise-free for a concert recording.
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