Transcript Salome

Richard Strauss
(1864-1949)
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Born in Munich, educated from
young age by court musicians.
Age 18- Worked as conductor
Marriage
Composition in typical romantic
style until from Alexander Ritter
influenced 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)
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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