RICHARD STRAUSS AS COMPOSER and CONDUCTOR (1881– 1885): HANS VON BÜLOW, the MEININGEN COURT ORCHESTRA, and the SERENADE in Eb
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UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE RICHARD STRAUSS AS COMPOSER AND CONDUCTOR (1881– 1885): HANS VON BÜLOW, THE MEININGEN COURT ORCHESTRA, AND THE SERENADE IN Eb MAJOR (OP.7) AND SUITE IN Bb MAJOR (OP.4) A DOCUMENT SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts By DONALD PAUL LINN Norman, Oklahoma 2020 RICHARD STRAUSS AS COMPOSER AND CONDUCTOR (1881–1885): HANS VON BÜLOW, THE MEININGEN COURT ORCHESTRA, AND THE SERENADE IN Eb MAJOR (OP.7) AND SUITE IN Bb MAJOR (OP.4) A DOCUMENT APPROVED FOR THE SCHOOL OF MUISC BY THE COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF Dr. Marvin Lamb, chair Dr. Michael Hancock, co-chair Dr. Frances Ayres, outside member Dr. Shanti Simon Dr. Jennifer Saltzstein Dr. William Wakefield Ó Copyright by DONALD PAUL LINN, 2020 All Rights Reserved. iv Table of Contents Table of Contents ...................................................................................................... iv List of Figures ............................................................................................................ vi Abstract ................................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1 ..................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose .................................................................................................................... 1 Procedures .............................................................................................................. 9 Limitations ............................................................................................................ 10 Chapter 2 ................................................................................................................... 12 Survey of Related Literature .............................................................................. 12 Chapter 3 ................................................................................................................... 35 Strauss’s Path to Meiningen ................................................................................... 35 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 35 Franz Strauss ........................................................................................................ 36 Richard Strauss’s Youth ...................................................................................... 39 Strauss’s Musical Education and General Education ..................................... 40 Editing Works ....................................................................................................... 46 Strauss’s Early Musical Tastes ........................................................................... 48 Early Works and Premieres ................................................................................ 52 Publishing ............................................................................................................. 55 The Serenade in Eb major, Op. 7 ........................................................................ 58 Growing Success .................................................................................................. 59 Strauss’s Travels in the Winter of 1883 ............................................................. 68 v Bülow and the Serenade ..................................................................................... 71 The End of Strauss’s Time in Berlin .................................................................. 78 Strauss’s Conducting Premiere .......................................................................... 80 Bülow as a Mentor ............................................................................................... 86 An Open Position at Meiningen ........................................................................ 88 Study at Raff Conservatory and the Meiningen Offer ................................... 90 Strauss in Meiningen ........................................................................................... 94 The End of Strauss’s Time at Meiningen ........................................................ 101 Chapter 4 ................................................................................................................. 104 Beethoven’s Rondino in Eb major, WoO 25 and Strauss’s Serenade in Eb major, Op. 7: A Comparative Analysis ........................................................... 104 Comparing Strauss’s Op. 7 and Op. 4 with the Music of Beethoven and Brahms ................................................................................................................. 121 Chapter 5 ................................................................................................................. 150 Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 150 Suggestions for Further Research .................................................................... 157 References ............................................................................................................... 161 Appendix ................................................................................................................. 166 vi List of Figures Figure 1. M.1 – M.2: 1st Horn in F, beginning of principal theme - Beethoven’s Rondino for Winds in Eb major, WoO. 25. ............................................. 122 Figure 2. M.1 – M.4: 1st Oboe, beginning of principal theme – Strauss’s Serenade for Winds in Eb major, Op. 7. .................................................. 123 Figure 3. M.114 – M.117: 1st Oboe and 1st Clarinet, principal theme in augmentation at the Coda - Beethoven’s Rondino for Winds in Eb major, WoO. 25. .......................................................................................... 124 Figure 4. M. 9 – M. 13: 2nd Oboe, 1st Oboe, Full Ensemble, A section transitional phrase - Beethoven’s Rondino for Winds in Eb major, WoO. 25. ...................................................................................................... 125 Figure 5. M. 101 – M. 102: Full Ensemble Reduction, principal theme motive in 1st Bassoon and 1st Oboe- Beethoven’s Rondino for Winds in Eb major, WoO. 25. .......................................................................................... 126 Figure 6. M. 1 – M. 4: Full Ensemble Reduction, Richard Strauss’s Serenade for Winds in Eb major, Op. 7. ................................................................... 127 Figure 7. M. 9 – M. 11: Full Ensemble Reduction, Richard Strauss’s Serenade for Winds in Eb major, Op. 7. ................................................................... 128 Figure 8. M. 25 – M. 26: Full Ensemble Reduction, Richard Strauss’s Serenade for Winds in Eb major, Op. 7. ................................................................... 129 Figure 9. M. 1 – M.4 : Full Score: Mvt. I, Praeludium, Richard Strauss’s Suite in Bb Major, Op. 4. ..................................................................................... 132 Figure 10. M. 1 – M.10: Full Score: Mvt. III, Gavotte, Richard Strauss’s Suite in Bb Major, Op. 4 ........................................................................................... 134 vii Figure 11. M. 1 – M.2: Reduction: Mvt. I, Praeludium, Richard Strauss’s Suite in Bb Major, Op. 4 ...................................................................................... 139 Figure 12. M.12 – M.13. 1st Bassoon, A section transition. Mvt. I, Praeludium, Richard Strauss’s Suite in Bb Major, Op. 4 ............................................. 140 Figure 13. M.23 – M.24. Reduction. Transition to the B section. Mvt. I, Praeludium, Richard Strauss’s Suite in Bb Major, Op. 4 ...................... 141 Figure 14. M.29-M.31. B section theme. Mvt. I, Praeludium, Richard Strauss’s Suite in Bb Major, Op. 4 ............................................................................ 142 Figure 15. M. 62 – M.63. Full Score. Mvt. I, Praeludium, Richard Strauss’s Suite in Bb Major, Op. 4. ........................................................................... 143 Figure 16. M. 68- M.69. Full Score. Mvt. I, Praeludium, Richard Strauss’s Suite in Bb Major, Op. 4. ..................................................................................... 144 Figure 17. M. 151 – M.156. Full Score. Mvt. I, Praeludium, Richard Strauss’s Suite in Bb Major, Op. 4. ........................................................................... 147 viii Abstract Richard Strauss (1864-1949) is celebrated today as a composer of operas and tone poems. Strauss was also a conductor of great significance, having directed ensembles such as the Meiningen Court Orchestra, Munich Court Opera, Berlin Philharmonic, Berlin Royal Opera, and the Vienna State Opera. Most of the literature on Strauss focuses more heavily toward his compositional output. I believe his significance as a conductor needs to be taken into greater account. Richard Strauss’s life between 1881 and 1885 is the focus of this document. It is during this time when his dual career as a composer and conductor began to take shape. Using biographical sources, memoirs, letters, scholarly articles, and analysis this document shows how Strauss’s evolution as a composer played a part in the formation of his conducting career. Additionally, this account focuses on Hans von Bülow’s selection