Richard Strauss in Context

Explores a range of topics that contextualize Strauss's life and works, such as collaborators, influences, philosophy, and the profession.

Morten Kristiansen (Edited by), Joseph E. Jones (Edited by)

9781108422000, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 29 October 2020

392 pages
23.5 x 15.7 x 1.3 cm, 0.76 kg

'The essays are excellent and sure to be of interest to readers at all levels … Highly recommended.' S. Edwards, Choice

Richard Strauss in Context offers a distinctive approach to the study of a composer in that it places the emphasis on contextualizing topics rather than on biography and artistic output. One might say that it inverts the relationship between composer and context. Rather than studies of Strauss's librettists that discuss the texts themselves and his musical settings, for instance, this book offers essays on the writers themselves: their biographical circumstances, styles, landmark works, and broader positions in literary history. Likewise, Strauss's contributions to the concert hall are positioned within the broader development of the orchestra and trends in programmatic music. In short, readers will benefit from an elaboration of material that is either absent from or treated only briefly in existing publications. Through this supplemental and broader contextual approach, this book serves as a valuable and unique resource for students, scholars, and a general readership.

Preface Morten Kristiansen and Joseph E. Jones
Part I. Family, Friends and Collaborators: 1. Family and upbringing Chris Walton
2. Formative influences David Larkin
3. Pauline de Ahna Katharina Hottmann
4. Close friends Walter Werbeck
5. Hofmannsthal Ingeborg Haase and Dirk Hoffmann
6. The other librettists Kenneth Birkin
7. Stage collaborators Ryan Prendergast
8. Champions Bryan Gilliam
Part II. Career Stations: 9. Munich and Garmisch Sebastian Bolz
10. Meiningen and Weimar Michael Saffle
11. Bayreuth Ulrich Konrad
12. Berlin Dietmar Schenk
13. Vienna Joseph E. Jones
Part III. Cultural Engagement and Musical Life: 14. Strauss as reader Matthew Werley
15. Antiquity Jason Geary
16. Philosophy and religion Charles Youmans
17. Allgemeiner deutscher musikverein James Deaville
18. Genossenschaft deutscher tonsetzer Manuela Schmidt
Part IV. Professional and Musical Contexts: 19. The composer Jeremy Zima
20. The conductor Raymond Holden
21. The orchestra Scott Warfield
22. Program music Jonathan Kregor
23. Post-wagnerian opera Morten Kristiansen
24. The lied Jürgen May
Part V. In History: 25. Modernism Peter Franklin
26. Traditionalism Leon Botstein
27. World War I Philip Graydon
28. Nazi Germany Erik Levi
29. Lateness Giangiorgio Satragni
30. Reception Franzpeter Messmer
Part VI. Artifacts and Legacy: 31. Publishers and editions Andreas Pernpeintner and Stefan Schenk
32. Letters Claudia Heine and Adrian Kech
33. In performance Raymond Holden
34. Influence Ben Winters
35. 2001: A space odyssey and beyond Charles Youmans
36. Scholarly directions Matthew Werley
Index.

Subject Areas: Individual composers & musicians, specific bands & groups [AVH], Opera [AVGC9], 20th century & contemporary classical music [AVGC6], Romantic music [c 1830 to c 1900 AVGC5]