Works by Richard Strauss and Alban Berg
The Cleveland Orchestra and Franz Welser-Möst are making a stop in Linz with one of their tour programmes for the first time in five years. The most „European“ of the American orchestras and their Upper Austrian principal conductor, who has now held this position for 20 years, have an exciting programme in their luggage. Alongside the Lyric Suite for string quartet which Alban Berg arranged for string orchestra in 1928 at the instigation of his publisher, there are three works by Richard Strauss: a suite from the opera Der Rosenkavalier and two of the one-movement symphonic poems with which he became so successful, Macbeth and Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche. The last of these was on the programme of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra's concert on 29th March 1896 – the final concert Bruckner ever attended. The modernistic programme music was so profoundly alien to him that he politely confessed to the critic Theodor Helm that he „had not fully understood“ the work. This incomprehension was entirely reciprocated: in his late autobiographical recordings Strauss called Bruckner a „stammering Cyclops“ in whose „intrinsically proficient compositions (…) one often feels embarassed at arbitrary music- making“.
Richard Strauss (1864–1949)
Macbeth. Tone Poem for Full Orchestra (Based on Shakespeare´s Drama) in D minor, op. 23 (1887–88, rev. 1891)
Alban Berg (1885–1935)
Three Pieces from the Lyrischen Suite for String Orchestra (1925–26, 1928)
Richard Strauss
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche. (Till Eulenspiegel´s Merry Pranks) after the Old Rogue´s Tale - set in rondo form - for large orchestra, in F major, op. 28 (1894–95)
– Interval –
Richard Strauss
Orchestral Suite from the opera Der Rosenkavalier.
[Compiled by Franz Welser-Möst (* 1960)]
The Cleveland Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst | Conductor
