The Life of Richard Strauss

Musical Lives

by Bryan Gilliam

Richard Strauss' successful conducting and composing career spanned one of the most fascinating stretches of modern German history, from oil lamps to atomic energy, from a young empire to a divided Germany. This biography covers Strauss' early musical development, his emergence as a tone poet in the late nineteenth century, his turn to the stage at the beginning of the twentieth century, the successes and misfires of the post-World War I era, the turbulent 1930s, and the period of the Second World War and its aftermath.

Genres: Music, Biography

212 pages, Paperback

First published August 19, 1999

About the author

Dr. Bryan Gilliam is a music historian who specializes in German pop music, opera, and film music.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was the only assigned reading for the graduate history seminar on Strauss I took in the fall of 2002. Dr. Bell taught the class, and it was great. But I was in the thick of writing my master's thesis (a four-movement piece for orchestra) at the time. And time was something I utterly lacked. so I made the conscious decision to skip the reading, because I realized I would do as well and get as much out of the class whether I did it or not. But I did promise myself that I would read the book later when I had more time. And I finally did get around to it, nearly two years later.
The book isn't very long or analytical. It's a straightforward biography of Strauss' life and work. Since I'd taken the seminar, I already knew most of the material Gilliam presents, so it was more of a review than anything else. Still, I did find this book well worth the reading. It's the perfect length, depth, and tone for learning more about a composer, and it's not at all technical. If anyone wants to learn more about the guy who wrote the music made famous by "2001: A Space Odyssey", I'd be more than happy to lend this book out.