If there is a difference between Blomstedt's latest San Francisco Ein Heldenleben and his 1984 Dresden predecessor, it lies in the more immediate sound-balance of the new Decca recording and the more obviously brilliant New World timbres of the San Francisco orchestra than in any radical rethinking of the work. The first entry of Blomstedt's Hero was, and remains, one of athletic vigour, fluency and a certain trim efficiency; very satisfying, even exciting, until you experience the Hero's entrance from Mengelberg, Reiner, Karajan, Kempe and Barenboim, all more charismatic and commanding in their different ways, with Karajan's final 1986 Hero perhaps the most natural aristocrat of them all (like Barenboim, Blomstedt includes a timpani crescendo up to the triple forte horns at 2'55''). The only orchestra under the above-named conductors to rival Karajan's Berliners in both confident articulation and sumptuous depth of tone, is Barenboim's Chicago Symphony (though it is only fair to point out a rare failure of Chicago ensemble at 1'04'' into Barenboim's Ein Heldenleben).
In the 'Pauline' portrait, differences of character become more pronounced: a very demure, composed Samuel Magad for a daringly broad Barenboim; a distinctly spiky and occasionally shrewish Raymond Kobler for the new Blomstedt; and a closely balanced Leon Spierer for Karajan; and of the three, it is in Karajan's hands that this 'duet' for violin and orchestra is most movingly reactive and developmental. However, for the 'Battle scene', Blomstedt gives the orchestra its head and Decca... well, they have done it again (not that Karajan's or Barenboim's recordings are in any way inadequate): quite simply, more of the components of Strauss's feat of strength are caught by the engineers with the kind of clarity and impact I've not heard on any rival recording, and the like of which you would probably never hear in the concert-hall. The sound is close but not claustrophobic, and there are frequent enough reminders of a real acoustic and perspectives.
Karajan's Ein Heldenleben comes without a coupling. Barenboim's disc includes a superb Till, but Blomstedt's new Metamorphosen is, unfortunately, flawed. It is a risky piece to tackle with strings that lack consistent expressive eloquence, particularly at such a slow overall Adagio (both Kempe on his 1973 three-disc mid-price set and Karajan on his Gramophone Award-winning disc observe the ma non troppo marking). The slow tempo at the start enhances the mood of mourning, but as soon as gravitas gives way to graceful activity, accuracy of pitch, elegance of ensemble and the necessary definition begin to suffer (those rushing semiquavers from two before fig. 280 at 14'19'' are very indistinct here) and the performance never really recovers.'