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Strauss Reimagined: Honeck’s Riveting Suites from Elektra & Rosenkavalier

Bill Dodd on August 8, 2025

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Richard Strauss straddled the 19th and 20th centuries and was a towering figure in late romantic and early modern music.  I enjoy his tone poems so I was especially glad to discover these two orchestral suites from Strauss operas, performed by Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  The Rosenkavalier suite was created by Artur Rodzinski in 1944, and the Elektra suite was created by Honeck and Czech composer Tomas Ille in 2016, the year of this recording.  The Elektra suite isn’t just a medley—it’s a dramatic re-imagining that distills the opera’s psychological intensity into a concert work for large orchestra. 

I was eager to to hear these suites the first time.  The concept of a Rosenkavalier suite was easy to imagine, with its lovely melodies and sweet waltzes.  But Elektra?  Murder, mayhem, and psychological intensity for sure!  But they did it and it really works.  Yes, it really is disturbing and exciting at the same time– frightening scenes come to life.  

Both suites are beautifully played.  Maestro Honeck and his band couldn’t be better!  I also want to praise Manfred Honeck for his excellent descriptions and thoughts in the included “booklet”.

Regardless of whether it’s 2-channel or multi-channel, this is like being there!  The recordings are from live concerts, but there is absolutely nothing that intrudes.  I hope that this will be a “discovery” for the many fans of Richard Strauss who have come to Native DSD since this album was first released.

For a different side to Richard Strauss, you might also be interested in:

Delicate Strauss

Written by

Bill Dodd

Bill is Senior Music Reviewer at NativeDSD. He lives in the Portland, Oregon area. He is an avid photographer too! Along with his early interest in broadcasting and high fidelity audio, he was exposed to classical music in small doses from age 5, was given piano lessons from age 9— Starting with Bach and including Gershwin. Successful morning personality in San Francisco at age 22. (true). Sang in choirs in high school and college. Although the broadcasting experience was all in popular music, his personal listening has been mostly classical his whole life—along with others including Benny Goodman, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Joni Mitchell, The Who, and Led Zeppelin.

Comments

  1. I agree With Bill Dodd wholeheartedly. This Strauss recording is quite spectacularly played and recorded, as are all of Maestro Honeck’s recordings with Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra at Native DSD. Two or more of them also include Strauss pieces. “Death and Transfiguration” are “Till Eulengspiegel’s Merry Pranks” are especially touching IMO.

    Comment by Bill Steiner on August 10, 2025 at 00:12

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