This is not about any specific recording, but the Netherlands Wind Ensemble’s cycle is pretty good. I also reserve the right to write something more in-depth about these pieces (it would be about their connection to Mozart).

Let’s go in chronological order. First is the Serenade, Op. 7. Funny as it sounds, I think Strauss somewhat overuses the horns in this work, which is evident in the re-thinking of the orchestration in his later works. That said, this shows that even the young Strauss (age 17) had an incredible sense of melody. The harmonic sense is characteristic of his early works — showing slight deviations from standard Romantic harmony but lacking the truly idiosyncratic language he developed in the early 1890s. The use of the bass instruments already shows a mastery of orchestration from this young composer, as is evident from the C – Fm resolution in the first phrase.

Second is the Suite, Op. 4 — written 3 years later than Op. 7 but published with an earlier opus number. Of the four works, I think this is undoubtedly the weakest but nonetheless certainly worth attention. To engage in some unfounded speculation, it seems to me that Strauss self-consciously tried to distance himself from Mozart and instead to develop his own style. Ironically, I think this is what makes the work sound the most generic among the four, which shows Strauss’ real nature as a classicist. Both the early Serenade and the late Sonatines, though different in style, both demonstrate the reinterpretation of a classical Mozartian style through a contemporary lens. The first two movements are perfectly serviceable but not especially inspiring, mostly differentiated by typical Romantic chamber music by their adaptation of the Mozartian 13-piece instrumentation. The third movement, the Gavotte, is where I think the Suite begins to shine. This is the first movement where it actually sounds to me as if Strauss had fun writing it; at least it’s more fun to listen to. If the third movement is a redeeming quality of the work, the fourth movement is a gem that makes the whole piece worth listening to. The introduction has a wonderful depth of expression and the fugue demonstrates great mastery of the genre and makes for an exciting conclusion to the piece.

In the chamber wind repertoire, if the Suite is a piece worth performing and the Serenade is a mainstay, the two late Sonatines are masterful and among the greatest works in that repertoire. In these works, Strauss expands the 13-piece instrumentation to balance out the horns, adding a basset horn, a bass clarinet, and a C clarinet. These works are exemplary of his style in that they represent a fusion of modern tonal harmony with Classical formal elements. Though rarely performed in the U.S., they are superb in conception and execution and worth much more study than they get on this side of the pond. There are too many incredible moments and fascinating intricacies to go measure-by-measure (at least in this format), but I’m sure that anyone who digs into these pieces will find their own favorite elements, probably different from mine.