Strauss composed 'Traum durch die Dämmerung' in just twenty minutes, the time his wife allowed him before they went for a walk.
Interpretation
Christiane Karg, the soprano on this recording, describes her voice as a 'silver voice', characterized by a slender, flexible sound with an urgent quality and bell-like high notes, suitable for Strauss operas.
Recording & Production
The idea for this album of Strauss lieder arose in December 2012 following the death of the renowned Mozart and Strauss singer Lisa della Casa.
Composition History
Two early lieder, 'Alphorn' (1878) and 'Begegnung' (1880), are featured on this CD, alongside 'Malven' (1948), which was Strauss's final completed work.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Strauss used the small form of lieder as an experimental field to explore grand gestures, pathos, modern innovations, and late Romantic moods, often prioritizing emotional nuance over poetic quality in texts.
Composer Biography
Richard Strauss, the composer, wrote lieder throughout his life, beginning with a Christmas carol at age six and completing 220 by the end of his life.
Composer Biography
Many of Strauss's lieder were written for his wife, the soprano Pauline de Ahna, whose voice was described as 'excellently trained, not heroic, humorous, with graceful poetry, deep emotional expression'.
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