Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

• Born in Munich, educated from • young age by court musicians.• Age 18- Worked as conductor• Marriage• Composition in typical romantic

style until from Alexander Ritterinfluenced him to abandon his conservative tendencies.

Tone Poem

• Piece of orchestral music in one movement in which some extramusical program provides a narrative or illustrative element. This programme may come from a poem, a story or novel, a painting, or another source.

• Used previously by Liszt and Smetana, but Strauss perfected the genre is and most associated with it. (late 1800’s)– Famous Tone Poems by Strauss include:– Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks – A Hero's Life – Thus Spoke Zarathustra End of century, turned his attention to opera:

Salome (1905)

• Based on play by Oscar Wilde

• Instant success, scandal

• Established in standard repertoire

Herod: tenor

Herodias :mezzo-soprano

Salome: soprano

John the Baptist: baritone

Elektra(1909)

• Elektra , Agamemnon's daughter soprano

• Chrysothemis, her sister soprano

• Klytaemnestra, their mother, contraltoor mezzo-soprano

• Orest, son of Agamemnon, baritone

• Tale based on Greek drama and revenge.

• Brought dissonance to a new level

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

• Elecktra- expansion on Salome

• Turn to Neo-Classicism (20th century development, particularly popular in the period between the two World Wars, in which composers drew inspiration from music of the 18th century)

• Relationship with Nazi Party