Richard Strauss – whose musical life spanned nine decades, two world wars, and the Third Reich – was one of Germany’s most gifted and controversial figures. We’ll explore his tone poems, operas, and both his public and private lives. We end this five-part biography with his four last songs performed by Jessye Norman.
Strauss, Richard
Playlist
Episode 1
Richard Strauss: Serenade in E-Flat, Op. 7
Netherlands Wind Ensemble/Waart
Phil 438748
8:46
Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1, I
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Barenboim
Dale Clevenger, horn
Teldec 23913
7:18
Strauss: Sonata for Cello & Piano, I
Iserlis, violoncello; Hough, piano
RCA 75398
8:42
Strauss: Burleske
Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy
Rudolf Serkin, piano
Sony 53262
17:19
Strauss: Aus Italien (excerpt)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Muti
Phil 422399
4:08
Episode 2
Strauss: MacBeth (excerpt)
Vienna Philharmonic/Maaze
DG 413654
3:11
Strauss: Don Juan
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Reiner
RCA 5408
16:17
Strauss: Death and Transfiguration
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Karajan
DG 447422
10:15
Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
Lon 436623
14:59
Strauss: 4 Leider, No. 4 Op. 27, “Morgen”
Sawallisch, piano; Hendricks, soprano
EMI 55594
3:19
Episode 3
Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
London 436 623
3:11
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Ozawa
Phil 442645
45:41
Strauss: Salome (excerpt)
Vienna Philharmonic/Solti; Nelson, soprano
2:18
Episode 4
Strauss: Salome
Dance of the Seven Veils (excerpt)
Strauss, piano
Teld 4509-95354
1:27
Strauss: Salome
Dance of the Seven Veils(excerpt)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Karajan
DG 447441
8:31
Strauss: Rosenkavalier (excerpt)
Staatskapelle Dresden/Haitink
Von Otter, Hendricks, soloists
Von Otter, Hendricks, soloists
EMI 54259
11:40
Strauss: Rosenkavalier
Final trio
Final trio
Met/Levine;Fleming, Von Otter, Murphy, soloists
DG 449177
5:35
Strauss: Bourgeois Gentilhomme (excerpts)
English Chamber Orchestra/Tate
EMI 47992
19:57
Episode 5
Strauss: Capriccio (excerpt)
Vienna Philharmonic/Previn
DG 437790
4:07
Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 2, I
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Ashkenazy
Tuckwell, horn
Lon 430370
13:54
Strauss:Metamorphosen
Philharmonia Orchestra/Klemperer
EMI 63350
27:58
Strauss: Four Last Songs, No. 4
Gewandhaus/Masur; Jessye Norman, soprano
Phil 411052
9:31