Arabella Steinbacher - Aber der Richtige... (2018) [Official Digital Download]

This album is violinist Arabella Steinbacher’s tribute to the favourite composer of her family household. The music of Richard Strauss has played a crucial role throughout her life. As great Strauss lovers, her parents named her after the main character of Strauss’ opera Arabella, and the family house was filled with Strauss melodies, often sung live by famous singers accompanied by Steinbacher’s father, who was a solo- répétiteur at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich.

The album starts with a piece that Strauss originally conceived for violin and orchestra, the rarely-performed Violin Concerto in D minor, composed when he was still a teenager. Two other early instrumental works – the Romanze (usually performed by cello and orchestra) and Scherzino (an arrangement of an early piano piece) – are also featured on this album. The rest of the repertoire consists of famous Strauss songs (Zueignung, Wiegenlied, Traum durch die Dämmerung, Cäcilie), “sung” on Steinbacher’s violin. The apotheosis of this highly personal programme is Steinbacher’s rendition of “Aber der Richtige…”, the celestial duet from Arabella. Arabella Steinbacher, a multiple award- winner with an extensive PENTATONE discography, is accompanied by the WDR Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Lawrence Foster.

Tracklist:
1. Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 8, TrV 110: I. Allegro 15:10
2. Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 8, TrV 110: II. Lento, ma non troppo 06:09
3. Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 8, TrV 110: III. Rondo. Presto 08:30
4. Romanze in F Major, TrV 118 (Arr. for Violin & Orchestra) 09:36
5. 5 Klavierstücke, Op. 3, TrV 105: No. 4 in A-Flat Major. Allegro molto (Arr. P. von Wienhardt for Violin & Orchestra) 04:12
6. 8 Gedichte aus "Letzte Blätter", Op. 10, TrV 141: No. 1, Zueignung (Arr. for Violin & Orchestra) 01:34
7. 3 Lieder, Op. 29, TrV 172: No. 1, Traum durch die Dämmerung (Arr. for Violin & Orchestra) 02:46
8. 4 Lieder, Op. 27, TrV 170: No. 2, Cäcilie (Arr. for Violin & Orchestra) 02:27
9. 5 Lieder, Op. 41, TrV 195: No. 1, Wiegenlied (Arr. for Violin & Orchestra) 04:30
10. Arabella, Op. 79, TrV 263: Aber der Richtige, wenn's einen gibt (Arr. P. von Wienhardt for Violin & Orchestra) 05:09

Personnel:
Arabella Steinbacher, violin
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Lawrence Foster, conductor