Richard Strauss's opera Salome was inspired by Oscar Wilde's play, but Strauss created his own libretto by shortening and simplifying a German translation by Hedwig Lachmann.
Composition History
The suite from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme originated as incidental music for a play that Richard Strauss and his librettist, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, created as a thank-offering to producer Max Reinhardt.
Performer Biography
Jessye Norman, the soprano on this recording, was born into a musical family and began singing gospel songs in church at age four.
Critical Reception
Salome was a huge success at its 1905 premiere in Dresden, but faced censorship problems, with London's Lord Chamberlain banning it in 1907 and only allowing performances in 1911 if the severed head of John the Baptist was not seen.
Compositional Technique
Richard Strauss was a master orchestrator who continued Mahler's work in devising effective orchestral accompaniments for German Lieder, though many of his songs were originally for piano.
Compositional Technique
For Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Richard Strauss borrowed directly from Lully, the original composer for Molière's play, but infused the music with his own instrumental colors and harmonic modulations.
Composer Biography
Richard Strauss, the composer, wrote over 200 songs, mostly for soprano voice, and many were composed for his wife, Pauline de Ahna, a soprano.
