Chef used to direct the contemporary music, Erich Kleiber conducts little sensual and sentimental way. An abundance of sharp notes seems to recompose miraculously music, like another great Straussian, Fritz Reiner. These notes played staccato rather give a different impression of fullness, continuity and legato Karajan. Transparency and layering of planes, aeration are exceptional for a mono recording. The accuracy of the head is supported by the choice of sound engineers, while the sound impression with Karajan is much more comprehensive. The fineness is also that of the Vienna Philharmonic, who excels in this respect as soon as a chief asked. Cultivating contrasts, Kleiber is sometimes brutal, least violent, while dolce passages can reveal a fugitive poetry. Karajan, he rounds the corners.
The distribution is excellent, but lower than that of Karajan regarding the essential role of the Marschallin. Maria Reining gives the impression of youth even at 50 years, while a veil begins to fade though his charming and bright voice. Compared with Schwarzkopf in Karajan, it fails to express nostalgia for lost youth, the pain of abandonment and the majesty of the great lady. Sometimes his duets with Octavian gives the impression of dialogue of two teenage girls, as if the youth was preserved the advantage of superficiality. A deficit of emotion characterizes the passages where Karajan and the Marschallin excellent, due to the lack of depth and direction Reining less languid Kleiber. The comparison of the two distributions is reminiscent of two different generations of singers, although only two and a half between them, Kleiber having some fifties, or at least of singers at an advanced stage of their careers.
Yet as brilliant personalities! Ludwig Weber, 55, is a priceless Baron Ochs, perhaps unparalleled in terms of the characterization, Alfred Poell, 54, made a Faninal great authority and Anton Dermota, we recognize the early notes, does not sing, it is the Italian Singer and hands are itching to cheer. Sena Jurinac, in full vocal health, her androgynous miracle is an extraordinary Octavian as it is one of the best Ariadne auf Naxos Composer; in its dialogues with Sophie, she woman, comes to give us the illusion that it is a young man. For them, the comparison with the Karajan version is to the advantage of that of Kleiber. Hilde Gueden Sophie is a charming but some acidity sometimes invades her voice; still it plays its role as appropriate.
Without saying that this version is that Kleiber to be acquired as a priority, it is so complementary to that of Karajan and has so many merits we obviously want to have both.
