Richard Strauss - Ein Heldenleben, Four Last Songs / Auger, Previn
The late Arleen Auger sings theFour Last Songsvery touchingly, but this disc is  really a showcase for André Previn and the Vienna Philharmonic. Previn has always been a fine  Strauss conductor, and he is on record as saying that the four-disc set of Strauss tone poems that he  recorded for Telarc is his personal favorite among his many recordings. It's easy to see why. The  playing is alive with character. Previn keeps matters moving smartly, and Telarc lets nothing come  between the listener and this magnificent orchestra. Strauss, for all his skill as a dramatic composer,  has a weak sense of musical timing. He frequently never knew when to stop. With playing of this  quality, you almost wish he never would.--David Hurwitz