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)

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 of Strauss for a position with the Meiningen Court Orchestra as he began to establish a dual career as a composer and conductor. An analysis of Strauss’s compositional style during this time, particularly his Serenade in Eb, Op. 7 and the Suite in Bb, Op. 4, will attempt to show a link to Hans von Bülow’s musical preferences while giving conductors context for better understanding these important works.