Richard Strauss: Aus Italien op.16 (1886) Kosler (2024)

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Richard Strauss: Aus Italien op.16 (1886)00:00 1. Auf der Campagna: Andante08:37 2. Im Roms Ruinen: Allegro con brio20:54 3. Am Strande von Sorrent: Andantino33:28 4. Neapolisches Volksleben: AllegroSlovak Philharmonic OrchestraConductor: Zdenek koslerNaxos 1990 Aus Italien is more similar in form to a conventional symphony than Strauss's other tone poems in that it follows the traditional four-movement symphonic structure. However, the pictorially descriptive quality of the music sets it apart from a conventional symphony, which is absolute music.00:00 The first movement (“Auf der Campagna: Andante”) (On the Roman Campagna) suggests the mood experienced by the composer viewing the sun-bathed Roman Campagna from the Villa d’Este at Tivoli. Strauss called it a prelude, and this introductory movement—the closest to Liszt in overall construction—is based on three fundamental themes. 08:37 The second (“Im Roms Ruinen”: allegro con brio) (In the Ruins of Rome) suggests “fantastic images of vanished glory” and betrays the clearest affinity to Brahms in structure, phraseology, and scoring. 20:54 The third movement (“Am Strande von Sorrent”: andantino) (At the Beach at Sorrento) represents his first serious attempt at musical pictorialism (rustling leaves, bird songs, sea murmurs) and serves as an early example of Strauss’s unique ability to conjure up vivid sonic pictures primarily through orchestration. (Impressionist), which attracted the attention of a Debussy.33:28 Most controversial was the fourth movement (“Neapolisches Volksleben”: allegro) (Neapolitan Folk Life), which Strauss claimed to be based on “a well known Neapolitan folk song, and in addition a tarantella [he] had heard in Sorrento.” Of course, the venerable “folk song” was nothing more than the popular "Funiculi, funicula" composed by Luigi Danza in 1880 to celebrate the construction of the funicular on Mount Vesuvius, which Strauss had visited in its active phase. Strauss was on the mark when he described it as a “hilarious jumble of themes,” for it is surely an amusing hodgepodge. Aus Italien (From Italy), Op. 16, is a tone poem or program symphony for orchestra by Richard Strauss, described by the composer as a "symphonic fantasy". It was his first foray into the genre. The piece is more similar in form to a conventional symphony than Strauss's other tone poems, in that it follows the traditional four-movement symphonic structure; however, the pictorially descriptive quality of the music sets it apart from a conventional symphony. It was completed in 1886 when he was 22 years old. It was inspired by the composer's visit to Italy (encouraged by Johannes Brahms) in the summer of the same year, where he travelled to Rome, Bologna, Naples, Sorrento, Salerno, and Capri. When Strauss made his southward journey to Italy in spring, he was already following a path explored by others decades earlier: Goethe (his favorite poet), as well as his beloved Mendelssohn and Liszt. He began to sketch the work while still on the journey. It is the only work by Richard Strauss for which he himself wrote a specific program. Aus Italien was Strauss’s first assay into the realm of the extra-musical, and—as he confessed to his mentor, Hans von Bülow—“[I never] really believed in inspiration through the beauty of nature, but in the Roman ruins I learned better, for ideas just came flying to me.”The full score of the work, Strauss's first tone poem, was completed in Munich on September 12, 1886. The work is named by the composer as "Symphonic Fantasy", and is dedicated to his mentor Hans von Bülow. It is the only work by Richard Strauss for which he himself wrote a specific program. The entire work takes over forty minutes to perform.The first performance of the work took place in Munich on March 2, 1887, by the Court Orchestra which was conducted by the composer himself. As Richard Strauss's sister Johanna later recalled, the first three movements were received with applause, but the last movement was not well-approved and derisory whistles came from various quarters. Strauss himself found the work itself as new and revolutionary, and he was satisfied despite the critical responses for the première. The first performance in the United States was given on March 8, 1888, with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra (Theodore Thomas conducting) at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. Strauss incorporated the tune of "Funiculì, Funiculà" into the symphony's fourth movement, "Neapolitan Folk Life", thinking it was a traditional Italian folk song, when it was in fact a piece written by Luigi Denza in 1880. Denza filed a lawsuit against Strauss and eventually won.