Symphonia Domestica, Op. 53, is a tone poem for large orchestra by Richard Strauss. The work is a musical reflection of the secure domestic life so valued by the composer himself and, as such, harmoniously conveys daily events and family life.
In 1898, Strauss became the chief conductor of the Royal Court Opera in Berlin. It was at this point in his life that the composer took a keen interest in his own circumstances and turned his attention to his status and personal history. When he began composing the Symphonia Domestica, he intended it to be the sequel to Ein Heldenleben, the next installment of the autobiography of the now-successful artist.
He worked on the piece during 1903, finishing it on New Year's Eve, in Charlottenburg.[1]
The program of the work reflects the simplicity of the subject matter. After the whole extended family (including the aunts and uncles) has been introduced, the parents are heard alone with their child. The next section is a three-part adagio which begins with the husband's activities. The clock striking 7 a.m. launches the finale.
The most detailed exposition of the work's structure is that which was provided for the Berlin Philharmonic's performance on 12 December 1904. On that occasion, the concert programme carried the following outline:
I. Introduction and development of the chief groups of themes
The husband's themes (F major):
(a) Easy-going (gemächlich)
(b) Dreamy (träumerisch)
(c) Surly (mürrisch)
(d) Fiery (feurig)
The wife's themes (B major):
(a) Lively and gay (sehr lebhaft)
(b) Grazioso
The child's theme (D minor):
Tranquil (ruhig)
II. Scherzo
Parents' happiness. Childish play.
Cradle song [quotation from Felix Mendelssohn's "Venetian Boat Song", Op. 19b, No. 6 from Songs Without Words] (The clock strikes seven in the evening).
III. Adagio
Doing and thinking. Love scene. Dreams and cares (the clock strikes seven in the morning).
IV. Finale
Awakening and merry dispute (double fugue). Joyous confusion.
I. Thema
II. Thema
Performance
Photograph of Strauss taken in New York during his 1904 US tour
Strauss reserved the premiere for his American tour in 1904, and Carnegie Hall in New York was booked. He would conduct it himself. Originally the premiere was scheduled for 9 March, but the orchestral parts were delayed, so it was postponed to 21 March. The later date allowed more rehearsals, of which 15 were required before Strauss was satisfied. The Wetzler Symphony Orchestra was adequate, but not much more. During a performance of his Don Quixote two nights earlier, the orchestra had broken down in the middle of the piece.[1]
Nevertheless, the performance was a great success, so much so that he was prevailed upon to conduct two more performances in Wanamaker's department store in New York, on 16 and 18 April, for a fee of $1,000. An entire sales floor had to be cleared to make way for the huge orchestra, and the concerts attracted audiences of 6,000 people. The New York and German press were very critical, not just of these exhibitions but of the very work itself, regarding them as a blatant commercialization of the sacred art of music and the intimacy of family life. Strauss responded: "True art ennobles this Hall, and a respectable fee for his wife and child is no disgrace even for an artist".[2]
The Viennese premiere of the Domestica was conducted by Gustav Mahler on 23 November 1904.
A typical performance of the work lasts approximately forty-four minutes.
In 1924 Strauss wrote the Wedding Prelude for two harmoniums (Trv 247) for the occasion of the wedding of his son Franz with Alice Grab-Hermannswörth, based largely on themes found in the Symphonia Domestica. In 1925, Strauss wrote a piece for Paul Wittgenstein for piano left-hand and orchestra, again using themes from the Symphonia Domestica, titled Parergon zur Symphonia Domestica, Op. 73.
symphonia, domestica, tone, poem, large, orchestra, richard, strauss, work, musical, reflection, secure, domestic, life, valued, composer, himself, such, harmoniously, conveys, daily, events, family, life, strauss, 1903, contents, history, composition, structu. Symphonia Domestica Op 53 is a tone poem for large orchestra by Richard Strauss The work is a musical reflection of the secure domestic life so valued by the composer himself and as such harmoniously conveys daily events and family life Strauss 1903 Contents 1 History and composition 2 Structure 3 Performance 4 Discography 5 References 6 External linksHistory and composition EditIn 1898 Strauss became the chief conductor of the Royal Court Opera in Berlin It was at this point in his life that the composer took a keen interest in his own circumstances and turned his attention to his status and personal history When he began composing the Symphonia Domestica he intended it to be the sequel to Ein Heldenleben the next installment of the autobiography of the now successful artist He worked on the piece during 1903 finishing it on New Year s Eve in Charlottenburg 1 The piece is scored for piccolo 3 flutes 2 oboes oboe d amore English horn clarinet in D 3 clarinets 2 in B 1 in A bass clarinet in B 4 bassoons contrabassoon 4 saxophones soprano in C alto in F baritone in F bass in C that are ad libitum optional 8 horns in F 4 trumpets in F and C 3 trombones tuba timpani bass drum triangle cymbals glockenspiel 2 harps and strings Structure Edit Strauss with his wife and son 1910The program of the work reflects the simplicity of the subject matter After the whole extended family including the aunts and uncles has been introduced the parents are heard alone with their child The next section is a three part adagio which begins with the husband s activities The clock striking 7 a m launches the finale The most detailed exposition of the work s structure is that which was provided for the Berlin Philharmonic s performance on 12 December 1904 On that occasion the concert programme carried the following outline I Introduction and development of the chief groups of themesThe husband s themes F major a Easy going gemachlich source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd b Dreamy traumerisch source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd c Surly murrisch source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd d Fiery feurig source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd dd The wife s themes B major a Lively and gay sehr lebhaft source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd b Grazioso source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd dd The child s theme D minor Tranquil ruhig source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd dd II ScherzoParents happiness Childish play source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd Cradle song quotation from Felix Mendelssohn s Venetian Boat Song Op 19b No 6 from Songs Without Words The clock strikes seven in the evening source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd dd III AdagioDoing and thinking Love scene Dreams and cares the clock strikes seven in the morning IV FinaleAwakening and merry dispute double fugue Joyous confusion I Thema source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd II Thema source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file dd dd Performance Edit Photograph of Strauss taken in New York during his 1904 US tourStrauss reserved the premiere for his American tour in 1904 and Carnegie Hall in New York was booked He would conduct it himself Originally the premiere was scheduled for 9 March but the orchestral parts were delayed so it was postponed to 21 March The later date allowed more rehearsals of which 15 were required before Strauss was satisfied The Wetzler Symphony Orchestra was adequate but not much more During a performance of his Don Quixote two nights earlier the orchestra had broken down in the middle of the piece 1 Nevertheless the performance was a great success so much so that he was prevailed upon to conduct two more performances in Wanamaker s department store in New York on 16 and 18 April for a fee of 1 000 An entire sales floor had to be cleared to make way for the huge orchestra and the concerts attracted audiences of 6 000 people The New York and German press were very critical not just of these exhibitions but of the very work itself regarding them as a blatant commercialization of the sacred art of music and the intimacy of family life Strauss responded True art ennobles this Hall and a respectable fee for his wife and child is no disgrace even for an artist 2 The Viennese premiere of the Domestica was conducted by Gustav Mahler on 23 November 1904 A typical performance of the work lasts approximately forty four minutes In 1924 Strauss wrote the Wedding Prelude for two harmoniums Trv 247 for the occasion of the wedding of his son Franz with Alice Grab Hermannsworth based largely on themes found in the Symphonia Domestica In 1925 Strauss wrote a piece for Paul Wittgenstein for piano left hand and orchestra again using themes from the Symphonia Domestica titled Parergon zur Symphonia Domestica Op 73 Discography EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Conductor Orchestra RecordedEugene Ormandy Philadelphia Orchestra 1938Carl Schuricht Orchestra of La Scala Opera House Milan 1941Richard Strauss Vienna Philharmonic 1944Wilhelm Furtwangler Berliner Philharmoniker 1944Richard Strauss Philharmonia Orchestra 1947Franz Konwitschny Staatskapelle Dresden 1956Clemens Krauss Vienna Philharmonic 1952Fritz Reiner Chicago Symphony Orchestra 1956George Szell Cleveland Orchestra 1957Dimitri Mitropoulos Wiener Philharmoniker 1957Jascha Horenstein BBC Symphony Orchestra 1961Zubin Mehta Los Angeles Philharmonic 1968Hilde Somer San Antonio Symphony Orchestra 1969Rudolf Kempe Staatskapelle Dresden 1972Herbert von Karajan Berliner Philharmoniker 1973Lorin Maazel Vienna Philharmonic 1983Zubin Mehta Berliner Philharmoniker 1985Neeme Jarvi Scottish National Orchestra 1986Gerard Schwarz Seattle Symphony 1988Edo de Waart Minnesota Orchestra 1990Wolfgang Sawallisch Philadelphia Orchestra 1993Lorin Maazel Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra 1995Andre Previn Vienna Philharmonic 1995Vladimir Ashkenazy Czech Philharmonic Orchestra 1997David Zinman Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra 2002Antoni Wit Staatskapelle Weimar 2009Gerard Schwartz Seattle Symphony 2012Marek Janowski Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin 2015Francois Xavier Roth SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden Baden und Freiburg 2017There is also a two piano version which Martha Argerich and Alexandre Rabinovitch recorded in 1995 for Teldec References Edit a b Ernst Krause liner notes from the Turnabout recording of Strauss conducting the work with the Vienna Philharmonic in 1944 Glass Herbert About the Piece Symphonia domestica Philpedia Los Angeles Philharmonic Association Archived from the original on 29 July 2017 Retrieved 19 January 2022 External links EditSymphonia Domestica Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Portal Classical music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Symphonia Domestica amp oldid 1160222103, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
