Jimi Michiel

Hey all,
So I'm working on the lyrical solo from Don Juan (mi-re-mi-sol-fa) and I'm doing ok, but I'm having a hard time finding a recording where I can actually hear the darn thing! I've never performed the piece, but it's nearly impossible to hear the solo on both recordings that I own (Chicago with Solti and Minnesota with De Waart). Maybe it's bad scoring on Strauss' part or bad recording engineers, but it's very hard for me to pick out the solo except at the very end. Does anyone have experience performing this piece (with regards to balance)? Also, any recommendations?
Thanks,
Jimi

Manny Laureano

That's the way it's supposed to be, jimi. The word "weich" at the start of the solo indicates that it should be "weak' in contrast to the violins at first. Just listen to how the fiddles play it and that's the way it should go, as far as phrasing and color.

ML

wiseone2

It's not a solo!
You are part of the ensemble playing that beautiful tune. The trumpet should not dominate. It is a Strauss moment. Listen to other Strauss works like "Death and Transfiguration" that have trumpet doubling the melody moments.
Ride the wave of sound. Sing, don't scream Strauss wrote some really gorgeous stuff for us to play.
Wilmer

Jimi Michiel

Thank you. This clears things up.

brian moon

Hi guys. Wouldn't the translation of weich as used in the Don Juan solo be tender? It seems as if I have seen it in some edition, or maybe an excerpt book, as dolce instead of weich

Do Re Fa Mi....Do Re Fa Mi.....Do Le Sol....

Lance Asparagus

http://www.monette.net/newsite/


I know it isn't in the context of the piece, but Schlueter is playing it in the video that is on the site at the bottom You can hear somebody play it at least.


It is right before the halfway point if you don't want to watch the whole thing.

josephus07

Hey Jimi. What's up.

This solo reminds me of Parsifal - if you check out the score there, the trumpet is just another voice in a mixed and varied collective timbre. The trumpet is meant to offer a particular color and texture to the sound, so that's why it is so tough to hear.

I own the CSO - Reiner (54) and CSO Solti (80's) recording and the recording/mix is very different. In the Solti recording, Herseth seems easier to hear at the start but in the Reiner recording, he really comes to the foreground of the texture quicker/more than in the Solti recording (could be my player/headphones/EQ settings though).

I don't particularly recommend most of the CSO recordings on the ERATO label because of the recording quality/micing/mixing.

Take care buddy.