STRAUSS, Richard
b Munich, 11 June 1864
d Garmisch, 8 September 1949, aged eighty-five
He was the son of a brilliant horn-player, and he himself took piano lessons from the age of four. He entered the University of Munich in 1882, studying philosophy and aesthetics while still continuing his music studies privately. He graduated in 1883, and in 1884 was made assistant musical director of the Meiningen Court Orchestra. He rose to become leading conductor, and soon was conductor of the Court Opera and Orchestra in Berlin, remaining so until 1908, when he was promoted to general musical director, a post he held until 1924. A meeting with the poet Hofmannsthal in 1900 resulted in a great operatic collaboration. From 1919 to 1924 he was director of the State Opera in Vienna; from then onward he had no permanent post but travelled extensively as a conductor. After Hofmannsthal's death in 1933 he wrote the libretti for his own operas. He fell foul of the Nazi regime, which disgraced him in 1935.
1876 (12)
Festmarch, for orchestra, Op 1
1879 (15)
Overture in A minor
1880 (16)
Symphony in D minor
String Quartet in A major
1881-2 (17-18)
Violin Concerto in D minor
1882-3 (18-19)
horn Concerto No 1 in E flat major
1883 (19)
Concert Overture in C minor
Piano Quartet in C minor (1883-4)
1884 (20)
Symphony in F minor
p Serenade for Wind
p Cello Sonata in F major
1886 (22)
Aus Italien, symphonic fantasia
Macbeth, symphonic poem (1886-90)
1888 (24)
Don Juan, symphonic poem
p Violin Sonata in Eb major
1889 (25)
Tod und Verklarung, symphonic poem
1892-3 (28-9)
Guntram, opera (new version 1940)
1894 (30)
Also sprach Zarathustra, symphonic poem
1895 (31)
Till Eulenspiegel, symphonic poem
1896 (32)
Don Quixote, fantasy variations for cello and orchestra
1898 (34)
Ein Heldenleben, symphonic poem
1901 (37)
Feuersnot, opera
1904 (40)
Symphonia Domestica
1905 (41)
Salome, opera
1906 (42)
Elektra, opera
1909-10 (45-6)
Der Rosenkavalier, opera
1912 (48)
Ariadne auf Naxos, opera (first version)
1913 (49)
Alpine Symphony
1914 (50)
Josephs-Legend, ballet
Die Frau ohne Schatten, opera (1916-17)
1921 (57)
Schlagobers, ballet
1922-3 (58-9)
Intermezzo, opera
1927 (63)
The Egyptian Helen, opera
1930-2 (66-8)
Arabella, opera
1934 (70)
Symphony for wind instruments
1935 (71)
The Silent Woman, opera
Der Friedenstag, opera (1936)
1936-7 (72-3)
Daphne, opera
1938-40 (74-6)
The Love of Danae, opera (fp 1952)
1940-1 (76-7)
Capriccio, opera
1942 (78)
Horn Concerto No 2 in Eb major
1945 (81)
Metamorphoses, for twenty-three solo instruments
Oboe Concerto
1948 (84)
Duet Concertino, for clarinet, bassoon and strings Performed posthumously:
1950 Four Last Songs
Strauss also composed many songs.