Strauss, R: Friedenstag

One of Strauss' rarer operas, 'Friedenstag' (1938) occupies a particularly interesting place in his life. It was conceived and written during the late 1930s, at the time when his relationship with the Nazis was at its most difficult. Although the libretto was by Josef Gregor, he had been recommended to Strauss by the Jewish poet Stefan Zweig (librettist of the earlier opera Die schweigsame Frau (1936), who became black-listed by the Nazis and left Germany in 1938.

'Friedenstag' is cast in a single act and, as its name suggests, is a celebration of the ideal of peace. The style is relatively austere, concerning a story set in the early 17th century on the last day of the Thirty Years War. The Commandant of a fortress under siege resolves to die rather than surrender, but then news of peace arrives and he and his former enemy embrace with vows to work for a better world. Male voices dominate (see the cast list) and there is an important role for the chorus. However, there is a significant role for the Commandant's wife and her dignified aria is a memorable inspiration. It was dedicated to Viorica Ursuleac and her husband Clemens Krauss, the lead and conductor respectively in the premiere on July 24, 1938 and on the subsequent recording.

'Friedenstag' has been recorded relatively few times, just as it is seldom performed in the theatre. It is also a one act opera which lacks an obvious partner.

Good sound – unique cast including the legendary Fehenberger.

Jewelcase + O Card.

Friedenstag is at once Richard Strauss’ (1864-1949) last operatic collaboration with his librettist Stefan Zweig and his first with Joseph Gregor. The themes of the opera – set in the mid 17th century are about the highest humanitarian and liberal ideals – themes Zweig devised from the factual events from the Thirty Years War.

The challenge that faced Strauss and Gregor was how to express this message in the Third Reich, where such well intentioned themes could be hijacked by the Nazis as reflecting the regimes ideal and proclaiming it ‘the first Nazi opera’. Zweig by the time this work was composed had fled Germany, but remained on cordial terms with Strauss, and it has been argued that of all their operatic collaborations this is the one where Zweig’s lofty ideals are most obvious. However, a combination of Strauss’s music which descends to an empty jingoistic martial style in places, and the abandonment of Zweig’s words on reconciliation in place of a long chorus of rejoicing and triumphalism – music to Goebel’s ears no doubt. The work stands apart from the canon of Strauss’s operas, and has only a tenuous hold on the repertoire – an example of lofty ideals sacrificed on the alter of political expediency. Gregor steered the composer towards less controversial operatic themes such as Daphne.

Rare repertoire

‘Sinopoli's recording has magnificent, committed and full-throated choral singing, and this makes the final scene sound as Fidelio-like as Strauss undoubtedly wished. Albert Dohmen, who has sung Wotan but here sounds at times more like Alberich, is a powerful Commandant.’ Gramophone, December 2001

35 CD + CD-ROM (including Stephen Jay Taylor's 'Richard Strauss: The Man and his Music')

A superb collection of some of the greatest performances of Richard Strauss’s orchestral, operatic, chamber and vocal works, brought together in a stunning 35-CD edition of fantastic value.

The collection begins with a survey of Strauss’s orchestral music, including the supremely popular symphonic poems - Don Juan, Don Quixote, Also sprach Zarathustra, Till Eulenspiegel, Tod und Verklärung, Eine Alpensinfonie and Ein Heldenleben are included, together with comparatively rare orchestral works such as the wonderful Burlesque for piano and orchestra. These recordings, performed by the Staatskapelle Dresden and conducted by Rudolf Kempe, are a particular highlight of this box set, some of the greatest recordings of the classical catalogue.

Of Kempe’s Aus Italien, Gramophone stated:‘The Dresden orchestra play superbly and this version undoubtedly sweeps the board’. Of another release in the series, Gramophone commented: ‘the splendour of the Dresden orchestra is most impressive: at that period and under this conductor they may have had equals in this music but surely no superiors’.

An extensive survey of Strauss’s chamber music, performed by major international instrumentalists including Wolfgang Sawallisch (piano), Erno Sebestyen (violin), Wenn-Sinn Yang (cello) and the Sinnoffer Quartet.

Includes definitive performances of Strauss’s best-loved operas – Der Rosenkavelier, Elektra, Salome, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Ariadne auf Naxos plus the rarely heard Friedenstag.

In particular, Herbert von Karajan’s Der Rosenkavalier remains unsurpassed.‘It really does triumph over them all - even the outstanding 1969 Solti/Decca - and the triumph is, almost entirely, Schwarzkopf's own’, wrote Gramophone.

This comprehensive box set concludes with 3 CDs of Lieder, including the enduringly popular Four Last Songs sung by Charlotte Margiono and a disc of historical recordings accompanied by Richard Strauss on piano.

A truly unique set (the only one on the market!):The Richard Strauss Edition.

Contains a wealth of repertoire: the complete Orchestral Works, the complete Chamber Music, a generous selection of songs, the most famous operas and a disc of rare choral works.

A fitting tribute to one of the most important Late-Romantic composers, who for such a long period reflected his “Zeitgeist” in his fascinating and highly personal music.

A star studded line-up of famous Strauss interpreters: Rudolf Kempe and his Staatskapelle Dresden (a Strauss orchestra par excellence!), Herbert von Karajan, Joseph Keilberth, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Karl Böhm, and vocalists Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Alessandra Marc, Deborah Voigt, Anne Sofie von Otter, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Charlotte Margiono.

Containing a historical recording of songs accompanied by Richard Strauss himself on the piano.

Liner notes included on CD-ROM.