Everyone thinks of Richard Strauss as a "big composer", says Richard Gill. This is the man whose Alpine Symphony calls for 20 horns. But he had an intimate side as well, and in this concert with the Sydney Sinfonia, Richard Gill shows how a master musician can "orchestrate spectacularly in a chamber style".

The music comes from Strauss's one-act opera Ariadne auf Naxos and reveals his great theatrical gift and musical imagination. It's an opera within an opera and "Es gibt ein Reich" is sung by its prima donna - the fact that her character is in the depths of despair in no way dampens the supreme virtuosity of her singing!

R STRAUSS Ariadne auf Naxos: Prelude and 'Es gibt ein Reich'

Richard Gill conductor
Anke Höppner soprano

Discover Strauss then hear his suite from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (12, 20 July).Or cast yourself in the deep endwith Ashkenazy's first three concerts of the season, featuring Metamorphosen (8, 10, 11, 13 February), An Alpine Symphony (17, 18 February) and Thus Spake Zarathustra (22, 24, 25February).

AUDIO PLAYER LISTING

Track 1 - R STRAUSS Ariadne auf Naxos: Prelude
Track 2 - R STRAUSS Ariadne auf Naxos: 'Es gibt ein Reich, wo alles rein ist' (Ariadne's aria)
Deborah Voigt (Ariadne), with the Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli 
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 471 323-2

Audio kindly supplied by Silver Partner Universal Music

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