File:Richard Strauss, c. 1904.jpg

Identifier: moderncomposerso00elso (find matches)
Title: Modern composers of Europe : being an account of the most recent musical progress in the various European nations, with some notes on their history, and critical and biographical sketches of the contemporary musical leaders in each country
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Elson, Arthur, 1873-1940
Subjects: Composers
Publisher: Boston : L.C. Page
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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nued his musical outpourings byscribbling themes on the paper covers of his books.His more serious artistic studies began at this time,and in 1875 he started theory and composition withthe court Kapellmeister, Fr. W. Meyer. Amonghis works of this period may be mentioned a chorusfor the Electra of Sophocles, several songs, anoverture, and a symphony. In 1881 his StringQuartette in A (Op. 2) was heard in public, and thesymphony was given a few days later. Two years ofuniversity life now followed, during which the over-ture received a Berlin performance. Before the end of the year 1884, many of Strausssearlier works had been completed. Among thesewere a cello sonata, a violin concerto, piano pieces,a horn concerto, the noble piano quartette, and thedignified F-minor symphony. In all of this periodthe composer was influenced entirely by classicalmodels, — Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms.A setting of Goethes Wanderers Sturmlied, forsix voices and orchestra (Op. 14), shows the Brahms
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RICHARD STRAUSS RICHARD STRAUSS J influence plainly, and bears some general resem-blance to the Ode of Destiny. A fortunate meeting with Von Biilow led to thecomposers appointment as Kapellmeister and assist-ant conductor in the Meiningen orchestra. Thedecision was reached at Munich, where the youngStrauss was compelled to stand before a small orches-tra and conduct, without rehearsal, his serenade(Op. 7) for thirteen wind-instruments. This sopleased the veteran leader that he adopted both thecomposer and the composition. A year later, whenVon Biilow left Meiningen, Strauss became his suc-cessor as leader of the efficient orchestra. It was at this time that the young classicist metAlexander Ritter, a man of radical tendencies andintellectual breadth. This new friend was destinedto change the entire career of the composer, andtransform him from a strict adherent of form intothe freest of modern musical tone-poets. ThroughRitter, Strauss became interested in the music andthe ideas of Be

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