Strauss Symphony Soars: A Mountainous Musical Journey

Richard Strauss's An Alpine Symphony receives a dynamic and clean rendition from the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Nicholas Collon. Collon's precise pacing captures both the immense grandeur of the mountain and the delicate details of the natural world, avoiding any sense of indulgence. The wind instruments are particularly noteworthy for their almost inhuman purity, complemented by a warm string tone for moments of homecoming.

In Strauss's Four Songs op. 27, soprano Louise Alder delivers a beautifully communicative performance. Her gleaming voice is buoyantly supported by the orchestra, conveying the full emotional range of the music, from portentous passages to tender expressions. The final song, Morgen!, builds to a suddenly beautiful and moving conclusion as Alder subtly blanches her tone.

This recording highlights the striking clarity of the orchestra's playing, particularly in the fizzing waterfall music, and the nuanced interpretation of the symphony's dramatic arc. Alder's expressive vocalizations, especially in the closing phrases of Morgen!, create a profoundly touching effect, marking this as a significant new interpretation of Strauss's works.