Waltzes

Nice recording of Strauss waltzes - well played, well recorded.

Strauss is definitely a composer whose work you can crave at times and hearing one Strauss waltz, no matter how familiar and beloved, is like eating one cookie or one French fry. I like to listen to all of my favorites and then hum them all in my head. Many one-disc CDs of Strauss's works inevitably omit some of the greats. This is not a problem with this two-CD set. It allows you to hear all the greats as many times as it takes for you to get your fill. "Blue Danube," "Whispers of Spring", "Tales of the Vienna Woods," "Vienna Blood," "The Artist's Life" and "The Emperor Waltz" are all here and they are done with characteristic verve by the absolute master, Willi Boskovsky. I have already listened to this CD thirty times. If you want to elevate your mood in the simplest way, get this 2 CD-set. It's a bargain.

For many years, Willi Boskovsky led the Vienna Philharmonic during the famous New Year's concerts. Violinist and conductor, he had this "Viennese Blood" essential to understand the music of Strauss and know how to mark the dynamics in the most accurate way. Although recorded many years ago (60' and 70') the recording was thoroughly remastered, giving us a fresh sound clarity as if it was recorded during last year's New Year's Concert. The CD includes the most famous waltzes by Johann Strauss (the Blue Danube, Emperor Waltz, Tales of the Vienna Woods...), along with 2 other ones written by his younger brother Joseph (Spharenklange and Dorschwalben aus Ostorreich). The performances are really stunning. I've listened to a lot of Strauss waltzes performed by different ensembles, but none come closer to these versions of the Vienna Philharmonic. The lecture of Boskovsky is really inspired, and in the exact same spirit of the New Year's Concert, performed each year in Vienna by the same orchestra. If you're not familiar with Strauss music, get this CD. It will give you a great overview of his music and wonderful melodies you can listen to anytime. And even if you're familiar with the Strauss family, this CD is a must to have as it covers the most famous pages written by the Waltz King by one of his most faithful performers.

Somebody I know is of Austrian heritage, and she keeps telling me the Strauss Waltzes are "pop music," in the best sense of that term. And you know, I remember the height of disco, and there are some real similarities here, numerous change-ups in tempo, for example, that must have propelled those first listeners, those first dancers, into ecstasies, and made them think they were taking flight. What goes on here is really something radiant and special, and deserves to be liberated from the quarantine of "good for dancing to." As the French critical theorists might say, it's also "bon à penser," good for thinking about seriously. The performances are almost all conducted by Willi Boskovsky, concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic, which means they aren't of recent vintage. However, the sound is lush and present, room-filling, as the music demands. I don't know the cultural or creative context of these compositions, but they seem almost breathtakingly inventive to me, shocking the listener with pauses, intakes of breath, that release into outbursts of joy. No wonder some of the ladies, even now, wish upon a star that they could dress up in the ball gowns of that vanished golden time--you know, the one before anesthesia and penicillin?--and swoop across vast polished floors until the world begins to spin.

Seventeen great waltzes. I didn't realize that Johann's brother Josef wrote the Music Of The Spheres. It's really lovely. I'm not sure what the spheres are...but I envision the planets gently encircling the sun, waltzing as they go.

All of Strauss' important works are here. My favorites have always been "Artist's Life" and "Roses from the South" because of their steady and rousing nature from start to finish. For some reason, many sets omit "Artist's Life," which was written as a follow up to "Blue Danube." Actually, "Blue Danube" and "Tales from the Vienna Woods" are less listenable than the former two because of their many slower sections. "Vienna Woods" has a slow, elongated prelude and only arrives at its main theme about 30% into the score. What were couples supposed to do when "Vienna Woods" was performed? Stand there and look at one another?

Willi Boskovsky was born in Vienna. He, and the great Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra of which he served as concertmaster for forty years, thoroughly assimilated the essence of the Strauss idiom. All of the most famous waltzes by Johann Strauss II are included on these two CDs. Also presented are two of the finest waltzes by his talented brother, Josef. This is beautiful music superbly conducted and played by people who understand and love it. Very highly recommended.

You can almost picture the chandeliers, the gowns and the tuxedos. Not really a great musical criticism but then again I’m not a music critic.

As advertised

Tutti i brani più famosi degli Strauss con un'orchestra e un direttore magnifici.

This is a wonderful CD and Willie Boskovsky brings out the extraordinary breadth and depth of this magnificent orchestra. It needs to played reasonably loud on top class speakers to appreciate just how good it is - and to make you feel you are actually present when it was played in real life. Why people fall for the hype and mass marketing of that clown Andre Rieu when they can buy this brilliant recording defeats me. If you want to hear Strauss as it should played please don't hesitate just buy this. Also excellent price for two CD's of this merit.

Tolle Musik, nicht zu vernachlässigen

In grim times on dark days, these Strauss Waltzes are just the tonic. Beautifully conducted by Willi Boskovsky who brings out all the tenderness, fun, nostalgia and flirtiness of this wonderful music. If you feel down and all seems black, put on this CD to be brought back to the land of the living.