A Perfect Tone Poem

Welcome to ‘Dodd’s DSD Discoveries’, a review series from NativeDSD Senior Music Reviewer Bill Dodd. This series focuses on Bill’s latest selections, with new reviews regularly.

You know the question– If you could only have one (whatever) on a desert island, what would it be. Desert Island Favorites can sometimes produce some interesting results. I was thinking a while back about what my desert island favorite tone poems might be. I came up with two: Rachmaninoff’s Isle Of the Dead, and Richard Strauss’ Don Juan. We’re missing the Rachmaninoff at Native, but there is an album featuring exciting recordings of Strauss’ Don Juan, and two other Strauss tone poems.

Vasily Petrenko conducts the Oslo Philharmonic in very fine renditions of Don Juan, Don Quixote, and Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche. Don Juan is the earliest work and is considered by many to be the most perfect tone poem ever written. Don Juan is, as you’d suspect, quite the dashing fellow. He might not be quite as flashy as Errol Flynn, but there’s no doubt as to his identity.

And for the other works, Till Eulenspiegel is light and amusing, but no less excellent. Don Quixote, as portrayed by Louisa Tuck’s lovely cello, is ready to slay the giants.

All in all, a beautifully recorded, marvelously played selection of tone poems by Richard Strauss.

More from Vasily Petrenko and the Oslo Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra