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.
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Richard Strauss’s masterpieces: Popular classical music (11–20)
Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8, TrV 110Vaiorin: Urufu Herushā/Kangenraku: Shutātsukapere Doresuden/Shiki: Rudorufu Kempe
When you think of Strauss, you think of symphonic poems, but this is the only violin concerto he left behind.
It’s interesting that the piece he wrote as a teenager isn’t saturated with the pictorial color that would later become his hallmark; instead, it sounds more like somewhat older Classical-era music.
That’s because, under the influence of his father, a horn player, he received a conservative musical education in his youth, and Strauss’s roots lay in this kind of classical music.
He only began to write in an innovative style after meeting Alexander Ritter, a violinist who married one of Wagner’s nieces, and many of his works composed before 1889 are in this classical vein.
It follows a traditional three-movement form and contains no cadenza.
The violin part is notable for its high technical demands, especially in the outer movements.
I’m including a video with the score, so violinists, give it a try.
MacbethKenpe shiki, Shutātsikapere Doresuden
One of Richard Strauss’s major achievements was creating music in the form known as the symphonic poem.
It’s a genre that blends the orchestral symphony and the operatic narrative sung by vocalists, akin to how film soundtracks evoke scenes in your mind.
Rather than expressing pure, abstract sound, it portrays music based on a specific program or title.
Macbeth is the first symphonic poem Strauss wrote.
While the original is an orchestral work, it’s also a well-known piece frequently performed by wind bands—familiar to many who were in school wind ensembles or play in community concert bands.
Among Strauss’s works, it underwent the most revisions; the number of revisions reflects the difficulty he faced in conveying exactly what he wanted.
Because it was revised repeatedly, there are various versions; if you find different recordings, try comparing them.
SalomeRihyarto Shutorausu
This piece is an opera that premiered in 1905, with a story based on an episode from the New Testament.
It is characterized by sensual and decadent content, which stirred controversy at the time of its premiere.
The role of the heroine, Salome, is known as a challenging part that combines delicacy and madness.
Its rich orchestration and profound psychological portrayal are captivating, and the “Dance of the Seven Veils” is especially famous.
It has been performed in opera houses around the world and continues to fascinate many.
Its profound themes depicting human desire and madness remain undimmed in the modern era and are sure to leave a strong impression on viewers.
Death and TransfigurationSā Georugu Shoruti shiki/Shikago Kōkyō Gakudan
Although this is often counted as a symphonic poem, it is in fact a work written as absolute music in an instrumental style, not directly tied to extramusical elements such as a program or title.
So profound was its brilliance that Alexander Ritter—Strauss’s longtime acquaintance, a violinist and also a conductor—was moved to add poetry to the music, thereby completing a symphonic poem created through the reverse process.
Its depth and introspective character rival those of Metamorphosen.
This work became Strauss’s third symphonic poem.
On September 8, 1949, Strauss passed away at the age of 85, but there is an anecdote that he briefly regained consciousness from a coma 48 hours before his death and said, “Everything I composed in Death and Transfiguration was correct.” It’s an episode that makes it feel as though this piece was destined to be born.
Truly, it is a work in which one can experience the very “death and transfiguration” of its title.
It is one of the Strauss works I most strongly recommend you hear.
Oboe Concerto in D majorShutefan Shīri
Composed in 1945 during his later years by Richard Strauss, a master representing the late Romantic era.
While preserving a classical atmosphere, it is accompanied by orchestration similar to the programmatic works he had written up to that point.
Rather than merely sounding harmonies, it is crafted with a sense of mood and narrative, making it a concerto very characteristic of Strauss.
There are many works that feature the oboe, but this is the only one he wrote in concerto form, so when we refer to Strauss’s Oboe Concerto, this is the piece we mean.
It brings the strengths of the symphonic poem into a work with the air of courtly music, and as you listen, it envelops you in a sumptuous and elegant atmosphere.
ElektraRihyarto Shutorausu
From the master of the late German Romantic era, Richard Strauss, I’d like to introduce a work from his masterpiece operas that draws on Greek tragedy as its motif.
This piece is known for its complex musical structure, yet it has been highly acclaimed abroad and is popular among classical music enthusiasts.
Scored for a large orchestra in a single act, it uses dissonance and polytonality to portray the characters’ psychology.
The themes are revenge and madness.
The protagonist’s intense emotions—driven by the murder of her father—are reflected in the music, so you may enjoy it even more by listening while imagining her inner turmoil.
Premiered in Dresden in January 1909, the work initially provoked mixed reactions, but today it is performed worldwide as one of Strauss’s signature masterpieces.
Ariadne of NaxosRihyarto Shutorausu
Richard Strauss, known for his tone poems Don Juan and Macbeth, was the son of the principal horn player of the Munich Court Orchestra, and under his father’s musical guidance he began serious composition at the age of six.
Having composed from an early age, Strauss left a large body of work, including more than 200 songs.
This piece is an opera based on Greek mythology, notable for its fusion of tragedy and comedy.
Despite the small orchestral forces, Strauss’s masterful musical expression shines through.
The revised version, which premiered at the Vienna Court Opera on October 4, 1916, is still performed today.
It’s a recommended piece for those interested in classical music or looking to discover new charms in opera.
Metamorphosen: Étude for 23 Solo String InstrumentsRihyarto Shutorausu
Completed in April 1945 near the end of World War II, this piece is a set of variations written for 23 string players.
It conveys deep sorrow over the cultural losses caused by the war and quotes a motif from the second movement of Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony.
Characterized by intricately woven, complex harmonies, it reflects Strauss’s spirit of artistic exploration.
It is a highly recommended work not only for classical music enthusiasts but also for those interested in the relationship between war and music.
Symphonic Fantasia “From Italy,” Op. 16Zdenek Kosler/Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Richard Strauss, a master of the symphonic poem and one of Germany’s foremost composers, wrote many pieces with descriptive titles, often depicting landscapes, people, and other subjects in music rather than composing absolute music.
The first work in which Strauss used such a programmatic approach was this piece, the symphonic fantasy From Italy, composed in 1886.
It portrays scenes of Italy, such as “The Neapolitan Folk-Life.” Because Strauss received a conservative musical education under his father’s influence, he initially revered Mozart, and this work shows many traces of that influence.
It stands at a turning point on his path to becoming a master of the symphonic poem; in terms of content, it does not yet employ overtly pictorial expression.
Instead, its musical character resembles that of Beethoven and Brahms, with a four-movement structure using sonata form, among others.
From this work onward you can hear the origins of the Strauss we now associate with the symphonic poem, so it may be worthwhile to explore his earlier works after listening to this piece.
You will likely enjoy hearing the evolution of his style.
Burlesque in D minor (for Piano and Orchestra)Maruta Arugeritchi
Richard Strauss is often regarded as a master of the symphonic poem, known for works like Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, but he also left behind an impressive piano concerto.
One of his concertante works is Burleske; while the title may sound unfamiliar, it refers to a form found in classical music.
The piano writing is of a highly virtuosic caliber, and it took some time from composition to premiere.
The first performance was given by Eugen d’Albert, a direct musical descendant of Beethoven and a distinguished pupil of Liszt.
A performance by Martha Argerich—one of the world’s most highly esteemed pianists in the classical music scene—is also very famous.
Beyond its technical challenges, it seems difficult to play in a way that conveys the atmosphere in more pictorial passages.
Still, it is very characteristic of Strauss that so many moments sound as if the music itself is narrating scenes or characters.