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Richard Strauss
June 11, 1864 - September 8, 1949
born in Munich, Germany, composed during the Romantic period
born in Munich, Germany, composed during the Romantic period
Though the long career of Richard Strauss spanned one of the most chaotic periods in political, social, and cultural history of the world, the composer retained his essentially Romantic aesthetic even into the age of television, jet engines, and atom bombs. Born in Munich in 1864, Strauss was the son of Franz Joseph Strauss, the principal hornist in the Munich Court Orchestra. Strauss demonstrated musical aptitude at an early age, and extensive training in piano, violin, theory, harmony, and orchestration equipped him to produce music of extraordinary polish and maturity by the time he reached adulthood. His primary teachers had been his father, who was a musical conservative, and Ludwig Thuille, a Munich School composer and family friend. Strauss' Serenade for 13 Winds, Op. 7 (1881), written when he was 17, led conductor Hans von Bülow to pronounce him "by far the most striking personality since Brahms." Bülow was able to give Strauss his first commission and an assistant conductor position. Through new friendships, Strauss learned to admire the writings of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche and the music of Wagner and Liszt. He embarked on a long career of conducting and composing, which took him all over Europe and the U.S.
From the beginning of Strauss' career as a composer, it was evident that the orchestra was his natural medium. With the composition of the "symphonic fantasy" Aus Italien in 1886, Strauss embarked on a series of works that represents both one of the pivotal phases of his career and a body of music of central importance in the late German Romantic repertoire. Though he did not invent the tone poem per se, he brought it to its pinnacle. In such works as Don Juan (1888-1889), Ein Heldenleben (1897-1898), and Also sprach Zarathustra (1895-1896) -- whose first minute or so, thanks to its use in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, is the composer's most readily recognizable music -- Strauss displayed his abundant gift for exploiting the coloristic possibilities of the orchestra as a dramatic device like few composers ever had (or have since).
With the arrival of the twentieth century, after becoming conductor at Berlin's Hofoper, Strauss' interest turned more fully to opera, resulting in a body of unforgettable works that have long been fixtures of the repertoire: Salome (1903-1905), Elektra (1906-1908), and Der Rosenkavalier (1909-1910) are just a few of his best-known efforts for the stage. In 1919, Strauss became co-director of the Vienna Staatsoper, but was forced to resign five years later by his partner, Franz Schalk, who resented being left with many of the operational duties while Strauss was frequently away guest conducting or being feted as a great composer. When the political situation in Europe became malignant in the 1930s, profound political naïveté led to Strauss' confused involvement the Nazi propaganda machine, and the composer eventually alienated both the Nazis and their opponents. With the end of World War II, however, he was permitted to resume his professional life, although it would be a mere echo of his previous fame. He began to have serious health problems, his financial situation had been compromised, and the monuments that embodied great German art for him -- Goethe's Weimar house; the Dresden, Munich, and Vienna opera houses -- had been destroyed. Throughout his last years, works such as the Oboe Concerto (1945) and the gorgeously expressive Four Last Songs (1948) attest to Strauss' unwavering confidence in his singular musical voice. ~ All Music Guide, Rovi
From the beginning of Strauss' career as a composer, it was evident that the orchestra was his natural medium. With the composition of the "symphonic fantasy" Aus Italien in 1886, Strauss embarked on a series of works that represents both one of the pivotal phases of his career and a body of music of central importance in the late German Romantic repertoire. Though he did not invent the tone poem per se, he brought it to its pinnacle. In such works as Don Juan (1888-1889), Ein Heldenleben (1897-1898), and Also sprach Zarathustra (1895-1896) -- whose first minute or so, thanks to its use in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, is the composer's most readily recognizable music -- Strauss displayed his abundant gift for exploiting the coloristic possibilities of the orchestra as a dramatic device like few composers ever had (or have since).
With the arrival of the twentieth century, after becoming conductor at Berlin's Hofoper, Strauss' interest turned more fully to opera, resulting in a body of unforgettable works that have long been fixtures of the repertoire: Salome (1903-1905), Elektra (1906-1908), and Der Rosenkavalier (1909-1910) are just a few of his best-known efforts for the stage. In 1919, Strauss became co-director of the Vienna Staatsoper, but was forced to resign five years later by his partner, Franz Schalk, who resented being left with many of the operational duties while Strauss was frequently away guest conducting or being feted as a great composer. When the political situation in Europe became malignant in the 1930s, profound political naïveté led to Strauss' confused involvement the Nazi propaganda machine, and the composer eventually alienated both the Nazis and their opponents. With the end of World War II, however, he was permitted to resume his professional life, although it would be a mere echo of his previous fame. He began to have serious health problems, his financial situation had been compromised, and the monuments that embodied great German art for him -- Goethe's Weimar house; the Dresden, Munich, and Vienna opera houses -- had been destroyed. Throughout his last years, works such as the Oboe Concerto (1945) and the gorgeously expressive Four Last Songs (1948) attest to Strauss' unwavering confidence in his singular musical voice. ~ All Music Guide, Rovi
Selected Discography
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Track List: Ives: Songs
Title: Songs (8) From "Letzte Blätter" For Voice & Piano, Op. 10 (Trv 141)
Title: Songs (4) For Voice & Piano, Op. 27 (Trv 170)
Title: Efeu, Op. 22 No. 3
Title: Alphorn ("Ein Alphorn Hör' Ich Schallen"), Song For Voice, Horn & Piano, O.op. 29 (Trv 64, Av 29)
x
Track List: R. Strauss: Death And Transfiguration
Title: Tod Und Verklärung (Death And Transfiguration), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 24 (Trv 158)
Title: Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 40 (TrV 190)
Title: Salome's Dance, For Orchestra (From The Opera; Aka "Dance Of The Seven Veils") (Trv 215a)
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Track List: R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier / Kleiber, Reining, Weber, Jurinac, et al
Disc 1
Title: Der Rosenkavalier, Opera, Op. 59 (TrV 227)
Disc 2
Disc 3
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Track List: R. Strauss: Elektra
Disc 1
Title: Elektra, Opera, Op. 58 (TrV 223)
Disc 2
x
Track List: R. Strauss: Horn Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Duet Concertino; Serenade for Wind
Title: Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11 (Trv 117)
Title: Duet-Concertino For Clarinet, Bassoon, Harp & Strings, O.Op. 147 (TrV 293, AV 147)
Title: Serenade For 13 Wind Instruments In E Flat Major, Op. 7 (TrV 106)
Title: Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major, O.op. 132 (Trv 283, Av 132)
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Track List: Richard Strauss
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Track List: Richard Strauss Concert
Disc 1
Title: Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 40 (TrV 190)
Title: Also Sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zoroaster), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 30 (TrV 176)
Disc 2
Title: Don Juan, Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 20 (Trv 156)
Title: Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 28 (Trv 171)
Title: Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) For Orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233)
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Track List: Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra; Ein Heldenleben
Title: Also Sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zoroaster), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 30 (TrV 176)
Title: Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 40 (TrV 190)
x
Track List: Richard Strauss: Orchestra Works
Disc 1
Title: Aus Italien, Symphonic Fantasy, Op. 16 (TrV 147)
Title: Macbeth, Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 23 (TrV 163)
Disc 2
Title: Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 40 (TrV 190)
Title: Tod Und Verklärung (Death And Transfiguration), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 24 (Trv 158)
Disc 3
Title: Don Juan, Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 20 (Trv 156)
Title: Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 28 (Trv 171)
Title: Also Sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zoroaster), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 30 (TrV 176)
Disc 4
Title: Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) For Orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233)
Title: Festliches Präludium (Festive Prelude), For Organ & Orchestra, Op. 61 (TrV 229)
Disc 5
Title: Metamorphosen, Study For 23 Solo Strings, O.Op. 142 (TrV 290, AV 142)
Title: Vier Letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs), For Soprano & Orchestra, O.Op. 150 (TrV 296, AV 150)
Title: Oboe Concerto In D Major, O.Op. 144 (TrV 292, AV 144)
Disc 6
Title: Sinfonia Domestica For Orchestra, Op. 53 (TrV 209)
Title: Parergon Zur Sinfonia Domestica, For Piano, Left Hand & Orchestra, Op. 73 (TrV 209a)
Disc 7
Title: Don Quixote, fantastic variations for cello & orchestra, Op. 35 (TrV 184)
Title: Romance For Cello & Orchestra In F Major, O.Op. 75 (TrV 118, AV 75)
Title: Serenade For 13 Wind Instruments In E Flat Major, Op. 7 (TrV 106)
x
Track List: Richard Strauss: Piano Music
Title: Pieces (5) For Piano, Op. 3 (TrV 105)
Title: Piano Sonata In B Minor, Op. 5 (TrV 103)
Title: Stimmungsbilder (Mood Pictures), Pieces (5) For Piano, Op. 9 (TrV 127)
x
Track List: Richard Strauss: Rosenkavalier Waltzes; Burleske; Capriccio Sextet
x
Track List: Strauss - Salome / Studer, Rysanek, Hiestermann, Terfel, Bieber, A. Murray, Sinopoli
Disc 1
Title: Salome, opera, Op. 54 (TrV 215)
Disc 2
x
Track List: Strauss Orchester-Lieder Schwarzkopf
Title: Vier Letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs), For Soprano & Orchestra, O.Op. 150 (TrV 296, AV 150)
Title: Songs (3) For Voice & Piano, Op. 43 (Trv 196)
Title: Songs For Voice & Piano, Op. 49
Title: Songs (8) From "Letzte Blätter" For Voice & Piano, Op. 10 (Trv 141)
Title: Songs (5) For Voice & Piano, Op. 48 (Trv 202)
Title: Songs (6) For Voice & Piano, Op. 56 (Trv 220)
Title: Songs (4) For Voice & Piano, Op. 27 (Trv 170)
Title: Songs (6) For Voice & Piano, Op. 37 (Trv 187)
Title: Songs (5) For Voice & Piano, Op. 41 (Trv 195)
Title: Songs (4) For Voice & Piano, Op. 27 (Trv 170)
Title: Songs For Voice & Piano, Op. 88
Title: Das Rosenband, Op. 36, Songs
Title: Songs (5) For Voice & Piano, Op. 48 (Trv 202)
x
Track List: Strauss: Don Quixote; Don Juan
Title: Don Quixote, fantastic variations for cello & orchestra, Op. 35 (TrV 184)
Title: Don Juan, Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 20 (Trv 156)
x
Track List: Strauss: Ein Heldenleben / Tod Und Verklarung
Title: Salome's Dance, For Orchestra (From The Opera; Aka "Dance Of The Seven Veils") (Trv 215a)
Title: Tod Und Verklärung (Death And Transfiguration), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 24 (Trv 158)
Title: Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 40 (TrV 190)
x
Track List: Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Till Eulenspiegel
Title: Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 28 (Trv 171)
x
Track List: Strauss: Four Last Songs / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Title: Tod Und Verklärung (Death And Transfiguration), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 24 (Trv 158)
Title: Metamorphosen, Study For 23 Solo Strings, O.Op. 142 (TrV 290, AV 142)
Title: Tod Und Verklärung (Death And Transfiguration), Tone Poem For Orchestra, Op. 24 (Trv 158)
x
Track List: Strauss: Sinfonia Domestica / Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Title: Sinfonia Domestica For Orchestra, Op. 53 (TrV 209)
Title: Der Bürger Als Edelmann (Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme), Suite From The Ballet For Orchestra, Op. 60-IIIa (TrV 228c)
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Comments
I rarely listen to it but when I do... it leaves me speechless.