Richard Strauss 'Metamorphosen' G. Sinopoli

"Metamorphosen" for 23 Solo-Strings
by Richard Strauss
Staatskapelle Dresden
Giuseppe Sinopoli, conductor

[RampagingSpaceMarine]

Sinopoli, fellow Venetian. I was so happy to find this. Sinopoli died of a stroke while he was conducting, and his brother died not long ago. It was good to stumble upon this, thank you.

[Altonahh]

I heard different versions of Strauss` Metamorphosen and enjoy Sinopoli´s clarity. This is not an accoustic mishmash of sound which it can easily be but a well-structured and intensely felt piece of art. And the Staatskapelle is still one of the best orchestras for Strauss` music.

[paulplandocs]

From Wikipedia . . . . commenting about the composition history of Metamorphosen:

The starting date for the score is given as 13 March 1945, which suggests that the destruction of the Vienna opera house the previous day gave Strauss the impetus to finish the work and draw together his previous sketches in just one month (finished on 12 April 1945).

It has been widely believed that Strauss wrote the work as a statement of mourning for Germany's destruction during the war, in particular as an elegy for the devastating bombing of Munich, especially places such as the Munich Opera House. The use of the term "In Memoriam" may well echo his use of the same term in the Munich Memorial Waltz where it is clearly related to Munich. Although Strauss made no direct comment, Juergen May believes that Strauss composed here a musical monument for Culture in general, for "more than three thousand years of humankind's cultural development". A few days after the completion of Metamorphosen, he wrote in his private diary:

"The most terrible period of human history is at an end, the twelve year reign of bestiality, ignorance and anti-culture under the greatest criminals, during which Germany's 2000 years of cultural evolution met its doom"

[alastairedwards]

The most beautiful recording ever, perhaps. Let war never touch my children.

[michelphilippeLehaire]

Thank you for this fabulous version of "Metamorphosen", the very best one according to me.

[paulplandocs]

Very moving pictures to accompany one of Strauss's most profound works . . . . let us all hope and pray that the current round of change in Europe does not lead us down this dreadful path again.

[irenecabrejosdekossuth]

...a tremendous fact, the destruction of Dresden, the photo as a most impressive witness; Richard Strauss' music at Dresden's Staatskapelle, impactful...

[Leibo]

dedicated to the all the corpses of the concentration camps. so beautiful. great rendition. let racism never touch my children.