Symphonia domestica

Album review

With the bulk of his well-known and increasingly more sophisticated tone poems already under his belt, Strauss returned to the form he is largely credited with inventing in 1902 for his Symphonia Domestica. Were it not so cleverly and beautifully written, the subject matter may seem trite; Symphonia Domestica quite literally describes domestic life in the Strauss household. Already a master of extramusical associations, it is quite easy to follow along with the "characters" in Strauss' writing as they navigate through their affairs. Contrasting with the generally light, jocular mood of Sinfonia Domestica is the much later (1946) Metamorphosen. Scored for 23 solo string instruments, the lamenting work centers around the crumbling of German life Strauss perceived in the wake of World War II. Performing these two works is the Staatskapelle Weimar under the direction of Antoni Wit. Staatskapelle Weimar boasts the distinction of not only being one of the world's oldest orchestras, but also having performed the premiere of three of Strauss' tone poems. Its 2009 Naxos release finds the orchestra living up to its reputation. Both Sinfonia and Metamorphosen are performed with the utmost attention to detail and with a keen ear for technical precision. Wit especially captures the humor and character in Sinfonia, guiding listeners along through a believable and entertaining musical depiction of the Strauss family. The only possible downside to be found here is in the orchestra's balance, which seems to unduly favor the bass end of the orchestra, sometimes obscuring the upper strings and winds.
© TiVo

Details of original recording : 75:11 - DDD - Enregistré du 27 au 29 novembre 2007 (Symphonie domestique) et du 4 au 6 juillet 2005 (Metamorphosen) à la CCN Weimarhalle, Weimar (Allemagne) - Notes en anglais et allemand