The title and theme of this 2011 release from Musicaphon,
Sehnsucht, Hoffnung, Weltgeschehen (Desire, Hope, World Affairs), ostensibly takes musical form in works by Arthur Honegger, Jacques Castérède, and
Richard Strauss. The live performances by
Roman Brogli-Sacher and the Lübeck Philharmonic show spontaneity in the playing and communicate strong expression, so it is possible to imagine Honegger's Symphony No. 2 for trumpet and string orchestra as an essay on yearning, Castérède's neo-Classical Concertino as an optimistic diversion, and
Strauss' Also sprach Zarathustra as a tone poem concerned with existential questions of significance for the world. But that's about as far as the program's subtext or message can be pursued before indulging in speculation on the producers' intentions. Suffice it to say that, in terms of performance, the orchestra plays solidly if a little hazily in the Honegger, dryly and somewhat bluntly in the Castérède, and with ravishing colors and passionate intensity in the
Strauss. The first two works may attract listeners who have a special interest in those composers, but by far the most people will recognize and relish Also sprach Zarathustra for its familiarity and stupendous sonorities, which are especially enjoyable in the SACD format. While the album's concept may seem a bit arbitrary, this is still an interesting program that's well worth hearing.