R.Strauss:Ein Heldenleben Op.40, Le Bourgeois gentilhommeOp.60/Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

2005年来日記念盤のインターナショナル盤の登場です。
R.シュトラウスの名曲として、オーケストラの実力が十二分に発揮されてこそその素晴らしさが楽しめる傑作「英雄の生涯」。非常にスマートで鋭敏なアプローチを見せるラトルの指揮、ベルリン・フィルの各パートの優秀な機能美と見事なアンサンブルによる豊かな音楽の表現。20世紀において、数々の名演を残したBPOによるR.シュトラウス作品。やはり、21世紀を迎え、ラトル＆BPOならではの新時代の名演の誕生といえるでしょう。
本盤は、2005年9月末の収録。

The really surprising thing about Simon Rattles 2005 recording of Richard Strauss Ein Heldenleben with the Berlin Philharmonic is how much it resembles Herbert von Karajans 1959 recording of the same work with the same orchestra. Not that Rattles Heldenleben is actually in the same league as Karajans in terms of orchestral execution -- the scrappy string playing and sloppy ensemble that mar Rattles Berlin Philharmonic would never have been tolerated in Karajans Berlin Philharmonic -- but Rattles interpretation resembles Karajans in terms of its single-minded concentration on its own gorgeous image. Because for all that Rattles Berlin Philharmonic cannot match Karajans in discipline, Rattle is nevertheless as fascinated by the sheer opulence of the worlds most polished orchestra as Karajan had been. Time and again throughout the work, Rattle like Karajan before him pauses to admire the glorious noise his orchestra can make -- at the peak of the imperious fanfares at the peak of the opening portrait of the hero, for example, or at the rapturous arabesques at the climax of the scene with the heros companion -- but nowhere more so than at the closing pages of the finale section that seem to go on and on forever. While egotism was apparently a big part of Strauss personality, one wonders if he would have found Rattles and Karajans narcissistic approach to his work to his liking. Better by far is the filler, Rattle and the Berlins delightful performance of Strauss charmingly ironic Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. With a nod and a wink, Rattle and the Berlin turn in a stylishly insouciant and brightly witty interpretation that ideally captures Strauss fin de siecle drolleries. EMIs sound is loud enough, but seems at the same time oddly distant.