R. Strauss: Songs & Lieder

Featuring

Marie McLaughlin
Graham Johnson
Richard Strauss

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Composition History

The song "Das Bächlein" (The Little Brook) by Richard Strauss, composed in 1933, was dedicated to Joseph Goebbels and marked Strauss's appointment as president of the Reichsmusikkammer.

Composer Biography

Strauss often performed his lieder in recitals with his wife Pauline, and later with sopranos Elisabeth Schumann and Elena Gerhardt, traveling throughout Europe and America.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Richard Strauss, though known for large-scale works, also cultivated an intimate lyricism in his lieder, which complements the more extroverted aspects of his style.

Compositional Technique

Many of Strauss's lieder, though written with piano accompaniment, possess a strong sense of orchestral color, and many were later orchestrated by the composer.

Compositional Technique

Strauss's early lieder, such as "Die Drossel," show his penchant for arpeggiated motifs and imaginative responses to poetic texts, including representing bird-song in a piano cadenza.

Compositional Technique

Strauss's lieder often feature sophisticated harmonic techniques, such as enharmonic modulations and the use of whole-tone scales, to create specific atmospheres or emotional effects.