Part of the importance of this excellent new recording of Strauss’s second opera lies in the fact that it includes a translation of the libretto – something that has not been available with the various versions that have come and gone over the years. Ernst von Wolzogen’s allusive and pun-filled text, further complicated by Munich dialect and in-jokes, is traditionally seen as one of Feuersnot’s main drawbacks. Susan Maria Praeder’s booklet translation doesn’t attempt to capture its constant wordplay but offers clear English instead, which allows one to follow the broader action.

As such, the piece’s barbed attacks on Munich seem less important than its position as the essential step towards Salome: a bold and, at the time, scandalous celebration of sensuous love, a trenchant critique of petty moralising, a final leave-taking of Wagner’s idea of love as existing only in pure and redemptive form. Strauss’s score does occasionally get bogged down in its cleverness but is characterised by a real modernist Schwung, a joyous sense of mischief and melodic richness, capturing the scurrilous plot’s atmosphere of midsummer high spirits beautifully.

The performance here, recorded at the beginning of 2014, is wonderfully airy and easy-going. The main competition comes from Heinz Fricke’s set, also with the Munich Radio Orchestra (1/85, 9/99): variously (un)available and starring Julia Varady and Bernd Weikl, it is perhaps larger-scale and more impetuous, but Ulf Schirmer and his orchestra bring out the music’s warmth, with textures sounding transparent in CPO’s natural recording.

Markus Eiche might not be the heroic voice that Kunrad (the first of the autobiographical baritone roles Strauss would write) seems to call for – Marcel Cordes on Kempe’s sprightly live Orfeo set is probably closer to that ideal – but he has the notes and sings eloquently and intelligently. Simone Schneider sounds a touch womanly as the initially virginal Diemut but performs with thrilling fearlessness and commitment.

The rest of the large cast is enthusiastic, while the children’s chorus makes light work of its extended role, whose trickiness is traditionally seen as another stumbling block to the work’s success. After its recent Intermezzo (11/14), CPO has once more put Straussians and opera lovers in its debt.