Tondichtungen 5
Tone poems 5

"Strauss series brings forth distinctive accounts of two important works ... Its outstanding interpretative characteristic is a relatively swift, driven approach [Sinfonia domestica] ... While, however, such brisk tempi may be somewhat unusual, they are certainly not necessarily inappropriate ... This particular F-X [François-Xavier (Roth)] disc is rather special".

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"The lustre of the sensitive Weimar strings inevitably can't quite match Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic; here I'd prefer the recording to keep more of a distance and place a halo around the sound. Still, more Strauss from this team, please".

"This new coupling also has the advantage of the attratively warm acoustic of the Weimarhalle and, as before, Wit's account of the Symphonia domestica is richly spacious to match the recording although in no way lacking forward momentum ... while worth ots modest cost, is not a first choice for the latter work".

"The moments of hustle and bustle are wonderfully easy-going, while the Berlin RSO's corporate virtuosity is often breathtaking - I can't remember when I last heard the finale's final couple of minutes, from the outrageous whooping horns to the finish line, rattled through with such apparently nonchalant ease".

"Editor's choice: The woodwind-playing is brilliantly characterful and vivid; the strings, more silky than velvety, are no less alive and responsive, and Roth coaxes some exquisitely tender phrasing from them ... Above all, though the pictorial details are never short-changed, Roth manages to make this sometimes intractable score make such clear and obvious symphonic sense ... This is an outstanding release. Highly recommended".