A masterpiece by Richard Strauss. Popular classical music.
Richard Strauss is a composer who represents the German late Romantic period.
Strauss’s representative work, the symphonic poem Thus Spoke Zarathustra, is known as the theme music for the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
His symphonic poems Macbeth and Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks are also frequently performed by wind ensembles, making him a familiar composer to many wind band musicians.
In his early period, under the influence of his father, Strauss wrote many works that adhered to classical styles like those of Mozart and Schumann.
After meeting Alexander Ritter—who married one of Wagner’s nieces—he began composing more innovative works.
Here, I will introduce pieces that let you enjoy both Strauss’s classical side and his transformation into a master of the symphonic poem.
Listening in chronological order makes it easier to appreciate the changes in his style, so I hope you’ll keep the period of composition in mind as you listen.
A masterpiece by Richard Strauss. Popular classical music (1–10)
Symphonic Poem ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’Fritz Reiner/The Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Among Richard Strauss’s works, the best-known today is probably the Prologue of Also sprach Zarathustra.
Since it was used in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, it has appeared in various movies and on television.
The opening is extremely famous, but the piece itself is a symphonic poem in nine sections.
Also sprach Zarathustra was composed under the inspiration of the work of the same name by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
Listening to it in full feels like experiencing the soundtrack to a classic film masterpiece.
It’s a great chance to discover what the entire piece is like, so by all means listen to it all the way through.
It’s a masterpiece that opens a window onto Strauss’s world.
Don JuanRihyarto Shutorausu
Here is a piece by Richard Strauss, a master of the symphonic poem and arguably one of the composers who helped establish the genre.
Composed in 1888, this symphonic poem takes as its subject the legendary Spanish figure Don Juan.
It portrays the protagonist’s psyche and fate—his relentless pursuit of ideal love, his inability to find fulfillment, and his ultimate downfall—through rich orchestration.
From the passionate ascending figure in the strings at the opening, to the beautiful woodwind melodies, and the powerful horn themes, its diverse colors captivate the listener.
It is recommended not only for those interested in classical music, but also for anyone who enjoys music with a dramatic, narrative quality.
Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry PranksDeividdo Jinman/Chūritto Tōnhare Kangen Gakudan
A work familiar even to those with a wind band background is Richard Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks.
It’s a masterpiece often performed by top schools at the All-Japan Band Competition, and the original is, of course, an orchestral piece written for full orchestra.
The horn solo has a wonderfully prominent, delicious role.
The “Till Eulenspiegel” in the title refers to a legendary eccentric said to have actually lived in northern Germany around the 14th century, notorious for his various pranks.
When you listen to the piece, it sounds like storytelling in orchestral form, blending symphony and opera in just the right measure, which shows why it has become synonymous with the genre of the symphonic poem.
The occasional comical phrases vividly depict the character of Till Eulenspiegel himself.
If you plan to perform it for a band competition, it’s very instructive to listen while following along with the score.
A Hero’s LifeOzawa Seiji & Baiherun Hoso Koyogakudan
It is the final tone poem written by the Munich-born composer Richard Strauss.
Strauss initially received a conservative musical education and, perhaps under its influence, was interested in works with traditional forms.
However, after meeting Alexander Ritter—an excellent violinist who married one of Wagner’s nieces—he began to take an interest in new music.
His first tone poem, Don Juan, was a success, and as he continued to experiment with new styles, he produced his last tone poem, Also sprach Zarathustra—no, rather, Ein Heldenleben—in 1898.
The work requires a massive orchestra of more than 100 players, and its performance time far exceeds 40 minutes.
As Strauss’s final tone poem, it is often said to possess his finest orchestration.
Although the “hero” is not explicitly identified, listening through the work in sequence gives the strong impression of a grand summation that seems almost to point to Strauss himself.
Serenade for 13 Wind InstrumentsHirokami Jun’ichi shiki Kyōto-shi Kōkyō Gakudan
This was the breakthrough work that launched Richard Strauss’s career.
It is said that when Hans von Bülow, the popular German conductor of the time, took a liking to the piece and performed it in concert, the name of Strauss—then still a teenager—became widely known.
In his childhood, Strauss received a conservative musical education under the influence of his father, Franz Strauss, the principal horn player at the Munich Court Opera.
Although Strauss would later become virtually the father of the innovative symphonic poem, listening to his works from this period reveals that, perhaps due to his father’s influence, they adhere quite faithfully to classical formal beauty.
The harmony is rich, each instrument speaks with clarity, and the result is truly beautiful.
Among Strauss’s output, this is a particularly classical-sounding work, and it is one that every wind player should listen to at least once—and ideally perform.
SerenadeRihyarto Shutorausu
Let me introduce a sweet serenade by a late-Romantic master of whom Germany is proud.
Composed in Munich in December 1886, as the winter cold set in, this piece sets a poem by Schack—so cherished by Strauss—to music infused with the stirrings of love.
Over a sparkling accompaniment, a melody that opens with an octave leap sings of love’s joy.
Riding a 6/8 meter, you can almost see it beckoning you lightly, step by step, into a moonlit garden.
It’s a perfect choice for anyone seeking a romantic evening.
It’s also lovely to sing with piano accompaniment.
Won’t you immerse yourself in Strauss’s world?
An Alpine SymphonyBernard Haitink/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Let me introduce a masterpiece by Richard Strauss, often regarded as the successor to Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt.
Although this work is titled a symphony, its content could just as well be described as a symphonic poem.
It vividly and masterfully portrays, through music, the experience of entering the Alpine mountains, ascending, encountering a storm, and ultimately reaching the summit.
It is a celebrated piece often performed by wind ensembles, and some may have spent six months to a year practicing it for competitions or regular concerts.
Unusually for a symphony, it is a single-movement work, yet it takes about 50 minutes to perform.
Short sections are each given descriptive titles that evoke the imagery of the music, and the segments are played seamlessly without breaks.
Because each short passage has a title, it is a piece in which the composer’s imagery is easy to grasp directly from the score during performance.