Following his well-regarded series of Debussy recordings for BIS, Lan Shui’s latest release finds the Hangzhou-born conductor equally at home in the works of Richard Strauss. Of particular interest here is the recording of Macbeth, Strauss’s first tone poem and a work which, despite being revised after the completion of Don Juan, is generally regarded as lacking in inspiration compared with the works that follow. Although many fine versions have appeared over the years, including memorable accounts by Kempe, Maazel, Zinman, Elder and Orozco-Estrada, Shui brings a quite remarkable fire and drama to the score. The characterisation of the work’s contrasting episodes is vividly depicted and climactic passages make an overwhelming impact. Listening to this superb performance leaves me feeling that Strauss’s early tone poem deserves a re-evaluation.

The music of Der Rosenkavalier is represented by the 24-minute orchestral suite that was most likely arranged by Rodzinski in 1944. There’s a touch of wilfulness in the way Shui draws out the whooping horns at the very start of the piece but otherwise the performance is very good indeed, the playing of the orchestra conveying the romance, nostalgia and rambunctiousness of the piece with tremendous assurance and panache. Shui’s performance of Tod und Verklärung is also very impressive. The various instrumental solos are beautifully delivered and the sweep and drama of the music is powerfully conveyed. The apotheosis isn’t perhaps quite as moving as Previn’s recording with the Vienna Philharmonic for Telarc or as imposing as Karajan’s 1973 DG version but nevertheless makes a tremendous impact. With a full-bodied and vivid recording made in Singapore’s Esplanade Concert Hall, this is a release well worth investigating.