Strauss: Alpine Symphony

Description

Vladimir Jurowski and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester continue their PENTATONE journey into the heights of the late Romantic German repertoire with a recording of Eine Alpensinfonie by Richard Strauss. The Alpine Symphony was inspired by the composer's experiences during a mountain hike, and it is appreciated by the public for its picturesque and idyllic charm and its powerfully evocative score. For Jurowski, the appeal of this piece lies not so much in the picturesque, but rather in Strauss's Nietzschean idea of living in the present moment and the transformative power of being in complete harmony with sublime nature. In this regard, this album shares a kinship not only with Jurowski's previous recording of Also Sprach Zarathustra by Strauss (2017), but also with his acclaimed interpretation of Das Lied von der Erde by Mahler (2020), in which he also recognizes a composer who accepts human mortality while celebrating the immortal nature of Life. Viewed from this perspective, Strauss's Alpine Symphony becomes much more than just a postcard with an exquisite score.