Richard Strauss
1864-1949
Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early Modernist periods, Richard Strauss was a pioneer in the development of contemporary harmonic practices and orchestral composition. Strauss was born in Munich on June 11, 1864, as the first child of Franz Joseph Strauss and his wife Josepha. Considered one of the best French Horn players of his time, Strauss’s father was the earliest musical influence on his son’s life, passing on his affinities for the Classical legacies of Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn. Strauss’s earliest compositional successes were seen through the international reception of his tone poems (most notably; Don Quixote, Death and Transfiguration, Sinfonia Domestica, and Thus spoke Zarathustra) as he worked in Weimar as 2nd Kappellmeister.
The composer’s marriage to leading soprano Pauline de Ahna saw the beginning of a long line of operatic compositions, beginning with the divisive premier of Oscar Wilde’s Salome in 1905, which consolidated his personal voice in its modern divergence from Wagnerian influence. His following but equally controversial opera Elektra (1909), saw the first of a long line of collaborations with “his” poet Hugo von Hoffmansthal, though it wasn’t until the premier of Strauss’s following opera, Rosenkavalier (1911), that Strauss achieved the beginning of a long line of audience success in the genre. Following the devastation of the first world war, Strauss was appointed Music Director of the Vienna State Opera (1919), founding the Salzburg Festival in 1920, and turning to musical comedies as an attempt to combat the inter-war period with art. After fleeing Germany to Switzerland in 1945, Strauss died at age 85 in Garmisch in 1949 leaving behind a musical legacy as the most performed composer of the 20th Century.
The composer’s marriage to leading soprano Pauline de Ahna saw the beginning of a long line of operatic compositions, beginning with the divisive premier of Oscar Wilde’s Salome in 1905, which consolidated his personal voice in its modern divergence from Wagnerian influence. His following but equally controversial opera Elektra (1909), saw the first of a long line of collaborations with “his” poet Hugo von Hoffmansthal, though it wasn’t until the premier of Strauss’s following opera, Rosenkavalier (1911), that Strauss achieved the beginning of a long line of audience success in the genre. Following the devastation of the first world war, Strauss was appointed Music Director of the Vienna State Opera (1919), founding the Salzburg Festival in 1920, and turning to musical comedies as an attempt to combat the inter-war period with art. After fleeing Germany to Switzerland in 1945, Strauss died at age 85 in Garmisch in 1949 leaving behind a musical legacy as the most performed composer of the 20th Century.
Finalists
Oskar Loofs
Baritone
"Der Tambour" by hugo wolf, no.5 from mörike lieder
No. 5 in Wolfs’ collection of Mörike- lieder, this parody of a military march tells the story of a young soldier yearning to be back together with his mother. Wolf embellishes the lad’s homesick fantasies of her coming with him with an abundance of illustrative touches & compositional decisions. Though tinged with humour, Wolf doesn’t disregard the emotional core within the poem. He allows genuine moments of heartache to shine through the young boy’s character without it being overshadowed by an overly mocking tone.
"LIEBESBOTSCHAFT" Franz schubert from schwanengesang
Liebesbotschaft from Schubert’s Schwanengesang collection is a love song sung by a man to a babbling brook. Notably the piano accompaniment is full of movement that mimics swiftly flowing water with constant quaver subdivisions all throughout the piece. The man asks the brook to flow to his beloved and greet her for him. He reminisces about her mannerisms and beauty, asking the brook to assure her that he will return soon to be with her, and to tell him of her reply
"HEIMLICHE AUFFORDERUNG" by richard strauss
Secret Invitation is a tale of two lovers surreptitiously organising a tryst during a festival. The speaker begins by establishing the scene of a joyous feast, where he plans to woo this woman amongst the crowd of drinkers. He explains how they will lock eyes amongst the revellers, giving each other a subtle signal to meet in the garden after the feast once night has fallen. It’s implied that this clandestine meeting has happened before, as the man describes how he will “drink her kisses, like so often before”, and the reason for their secrecy is left up to interpretation. Perhaps they are being unfaithful to another in the crowd? Or maybe they’re just two young lovers too enamoured with each other to wait till marriage.
Annalise McKewen
Soprano
"Die Nacht" by Richard Strauss, no.3 from 8 Gedichte aus 'Letzte Blätter', Op.10
"Die Nacht," or "The Night," is a deeply expressive song by Richard Strauss, set to a beautiful poem by Austrian poet Hermann von Gilm. The piece explores the singer's anxieties about the impending night, which cloaks the world in darkness, obscuring the day's vibrant beauties and colours. Strauss masterfully captures the tranquil atmosphere of nighttime, reflecting the emotions it can evoke. As the singer contemplates their nighttime journey through the woods, she fosters a deep fear for her beloved's safety. The singer conveys her realization that while the night is fleeting, the potential loss of her loved one would provoke eternal grief. Strauss's composition skillfully paints poetry with the music, beautifully encapsulating the mysterious essence of the night.
"ER ist's" by hugo wolf, no.6 from Mörike lieder
Er ist’s, meaning “he is”, is a gorgeous Lied by Hugo Wolf with poetry set by Eduard Mörike, which celebrates the arrival of springtime and the joy of reuniting with a loved one. The piece paints a vivid picture of the season's beauty through sensory details: the fragrance of violets in bloom, a refreshing breeze, and the delicate sounds of spring. These evocative images build up to the singer's realisation that her beloved has returned to her again. The piece concludes with an extended, page-long piano solo that reflects the emotional climax of the singer and captures the excitement of discovering a long-awaited love. Wolf’s musical composition of “Er ist’s” perfectly enhances the text of Mörike’s poem.
"Gretchen am Spinnrade" by Franz schubert, Op. 2, D 118
"Gretchen am Spinnrade" is a famous Lied by Franz Schubert, composed in 1814 when he was only 16 years old. This piece, marked Schubert’s first significant success in the genre, is set to a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The character, Gretchen, is sitting at her spinning wheel, where she spins fiber into yarn. The piano accompaniment is particularly notable for its swirling, circular motion, which vividly represents the spinning process of the wheel. As Gretchen sings, she is consumed by the overwhelming emotions of falling in love and expresses her sorrow and frustration at feeling trapped in her life. The musicality and structure of the piece masterfully captures her inner turmoil and the intensity of her emotions.
Seungkwon Jang
Tenor
"Allerseelen" by richard strauss no.8 from 8 Gedichte aus 'Letzte Blätter', Op.10
Richard Strauss’ "Allerseelen” (All Souls’ Day) was released as part of a collection of eight German art songs which are all unified through the poetry of Hermann von Glim. “Allerseelen” exhibits powerful emotions and intense romanticism as it captures the peace and heartbreak that All Souls’ Day brings to those who have lost someone dear. The melody and rich accompaniment makes it one of Strauss’ most well- known lieder. The text is broken into three stanzas that follow the narrator through their grief. First stanza describes the beautiful ritual of arranging flowers on a table for this memorable day. In the second we sense the presence of the one they have lost, before the final stanza where we are greeted with the peace of the narrator who chooses this day to grieve. Strauss’ tenderness with the melodic line, in partnership with Hermann von Glim’s delicate poetry, reveals the cyclical symbolism of love and grief, normalising to allow oneself to feel the enormity of loss they may have suffered.
"Verschwiegene Liebe" by hugo wolf, no.3 from Eichendorff Lieder
Hugo Wolf’s "Verschwiegene Liebe" (Silent Love) is set to the poetry of Josef Karl Benedict von Eichendorff, which depicts a romanticized scene concealed under the haze of night, where the lyrics admit secret love affections but also the hidden inner anguish that accompanies them. Wolf includes the musical indication of “Sanfte Bewegung und immer sehr zart" which translates to ‘smooth motion and very delicate’, made evident in the intimate melodies, enhancing this mysterious landscape by filling it with wonder, emotional liberation, and pure love. Wolf invites deep reflection of the poetry’s beautiful emotive language through complex shifting chromatic harmonies. The gentle piano arpeggios evoke a whisper-like subtility amidst the thoughtful dynamics which infuse expressive richness to each phrase. Interestingly, this song was created in a sudden burst of inspiration after Wolf’s first reading of the poem. Thus, Wolf showcases his incredible ability to unify poetry and music, allowing performers to convey concealed yearning and profound longing. It invites both performers and listeners to explore hidden emotions and deep longings on their own personal journeys.
"Erlkönig" by franz schubert, D.328
Franz Schubert’s “Erlkönig” (The Erlking) brings Johann Wolfgang von Geothe’s thrilling poetry to life in a vivid and frightening scene. The work was published when Schubert was merely 18 years old and is considered one of his greatest ballads. The piano opens with a rapid minor motif which foreshadows the dark ending to come. It is night and a father and son are riding home on horseback, when the boy hears the voice of the Erlking calling and sweetly possessing him. The fear becomes greater throughout the ballad until the Erlking finally reaches the boy and takes his life away. This psychological drama is cleverly captured through the singer’s ability to shift between the voices of the narrator, boy, father, and the Erlking. Schubert composes the melody of the Erlking in a major key just until the character reveals his frightening side, then the minor key cements the boy’s chilling fate.
Mackenzie Lawrence
Mezzo-Soprano
"Ach Lieb, ich muß nun scheiden" by richard strauss
“Ach Lieb, ich muß nun scheiden”, the third of five songs written between 1887 and 1888, explores the languishing depths of heartbreak through phrases that ebb and bend in hopelessness until, in echoes of lost joy builds the music into climatic, heart wrenching vocal leaps before being lulled into a continued sense of ennui by familiar thematic context and devastating chromatic embellishments. These masterful strokes of word painting hint at the Romanticism Strauss would eventually come to epitomise. This set of songs uses text by Felix Dahn from his Schlichte Weisen (Simple Tunes), which were based on ancient folk songs that Dahn had seen in a museum. With only their incipits translated, Dahn imagined what the rest of the original texts might have looked like, and thus creating a timeless text to which Strauss played a musical masterpiece.
"geheimes" by franz schubert, d. 719
In Geheimes, Schubert intricately explores light and dark harmonic juxtaposition to not only portray emotions, but in this case, also actions to enable audiences to picture the exact scene Goethe intended. The shadow of a minor tonality over “Und nicht etwa den und jenen.” (not this one or that one) expertly captures the frowns of confusion that dance upon everyone's faces as they carefully scan the face of his inamorata to better understand who is the recipient of her loving glances. The melismatic second setting of ‘bedeute’ (to mean or imply) is emblematic of secrecy and romance and driven by hidden meanings. Ultimately the rhyming couplets and indulgent use of consonants in Goethe’s playful phrases alongside Schubert's artistic use of word painting creates a bounding sunny scene of new love and spirited conversation.
"Kennst du land" by hugo wolf, no.9 from Goethe Lieder
Wolf’s “Kennst du das Land” is a poignant exploration of longing for a distant, idealised realm. This piece is based on the character Mignon from Goethe’s novel “Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship”. Mignon is a 13 year-old girl who was kidnapped from her homeland of Italy by a troupe of acrobats, and brought to Germany. A young merchant, Wilhelm, then buys her freedom and develops a complex relationship with Mignon based on care, paternal affection and deep emotional attachment. Mignon’s longing, sense of exile and desire to belong are both beautifully and tragically portrayed by Wolf in this setting as she dreams of returning to her homeland with Wilhelm. “Kennst du das Land” blends elements of romanticism, melancholy, and introspection to invite the listener to immerse themselves in Mignon’s inner world.
Tobias Page
Baritone
"Frühlingstraum" by franz schubert, no.11 from wintereisse
Franz Schubert’s Winterreise is a song cycle exploring lost love and despair through a wanderer's journey in a bleak winter landscape. "Frühlingstraum" (Dream of Spring), the 11th song, offers a fleeting escape into a spring vision, with blooming flowers and birdsong. This dream is abruptly interrupted by winter’s harsh reality, depicted by the piano’s shift from gentle to jarring chords. The wanderer awakens yearning for warmth and love, holding onto hope that winter might turn into spring.
"Die Krähe" by franz schubert, no.15 from wintereisse
“Die Krähe" (The Crow), the 15th song, features a crow symbolizing death and inevitability. The piano’s dark, repetitive motifs reflect the crow’s ominous presence, creating unease. The wanderer finds dark solace in the crow’s company, contrasting with his sense of abandonment.
"Der wegweiser" by franz schubert, no.20 from wintereisse
“Der Wegweiser" (The Signpost), the 20th song, depicts the wanderer’s acceptance of solitude as he follows a path to an unknown destination, reflecting his deepening isolation and resignation.
Reserves
Sophie Rogut
Soprano
"GRETCHEN AM SPINNRADE" by franz schubert, D. 118, Op. 2
"Elfenlied" by hugo wolf, no.16 from Mörike lieder
"CÄCILIE" by richard stauss, Op. 27, No. 2
Eleanor Edwards
Soprano
"Nähe des Geliebten" by franz schubert, D. 162, No. 2"
"Verschwiegene Liebe", by hugo wolf, no.3 from Eichendorff-Lieder
Hugo Wolf’s "Verschwiegene Liebe" (Silent Love) is set to the poetry of Josef Karl Benedict von Eichendorff, which depicts a romanticized scene concealed under the haze of night, where the lyrics admit secret love affections but also the hidden inner anguish that accompanies them. Wolf includes the musical indication of “Sanfte Bewegung und immer sehr zart" which translates to ‘smooth motion and very delicate’, made evident in the intimate melodies, enhancing this mysterious landscape by filling it with wonder, emotional liberation, and pure love. Wolf invites deep reflection of the poetry’s beautiful emotive language through complex shifting chromatic harmonies. The gentle piano arpeggios evoke a whisper-like subtility amidst the thoughtful dynamics which infuse expressive richness to each phrase. Interestingly, this song was created in a sudden burst of inspiration after Wolf’s first reading of the poem. Thus, Wolf showcases his incredible ability to unify poetry and music, allowing performers to convey concealed yearning and profound longing. It invites both performers and listeners to explore hidden emotions and deep longings on their own personal journeys.
"Auflösung", by franz schubert, D. 807, No. 460