Symphonia Domestica, Op. 53 (Domestic Symphony) 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.
Contents |
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 instalment of the autobiography of the now-successful artist. Of it, Strauss said "My next tone poem will represent a day in my family life. It will be partly lyrical, partly humorous – a triple fugue will bring together Papa, Mama and Baby."
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 (1 & 2 in B♭, 3 in A), bass clarinet in B♭, 4 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 saxophones (soprano in C, alto in F, baritone in F, bass in C), 8 horns in F, 4 trumpets in F and C, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, tenor drum, bass drum, triangle, cymbals, antique cymbals, tambourine, glockenspiel, 2 harps, and strings.
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 7am launches the finale.
The most detailed exposition of the work's structure is that which was provided for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's performance on December 12, 1904. On that occasion, the concert programme carried the following outline:
IV. Finale
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 March 9, but the orchestral parts were delayed, so it was postponed to March 21. 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]
A typical performance of the work lasts approximately forty-four minutes.
In 1925, Strauss wrote a piece for Paul Wittgenstein for piano left-hand and orchestra, using themes from the Symphonia Domestica, titled Parergon zur Symphonia Domestica, Op. 73.
| Conductor | Orchestra | Recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Eugene Ormandy | Philadelphia Orchestra | 1938 |
| Carl Schuricht | Orchestra of La Scala Opera House, Milan | 1941 |
| Richard Strauss | Vienna Philharmonic | 1944 |
| Wilhelm Furtwängler | Berliner Philharmoniker | 1944 |
| Franz Konwitschny | Staatskapelle Dresden | 1956 |
| Clemens Krauss | Vienna Philharmonic | 1952 |
| Fritz Reiner | Chicago Symphony Orchestra | 1956 |
| George Szell | Cleveland Orchestra | 1957 |
| Dimitri Mitropoulos | Wiener Philharmoniker | 1957 |
| Zubin Mehta | Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra | 1968 |
| Rudolf Kempe | Staatskapelle Dresden | 1972 |
| Herbert von Karajan | Berliner Philharmoniker | 1973 |
| Lorin Maazel | Vienna Philharmonic | 1983 |
| Zubin Mehta | Berliner Philharmoniker | 1985 |
| Neeme Järvi | Scottish National Orchestra | 1986 |
| Gerard Schwarz | Seattle Symphony | 1988 |
| Edo de Waart | Minnesota Orchestra | 1990 |
| Wolfgang Sawallisch | Philadelphia Orchestra | 1993 |
| Lorin Maazel | Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra | 1995 |
| André Previn | Vienna Philharmonic | 1995 |
| Vladimir Ashkenazy | Czech Philharmonic Orchestra | 1997 |
| David Zinman | Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra | 2002 |
There is also a two-piano version, which Martha Argerich and Alexandre Rabinovitch recorded in 1995 for Teldec.
|
|
||||||||