Classical Works Spotlight #347--Richard Strauss

[erik]

One of the many tone poems that cemented Richard Strauss' place in music history as a master of that particular form is in this week's Classical Works Spotlight.

Richard Strauss: TILL EULENSPIEGEL’S MERRY PRANKS, OP. 28

The seed from which “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks” spouted in 1893 and 1894 for Richard Strauss had its roots in a medieval book of folk tales in which the protagonist is a prankster who makes fun of the excesses of the bourgeoisie and then ends up paying the ultimate price. But initially, the composer had an opera in mind; it was only after having the large success of “Don Juan” behind him that he thought this story could be set in the form that he was rapidly becoming a master of in the final decade of the 19th century. Deemed by Strauss to be a tone poem “after an old rogue’s tune, in rondo form”, “Till Eulenspiegel” is, of course, scored for a large orchestra, with a particular emphasis on massed horns and trombones (though used far differently from Bruckner), and having the “Eulenspiegel” theme uttered in the clarinet. Just prior to this work’s premiere, Strauss had had bookings in cities like Weimar and Munich that didn’t go well, and it seemed that his reputation as a composer was in the process of stalling. The huge success of “Till Eulenspiegel”, joined in with “Don Juan” and the more metaphysical “Death And Transfiguration”, would eventually lead the composer to bigger and even bolder experiments like “Also Sprach Zarathustra”, “Ein Heldenleben”, and “An Alpine Symphony.”



Philadelphia Orchestra/WOLFGANG SAWALLISCH (EMI)

Included:
FESTIVE PRELUDE FOR ORGAN AND LARGE ORCHESTRA, OP. 61 (Organ: MICHAEL STAIRS)
SINFONIA DOMESTICA, OP. 53

[jhar26]

Masterpiece. Tone poems don't get any better than this.

[erik]

Compared to Strauss' other tone poems (and despite the fact that the "hero" still ends up dying), this is a surprisingly jaunty affair; and even with orchestration that matches anything Mahler, Wagner, or Schoenberg might have conceived, it remains a huge favorite with audiences.

It should be noted that this 1993 recording marked Sawallisch's first recording with the orchestra that Stokowski and Ormandy had long since built into a world powerhouse, and, given the history that both he and the fabulous Philadelphians each individually already had with Strauss' output, it couldn't have helped but be artistically profitable for both (IMHO).

[jhar26]

Aug 30, 2015 11:43:01 GMT -5 erik said:

Compared to Strauss' other tone poems (and despite the fact that the "hero" still ends up dying), this is a surprisingly jaunty affair; and even with orchestration that matches anything Mahler, Wagner, or Schoenberg might have conceived, it remains a huge favorite with audiences.

It should be noted that this 1993 recording marked Sawallisch's first recording with the orchestra that Stokowski and Ormandy had long since built into a world powerhouse, and, given the history that both he and the fabulous Philadelphians each individually already had with Strauss' output, it couldn't have helped but be artistically profitable for both (IMHO).

I love all of Strauss' tone poems, especially this one, Zharathustra of course, heldenleben, the alpine symphony, Don Quixote, Todd und Verklarung and perhaps most of all Don Juan. Don Juan, the four last songs and the Rosenkavalier opera really turned me on to Strauss in a big way. Later I got into his other work as well, but those three works were his first that had my jaw dropping to the floor and raised the hair on the back of my neck.

[egoodstein]

I love all of Strauss's tone poems too. They are amazing-- and varied.  Don Juan maybe my fave-- many days anyway. This one is certainly more on the 'amusing' side. But I think he excelled with these both in arrangement and fulfilling the 'concept.'  He brought in some of those 'chromatic' ideas and 'program music' ideas of Wagner into a prettier (often), more accessible context, and really good at it. This piece was one of the very first classical works I ever heard-- in school about 3d or 4th grade. Made me curious to learn more. . . , so I guess very successful.