Richard Strauss was born on June 11, 1864 in
Munich, Germany. He was a famous German composer.
Biography and Career :
Richard Strauss was raised with classical composers as
Mozart and Beethoven. His father, a musician of the opera orchestra in Munich, disliked Wagner whose ideas were considered strange at that time.
At the end of his adolescence Richard Strauss was influenced by Wagner and Liszt's School of Composers.
Richard Strauss' first works were the symphonic poems influenced by Liszt and had a great success.
Between 1887-1899 his most important works were "Don Juan", "Till Eulenspiegel", "Also sprach Zarathustra" ("Thus Spoke Zara
thustra"), "Don Quijote" and "Ein Heldenleben".
While Liszt was trying to escape from the traditional forms, Richard Strauss was looking for them.
For example "Till Eulenspiegel" was considered by its author a classic work, where the first theme was retaken in the end.
The success of those tone poems made Richard Strauss one of the most famous and wealthy composers of those times.
He orientated on the opera works because he knew they were going to be played on the most well known scenes.
His first successes were the sensual dramas "Electra" and "Salomeea", which shocked the audience with their scandalous scenes.
Richard Strauss used ideas from Mozart's work for the dramatic effect and created "Der Rosenkavalier" or "The Knight of the Rose" in 1910.
At the end of the Second World War he was bankrupt, but had a lot of inspiration and created the beautiful "Concerto for Oboe", "Metamorphosen" and "Vier letze lieder" for soprano and orchestra.
Richard Strauss passed away on September 8, 1949 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany at the age of 85.
Important Works :
1888 "Macbeth"
1889 "Don Juan"
1891 "Tod und Verklärung" ("Death and Transfiguration")
1895 "Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche" ("Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks")
1898 "Don Quixote"
1899 "Ein Heldenleben"
1904 "Symphonia Domestica" ("Domestic Symphony")
1880 "Symphony in D minor”
1882 "Concerto in D minor for violin and orchestra", op. 8
1882 "Concerto No. 1 for horn and orchestra in E flat major"
1883 "Symphony in F minor", op. 12
1886 "Burleske for Piano and Orchestra"
1945 "Concerto for Oboe"
1905 "Salome"
1909 "Elektra"
1910 "Der Rosenkavalier" ("The Knight of the Rose")
1923 "Intermezzo"
1937 "Daphne"
1945 "Metamorphosen"
1948 "Vier letzte Lieder"
Quotes :
- "Never look at the trombones. You'll only encourage them.”
- "No one wants to quit when he's losing and no one wants to quit when he's winning."
- "I may not be a first-rate composer, but I am a first-class second-rate composer."
- "The human voice is the most beautiful instrument of all, but it is the most difficult to play."
Trivia :
- He wrote a supportive letter for his friend Stefan Zweig insulting the Nazis.
- The letter was intercepted by the Gestapo.
- He was tried and absolved of any Nazi ties or affiliations.
Richard Strauss Image : mphil.de
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