Compositional Processes and Structure of Don Juan by Richard Strauss Matthew Browne December 2008
Richard Strauss was an indefatigable man. He remained prolific throughout his career, een writing a long opera ! Guntram" Guntram " during a period in #8$# when he was seriousl% ill. &ncouraged at the time to ta'e a rest from all mental actiit%, Strauss(s response was telling of his personalit%) *+ou want me to unhitch m% mind Dear -ncle Ritter, %ou(ll hae to teach me how to do that when get bac' to Munich/How can repress m% thoughts which in the er% first da%s of m% recoer% alread% performed for me b% memor% half an act of Tristan at Tristan at a time # Strauss began composing at age 1, writing his first orchestral score at age #2, and his enthusiasm and industriousness propelled him toward an earl% master% of orchestral writing. Don Juan, Juan, op. 20, his first maor tone poem to be performed !though Macbeth was Macbeth was actuall% written earlier", was premiered in #88$, with Strauss himself as the conductor. He was onl% 23 %ears old at the time, and with this wor' he had alread% *4e5tended6 the techni7ue of almost eer% instrument of the orchestra.
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he piece was enormousl% well receied, and firml% established his international
reputation as one of the leading composers of the da%, widel% regarded as the successor of 9agner and :is;t. Strauss(s stud% of 9agner had a great impact on his musical language, and his admiration of both 9agner and :is;t had inspired him to inent new musical forms for his orchestral pieces, especiall% his tone poems. Strauss inherited the concept of the s%mphonic poem from :is;t, coining the new term *tone poem, and it is arguabl% Strauss(s wor's that are most associated with the genre toda%. Strauss(s first full tone poem was Macbeth, Macbeth, which he described as *a sort of s%mphonic poem, but not after :is;t. < =s would become increasingl% eident in his subse7uent wor's, Strauss deeloped the genre in his own wa%, benefiting much from the structural freedom pioneered b% :is;t, but also incorporating into it his 'nowledge of classical forms, as well as the leitmotif of of 9agner. :is;t(s s%mphonic poems were e5tremel% important and influential in brea'ing the mold of conentional forms and dethroning the s%mphon% as the #
Henr% . >inc', Richard Struass) he Man and His 9or's 9or's !Boston) :ittle, Brown, and ?ompan%, #$#1" @A. orman Del Mar, Richard Struass) = ?ritical ?ritical ?ommentar% Cn His :ife and 9or's !:ondon) Barrie Barrie and Roc'liff, #$A2" 2A. < Del Mar, @@. 2
onl% alid form for a large orchestral concert wor'. Howeer, this freedom led to considerable formal problems, as demonstrated b% Donald >rancis oe%(s description of Ce qu’on entend sur la Montagne) Montagne ) /an introduction to an introduction to a connecting lin' to another introduction to a rhapsodic interlude, leading to a free deelopment of the third introduction, leading to a solemn slow theme !which, after these twent% minutes, not mortal power will persuade an% listener to regard as a real beginning", and so eentuall% leading bac'wards to the original m%sterious opening b% wa% of conclusion.3
n contrast, Strauss(s tone poems were er% coherent, usuall% structured as a series of episodes unified b% common themes, which he transformed and combined with tremendous facilit%, creating da;;ling displa%s of pol%phon% that were both praised and critici;ed with great ehemence. &rnest ewman, who wrote a biograph% on Strauss, remar'ed that Strauss *has done for program music what 9agner did for operata'en up the stra% threads that earlier men had been fumbling with more or less ineffectiel%, added a great deal of new stuff of his own and woen it all into a fabric of undreamt of strength of te5ture and richness of color.
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Meanwhile, his critics
hae gone so far as to claim that he has added nothing of alue to the genre of the tone poem, e5cept perhaps occasional flashes of ingenuit% in orchestration, and that his onl% real contribution be%ond what :is;t had alread% done was a great pol%phonic comple5it% that ultimatel% baffled his listeners and led to a *cacophon%, sering onl% to hide his lac' of melodic inentieness. A +et no one could substantiel% den% the enormous success of Don Juan, Juan, which showcases not onl% Strauss(s master% of orchestration and contrapuntal techni7ue, but also contains formal brilliance and cohesieness, beautiful melodies, and iid depictions of programmatic elements, all the while generating a wonderful sense of anticipation and spontaneit%.
The Program he full title of the wor' is Don Juan: Tone Tone Poem after after Nicolaus Lenau Lenau.. he stor% of 3
Del Mar, @3. >inc', 11. A >inc', Eart . @
Don Fuan, a Spanish legend, has inspired man% different authors through the course of histor%. =ll of them tell the stor% of a notorious philanderer, whose relentless pursuit of sensual pleasure leads to his demise. Man% ersions of the stor% are told from the perspectie of detached moralism, representing Fuan as a illain who in the end is pulled awa% to Hell b% the ghost of a father he had 'illed in a duel, whom he had impudentl% inited to dinner. :enau(s ersion !a erse pla%" is much more s%mpathetic to Fuan and e5plores the life philosoph% that dries his behaior. hough incomplete !the poem was published posthumousl%", :enau(s ersion is nonetheless complete enough to tell an alternate ending to the stor%) Don Fuan, wear% of life, pic's a duel with Don Eedro, the aenging son of the same father whose ghost appears in other ersions of the tale, and literall% allows himself to be run through. Strauss(s attraction to the tale was influenced b% eents in his own life. o the distress of his parents, Strauss as a %oung adult gained somewhat of an unfaorable !though not scandalous" reputation in arious German townships for his numerous loe affairs. Cne of these was an affair !if it can be called that, since it does not seem that the girl(s father e5pressed man% obections" with a girl who had recentl% finished her studies as a soprano at the Munich ?onseratoire, but who was not haing an% success at establishing a career. Strauss became her music instructor !for purel% altruistic reasons no doubt", and under his instruction she was able to become one of the leading sopranos at the 9eimar opera. t was his passionate feelings for the girl that were the primar% inspiration for for Don Don Juan, Juan, 1 which certainl% contains some of the best loe music he eer wrote. Strauss did not originall% publish the program with the score, 8 perhaps because of the contemporar% reputation programmatic music had of not being as *pure as absolute music, especiall% if it literall% followed the action of the stor%. :istening to the piece, one can clearl% hear certain parts of the action being represented, but most of the interpretation is ps%chological, as reealed b% the 7uotations on which it is based !which Strauss later published see appendi5 ?". he central theme of the pla%, and the tone poem, is Don Fuan(s idealistic search for the perfect woman. Fuan pursues this ideal with great ;est and abandon until, after seeing the man% terrible side effects and ultimate futilit% of his con7uests, he loses all hope.
Analysis of the Form and Themes 1
Del Mar, A@. >inc', 8$.
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Section J e5position J deelopment J recapitulation L J coda
Cpening bar # #$1 !rehearsal K" 313 !rehearsal 9" @8A
ime Eoint I 0)00 @)#0 #2)@0 #@)#2
Don Juan is Juan is of course a onemoement, continuous wor', but the diisions between sections are fairl% clear. he wor' is organi;ed around the three 7uotations in the program, which are essentiall% snapshots of Fuan(s outloo' on life. he first section, ust oer the first fie minutes of the piece, presents the maor themes of Don Fuan(s character !it also introduces first *mistress theme". =s can be seen in the table aboe, a lot happens in the deelopment, which is b% far the longest section. his section coers the two maor loe affairs that Strauss chose to represent, as well as a *mas'ed ball section. t is important to recall that although the tone poem follows the broad outlines of the plot, Strauss(s emphasis is on Don Fuan(s thoughts and feelings, both his lust at the beginning and his reaction at the end of each affair. So this second section, while it does include themes to represent some of the mistresses, is aboe all focused on the *hero of the stor% and his attitude toward these eents Don Fuan sa%s in the second e5cerpt, *m% loe is a different thing for each one. $ he third section is a modified recapitulation of the opening section, with hints of what is to come, though nothing here reall% prepares the listener for the shoc'ing conclusion of the piece. he fourth section is technicall% a coda, but is undeniabl% one of the most important) a dramatic shift to b% far the dar'est music in the piece. he contrast is stri'ing and ingenious, a prime e5ample of Strauss(s creatiit% as well as the power of inspiration that poetic subects enliened in him. >or the following detailed anal%sis, please refer to =ppendi5 =, which delineates the maor themes used in the piece, and =ppendi5 B for a detailed table of the form.
The First ection !"#$osition% he opening section of the piece introduces a number of themes in the first #A bars. =ll of these themes are used throughout the rest of the piece. =t first appearance !or first hearing", there are onl% two themes being introduced here, !a" and !b", but !a" is in fact a composite theme, and its constituent parts !;, %, 5, and w" will be deeloped independentl% throughout the piece. =s orman Del Mar elegantl% puts it, these themes figure Don Fuan in *all his passionate glor% and $
I Based on the Staast'apelle Dresden recording with Rudolf Kempe. ranslation from Del Mar, p. A8
lust for life. #0 Musicall%, both their shape and distinctie rh%thm are significant, which will allow them to be transformed, reersed, and combined in a multitude of wa%s, while still being recogni;able. Strauss is a er% tonal composer, especiall% as far as his oerall progressions and cadences are concerned. Howeer, the freedom with which he uses transposition, as well as chords with distant relationships to the tonic, is clearl% eident, showing the influence of 9agner, among others. =lthough the opening is definitel% in the 'e% of & maor, Strauss opens with a ? maor chord, 7uic'l% moing to the dominant, which is immediatel% followed b% a cadence that firml% establishes the 'e% center. =nother element that is eident right from the beginning is the irtuosit% demanded of the orchestra, especiall% gien the er% fast tempo. +et, while difficult, the entire piece is e5tremel% well orchestrated, and this achieement was a source of much pleasure to Strauss, who had been e5perimenting with orchestration for some time, and in this piece especiall% was pushing the preiousl% accepted limits of the orchestra. =ccording to Strauss, *the orchestra seemed to li'e it in spite of their understandable astonishment. ## ?ontinuing at full speed, these themes continue, and in bar 2< a new theme !c" is introduced primaril% in the cellos and basses, with the upper strings and some of the winds imitating with scaleli'e phrases. =t this point the theme appears to be merel% accompaniment its importance will become clearer as it is used strategicall% and repeatedl% through the course of the piece. = set of three accented chords ascending chromaticall% in 7uic' succession lead to a small clima5 at bar <#, followed b% a surprising rest at the end of an upward crescendo in bar
rom this we can alread% see how e5pectation and surprise are operating as important elements. =n incomplete restatement of !a" mar's the end of the first subsection and the beginning of the ne5t. Fust after rehearsal B, we hear the arrial of a new, pla%ful, elusiesounding theme in the upper register !d". his is the first time that one of Don Fuan(s loers has been represented in the music, and as with the other *mistress themes, this one alwa%s seems associated with a higher range. his sort of literalism emplo%ed b% Strauss !high for female, low for male", which is b% no means limited onl% to Don to Don Juan, Juan, has drawn much criticism. But that is ust the most surface leel deice at pla% here the real representation is a sort of game of hide and see', with Fuan(s lustNpursuit theme !c" continuing in the strings. his brief passage of call and response leads up #0
Del Mar, A$. = letter from Strauss to his parents, 9eimar, oember 8, #88$.
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to a statement of a new theme !e", which shows Fuan(s confident pursuit of the girl and his feelings for her. his is interrupted b% a 7uiet restatement of !d" mar'ed *flebile, or plaintie, though Fuan hardl% seems to be of real importance to this mistress, nor her to him, as this episode is er% brief and Fuan is soon on to new con7uests. Downward chromatic se7uences in the woodwinds follow the maiden as she plaintiel% flits awa% !meant also to represent a *feeling of satiet% in Fuan(s heart #2", meanwhile Don Fuan also moes on, mar'ed b% ariations on !c".
he 9agnerian influence is in eidence here, not so much in the material itself as in the chromaticism, and the churning sensation of ascending and descending melodic figures, which, after another abrupt pause at bar A2, carries the music through to a mar'edl% new transitional section.
The econd ection !De&elo$ment% his new subsection !?# in =ppendi5 B", which is in essence a bridge between the first two maor sections of the wor' ! and ", is mar'ed tranquillo and tranquillo and $ianissimo $ianissimo,, with a noticeable slowing of the tempo. ts main theme !e" will be e5pressed in its fullest form in the following subsection, which is wh% this section seems transitional. he harp arpeggios add to the atmosphere, and a transformation of !e" appears high in the first iolins, not at all li'e the emphatic first statement of the theme. Rather, it is the stirring effect of a new beaut% on Don Fuan(s heart, his pursuit and %earning again represented b% !c" in the strings. = repeated accompaniment figure of two alternating chords a half step apart adds to this effect, and leads to the true arrial of the loe scene !the ne5t subsection". he whole transition starting at rehearsal D is in effect a er% e5tended dominant harmon%, which finall% cadences with the arrial of the first real loe music at measure $0, and it is er% clear that we hae arried at a new chapter in Don Fuan(s stor%. his cadence firml% establishes the 'e% of B maor, which is of course the dominant of the opening 'e%, ust as would often be the case in the deelopment section of a traditional #2
Del Mar, 10.
sonataallegro form. But of course, it is the e5tended, beautiful melod% that most stri'es the listener here, a loe song enhanced b% its canonic entrances alternatel% in the strings and woodwinds. Strauss has been critici;ed for his lac' of e5tended melodic ideas, which is a claim that can be substantiated in man% of his pieces, but here we find some of Strauss(s finest melodic writing, in instance where his masterful orchestration s'ills and contrapuntal talents in no wa% detract from the total effect, and in fact greatl% enhance it. !=t other times, Strauss does get perhaps a bit carried awa%, but perhaps that is one reason that these simpler l%rical sections are so stunning in contrast." his is also the first maor e5ample of thematic transformation motie !e" in this section is much richer and fuller than it was in the preceding one, perhaps signif%ing that Fuan and his loer are now discoering their mutual feelings toward one another. he !c" theme is still present, and a new theme in two parts, !f#" and !f2" is introduced the two parts are then deeloped independentl%. hese three themes seem to suggest that Fuan(s lust for new adentures is about to resurface, causing the current loe affair to turn sour, which it does, and er% suddenl% at that. Mar'ed with three *fs !including the timpani, which enters here", this contrast does not seem to be dramatic enough in some recordings. 9ith churning chromatic lines in the strings and a significant change in the rh%thm of the accompaniment, we hear a minor transformation of !e", the most significant metamorphosis of a theme %et. n fact there is a 'e% change, to & minor, this being the first section in a minor 'e% thus far. =t bar #@<, motie !;" reappears, without the rest of !a". his is alternated with the transformed !e"Fuan is moing on but is still somewhat attachedbut at bar #AA he is on to new con7uests, signified b% the entr% of !w", shortl% followed b% !b". = telling line from the second 7uotation gien b% Strauss is the following) */ passion is alwa%s and onl% the new passion it cannot be carried from this one to that it must die here and spring anew there and, when it 'nows itself, then it 'nows nothing of repentance.
#<
his is the underl%ing theme that ties the deelopment section together he cherishes the moment, and 7uic'l% moes on after whateer upsets he ma% e5perience. 9ith the entr% of !b", we are now in ? maor, but otherwise this section is er% similar to the opening, where elements of !a" and !b" are deeloped alternatel%. =nother difference is that !w" is the onl% part of the original !a" motie present here, and !b" is embellished with man% e5tra passing tones. =s in the first = section !=#", !c" is present as well, entering at roughl% the same point relatie to the start of the section as it did in =#. he facile interweaing of these #<
ranslation from Del Mar, p. A8
themes continues until it is interrupted at bar #$1 b% the introduction of a new theme. Mar'ed molto a$$assionato , this theme appears in the 'e% of G minor, and seems to hae an intense %earning to it due to its uneen rh%thm. =s the harmon% changes to the dominant, short twonote phrases enter in a flute solo mar'ed *flebile !recall that the same mar'ing was used for the first mistress". his is, in fact, the third loer that Strauss chose to include in the wor'. She is initiall% resisting in a similar wa% as the first two, rather halfheartedl%. Fuan is not coninced in the slightest, and !g" reenters as Fuan continues his pursuit, soon followed b% the *flebile flute line again. ow Fuan puts more effort into wooing the girl, represented b% an interpla% between the flute and !5" and !%" in the other parts. =t rehearsal :, there is a slowing of the tempo and mood, in preparation for the greatest loe scene in the piece. he 'e% changes to G maor and undulations of !g" appear in the cellos and iolas, a er% tran7uil transformation of this theme compared to its original ersion. 9ith this bac'drop in place, a beautiful loe song enters on the oboe, which is the most e5tended melod% in the piece. he breathta'ing beaut% of this section must certainl% hae been one of the reasons the piece made such an impression on audiences and critics ali'e in #88$. = wonderful e5ample of Strauss(s orchestration occurs at bar 238, when the flute and harp add a beautiful dab of color at a gap in the melod%, as the horn enters with a phrase of countermelod%. hen the oboe begins the melod% again, reaching a gentle pea' at bar 2AA. =t this point the melod% is transferred to multiple woodwinds in imitatie counterpoint, with the oboe resting. 9e can obsere that een in this relatiel% simple te5ture, Strauss(s propension for pol%phonic writing is at wor', %et it is er% restrained here, ust enough to enhance the melod% and eo'e the significance of this er% deep and meaningful loe relationship. his section is undoubtedl% a depiction of the most significant relationship of Don Fuan(s life, perhaps the onl% one that had the power to moe him in a deep and lasting wa% !there is no comparable episode in the pla% b% :enau, so we cannot with confidence gie a name to this loer, who could possibl% be one of the characters in the original legend". =s Sir homas =rmstrong stated, this passage is one of *strange and ominous beaut%/the whole passage !haing" that autumnal richness of regret which is so often felt in Strauss(s loeliest music and is carried to such a height in 'osen(a&alier 'osen(a&alier. .#3 But, at this moment in the stor%, Don Fuan(s agitation cannot be contained, as we are reminded b% the subtle reiterations of !g" in the strings, which are otherwise relatiel% static. he conclusion of this section is nonetheless fulfilling, if #3
Del Mar, 12.
poignant, as the iolins and flutes ascend to an &b ust before bar <02, followed b% an &bMaor 32 chord in the woodwinds that sounds 7uite dissonant in conte5t. he anticipation is suspended until the cadence on the tonic !G maor" at bar <0A. his cadence is of the utmost tran7uilit%, fading to nothing in ust two bars, as statements of !g" 7uic'l% build suspense for the following section. he 7uestion of what that section should be from a compositional standpoint must hae been a difficult one. 9e hae, at this point in the deelopment, so far heard two maor independent episodes, corresponding to the two most significant loe affairs of Don Fuan(s life, 'nowing that his stor% is onl% half oer. n a traditional classical piece, it might hae made sense to hae a full recapitulation here, which could een hae made sense programmaticall%, but Strauss in a stro'e of inspiration instead introduces a new theme !i", which is %et another one of his finest melodic ideas, and to man% listeners the most memorable in the piece. &mphaticall% stated in four horns, this theme and the section which it defines is indeed inspiring, and heroic. Here there is a clear connection with a line from the program) *>orth and awa%, then, to triumphs eer new, so long as %outh(s fier% pulses raceO
#@
Fuan(s passion is certainl% fier%, but this first entrance of the theme is a false
start his worried loer tries to hold him bac' starting at bar <2A, with two feerish transformations of !h", but she has no power oer him, as eidenced b% the restatement of !i" followed b% the entrance of !;" at bar <<1, which is oined b% !%". he mistress ma'es one final attempt but is cut off b% Fuan(s renewed igor, e5pressed b% an een stronger restatement of !i" at rehearsal E, this time moing chromaticall% downward at the end of the first phrase. =fter a da;;ling upward orchestral flourish, we hae suddenl% landed in a new scene, often called the *carnial scene, which corresponds to the mas'ed ball in :enau(s pla%. he progression from section & to this section b% wa% of section ># had to hae been er% carefull% planned, because while the contrast between the materials present is dramatic, the transitions are alwa%s seamless, showing a er% 'een sense of structure. he planning and e5ecution of the ># section is particularl% impressie, since at the same time as multiple themes are being presented in rapid succession, the range is continuall% moing upwards and the intensit% neer lets up een for a moment, e5cept at the strategic gap between the first and second statements of !i". = tic'ling contrast with reall% all the preceding sections, the mas'ed ball section transforms earlier themes into sounds of pure eno%ment. he material of this section, but more importantl% its arrial at ust this moment, shows Strauss(s delightful sense of humor. *9here do #@
ranslation from Del Mar, A8.
thin' the chief difficult% in interpreting m% composition lies Strauss once said in an interiew. *n thisa lac' of sense of humor. Humor is generall% the last 7ualit% an orchestral conductor has. :oo' at Beethoen, how full of humor he is in his >ourth and &ighth S%mphoniesO But how few conductors loo' for humor in Beethoen, and %et he is so full of humorO #A he new section is first mar'ed b% the entrance of a new, pla%ful theme in the upper register !" and its counterpart !'". e5t is a lighthearted transformation of !g", which is announced in the muted trumpet at bar <@<. n the same two bars, the iolins pla% an ascending line !'" that perhaps corresponds to the woman Fuan meets at this ball who remembers him, though not in the wa% Fuan would li'e. Fuan is undeterred, and tries to charm her nonetheless. =n imitation of !g" soon leads to a statement of !i", which ta'es on a wholl% new character as it appears in the gloc'enspiel. Motie !", the central motie of this section, continues in the second iolins and iolas, and we hear the ascending line in the iolins again at bar
Strauss(s interiew with 9illiam =rmstrong, as printed in >inc', @8A0.
the ball tells him that one of his e5loers has died of a bro'en heart, and Fuan begins to reall% see the damage he has wrought in the course of his e5ploits. = precipitous descent spanning oer four octaes ends with a fearful timpani tremolo on B, which acts as a pedal for the foreboding diminished seenth chord at bar 321. here is an eerie parallel between this chord and the *death thrust chord in the final section of the wor'. 9ith the eerpresent B pedal maintaining the dar' mood, the themes of Fuan(s three former mistresses appear first in their original order) !d", !e", and !h". 9ithout a doubt Fuan is e5periencing the memories of these mistresses in a sort of nightmare, depicted b% their dar', minor transformations, concluding with imitatie statements of !e". But this is not %et the end for Don Fuan) with a staccato chord that establishes B maor, he gathers his courage, at first tentatiel% at bar 3@1 with a 7uiet statement of !;", then graduall% becoming more hopeful as the repeated instances of !;" are oined b% the same downward stepwise figure that appeared in section H !%2", this time in a maor 'e%. Both become increasingl% animated until, with a great crescendo and a heightening of the range, a brief clima5 arries that will be interrupted b% the opening of the ne5t main section, the recapitulation. B% now, certainl%, it is clear that Strauss is using interruption as a structural deice, and also as a programmatic element. So man% of the sections hae seemingl% ended before their time, as Don Fuan impatientl% moes forward in search of his ideal, een the most e5tended and complete section, &. his deice wor's e5tremel% well to 'eep the e5citement going, without eer reaching such a degree of interruption as to hinder the natural flow of the music. he deelopment section as a whole is a remar'able testament to Strauss(s master% of form, and shows perhaps his most important contribution to the genre of the tone poem) the abilit% to 'eep spontaneit% alie and e5plore man% independent episodes while still maintaining an oerall structure that is balanced and focused, much as a good stor%teller might do !as opposed to someone who rambles on and has a tendenc% to lose the main thread of the stor%". ot one to stra% too far too far from the classical tradition, Strauss now recapitulates the opening material.
The Third ection !'eca$itulation% he recapitulation is an abbreiated ersion of the opening that also incorporates motie !i". t sta%s generall% in the 'e% of & maor, true to classical form. >irst, !;" is stated b% itself,
immediatel% followed b% !b". his independent use of !;" is one of a number of differences between this section and the original e5position. =nother is that !b", rather than continuing in & maor, reenters at bar 38# in the relatie minor, cP. 9hat was before an introduction to the hero of the stor% is now a familiar statement of his 7ui5otic pursuit, this time tinged with reminders of the man% undesired conse7uences he regrets, which for the moment he chooses to ignore. =t bar 31$, a shortened ersion of !w" enters which is then deeloped in its full form in a section of call and response with !b", followed b% !c" maintaining some degree of consistenc% with the se7uence of eents in the first = section. e5t we hear the entrance of !%", interspersed with !b", which is still continuing. he downward stepwise line that now alwa%s accompanies it !%2" is deeloped ne5t, with occasional entrances of !b" occurring simultaneousl%. =n ascending chromatic progression leads to a reestablishment of & maor as the 'e% at bar @#0, with a A3 chord. n the remainder of the recapitulation we hear Don Fuan in all his glor% one last time, beginning with the entrance of !i" at bar @#0, with the A3 harmon% sering as an important conte5t for this dramatic deelopment. his time the theme is pla%ed a maor third higher than it was before, ta'ing the horns all the wa% to a high &, at which point the melod% is ta'en oer b% the strings. n this section we hae, in essence, a recapitulation of section >#, e5cept this time it is een more inspiring and unhampered b% constant interruptions. =s in section H, the two parts of !i" are ne5t deeloped independentl%. =t bar @3<, Don Fuan is trul% resplendent, his lust for life and loe awa'ened once more as the 'e% changes to ? maor, and the independent parts of !i" ta'e on a life of their own. Fuan is certainl% in a delirium, but the music is so full of passion that one hardl% minds. = tremendous clima5 is reached at rehearsal BB, followed b% the reentrance of !%" and !b", or rather the beginning of !b" which is repeated again and again in a se7uence that creates %et another unresoled sweep into the upper register. Here the section comes full circle, with the entrance of !;" at bar @A3, again cadencing in & maor at bar @A1. =t this point !c" also ma'es a reappearance, and is deeloped into an upward chromatic se7uence that builds to a staggering leel of intensit% with an outstandingl% orchestrated half cadence that is neer properl% resoled. he demands on the orchestra are reall% at their utmost pea' here, at least in terms of the sheer ph%sical effort demanded of the performers. Eerhaps it was because of this section that one of the horn pla%ers sat dripping with sweat and sighed) *Good God, in what wa% hae we sinned that %ou should hae sent us this
scourgeO which was of course met with laughter .#1 Strauss wrote, * was reall% sorr% for the wretched horns and trumpets. he% were 7uite blue in the face, the whole affair was so strenuous. #8 But Strauss had a charm and a talent for encouraging the orchestra, and in an% eent the clima5 is wonderfull% effectie, especiall% in light what is to come ne5t/
The Fourth ection !Coda% he stri'ing originalit% of Strauss and his ingenious use of contrast are unsurpassed in the fourth section, which lasts onl% about a minute. Cn first listening, one cannot help but be shoc'ed b% the change in mood, which is so sudden, so stri'ing, and so complete that it seems almost as though it belongs to a different piece. +et it is the fact that it is placed here, after all that has come before it, and especiall% after the greatest unresoled clima5 of the wor', that ma'es it so incredibl% effectie. 9ithout a doubt, Don Fuan has ta'en a #80degree turn in his outloo', as eidenced b% the beginning of the third 7uotation of the program) *t was a beautiful storm that urged me on it has spent is rage, and silence now remains. = trance is upon eer% wish, eer% hope/ #$ he section contains no recogni;able themes from earlier in the piece instead, Strauss depicts this moment in the program with almost pure orchestration. he deceptie chord that opens this section is = minor, mar'ed $ianissimo. $ianissimo. t is hard not to ma'e the analog% with a grae%ard, since this section sounds so eerie and ominous. But it is certainl% associated with death, as the trumpets on the accented, dissonant note of >natural definitel% suggest the fatal thrust that 'ills Don Fuan in the duel. Recall that in :enau(s ersion of the stor%, Fuan literall% allows himself to be 'illed in the duel, haing lost all sense of purpose, and that there is no ghost who pulls him down to hell. +et it is hard to imagine that Strauss was not influenced in some wa% b% that ersion of the legend, which was 7uite well 'nown at the time, and this section would certainl% do a fine ob of eo'ing that scene. n an% case, downward tremolos in the iolins iidl% depict Fuan(s d%ing moments as a series of shudders. =s it turns out, = minor sets up a plagal cadence on & minor, which is reached b% wa% of one final upward scale in the first iolins !could the choice of a plagal cadence be in an eerie wa% s%mbolic of death, especiall% gien its long association with church music". =fter one final cadence, the bassoons bassoons pla% the final phrase !their timber perhaps dar'l% reminiscent of the beautiful oboe melod% in section &", #1
Del Mar, 1A )bid #$ ranslation from Del Mar, A8. #8
with pi;;icato unison &(s leaing the listener with a feeling of anticipation, but then it becomes clear that the end has been reached.
Strauss’s Compositional Process
he aboe anal%sis has coered man% of the literal aspects of Strauss(s interpretation of the program, which are clearl% significant and pla% an important role in organi;ing the wor' as a whole. Howeer, simpl% *mic'e% mousing the action, as it would be called in film music, is not the onl% method at wor'. !t is interesting how similar criticisms of Strauss(s literalism are to criticisms of *Golden &ra film composers li'e Ma5 Steiner for their tendenc% to *mic'e% mouse the action." 9ith regard to an earlier wor', *us )talien )talien, Strauss stated) t is reall% absurd/in the case of a modern composer li'e m%self, who has learned from the classical masters, including the mature Beethoen, as well as from 9agner and :is;t, to suppose him capable of composing a wor' lasting three 7uarters of an hour with the deliberate intention of e5hibiting a few pi7uant specimens of tone painting such as at present are at the command of almost an% adanced conserator% student. 20 Strauss certainl% has a point here in the case of Don Juan, Juan, the protagonist and his emotions are alwa%s the central focus, and the details of the eents that occur are to some degree on the peripher%. he most important eidence for this is that while the piece does follow the chronolog% of the stor%, it does not do so blindl%, in other words Strauss(s foremost concern is alwa%s the musical deelopment. t is remar'able how this seems to coincide so perfectl% with the action of the stor%, and Don Fuan(s response to it. he reconciliation of these two structural elements is 7uite a feat. Here Strauss(s training in traditional forms was a great asset to him the following 7uote from the composer is reealing) *M% wor' in composition means not reolution but eolution, and eolution built on the classics which must be the foundation of all musical composition. 2# +et it would be ignoring the facts to suggest that Strauss does not follow the details of the action as we hae seen, he actuall% follows them 7uite closel%, often with a literal use of range and harmon%. he critics are ustified in their case against him on this point, but the idea that this ma'es the music less artistic is highl% subectie. 9ith the structure of the piece being so solid, 20
>inc', 8$. >inc', @$.
2#
the inclusion of literal plot elements adds interest without detracting from the focus or central emotional traector%, so this is largel% a matter of taste. Strauss(s attitude toward his organi;ational process is summari;ed in his own words) >rom the > minor s%mphon% onwards hae found m%self in a graduall% eer increasing contradiction between the musicalpoetic content that want to cone% 4and6 the ternar% sonata form that has come down to us from the classical composers. 4/6 f %ou want to create a wor' of art that is unified in its mood and consistent in its structure, and if it is to gie the listener a clear and definite impression, then what the author wants to sa% must hae been ust as clear and definite in his own mind. his is onl% possible through the inspiration b% a $oetical $oetical idea, idea, whether or not it be 22 introduced as a program. Strauss goes on to sa% that each poetical idea should inspire a correspondingl% new form, an attitude that at first seems in opposition to his statement aboe !which is actuall% from a later date" that classical form must be the basis of all composition, but, as orman Del Mar states, *to understand this seeming disparit% is to understand Strauss(s whole attitude to his tas'.
2<
Debuss% seemed to hae an appreciation for this disparit% and Strauss(s ingenuit% when he said) 4Strauss6 has found a highl% indiidual wa% of handling the deelopment. He no longer uses the rigorous architectural methods of a Bach or Beethoen. nstead, he deelops with rh%thmic colors, u5taposes the strangest tonalities as if it were 7uite normal, for he is not concerned with what he has Qabused,( onl% with what new life he has gained. 23 >rom this 7uote we can gather a number of insights into Strauss(s compositional process, but we can also see that Debuss% has misunderstood him and interpreted him according to his own ideas on composition. t is true that Strauss(s manner of handling the deelopment was er% indiidual, and although he owed much to :is;t in this area, he was able to ta'e that freedom and structure it into a trul% coherent form. n the case of Don Fuan, the form is essentiall% a deriatie of sonata allegro form, and een the greatl% e5tended, innoatie handling of the deelopment it is er% well structured. So perhaps it would be more accurate to sa% that he uses the architectural methods of Bach and Beethoen but not in a rigorous wa%. 22
:etter to Hans on Bulow, =ugust 23, #888. Del Mar, A$. 23 Richard :angham Smith, ed., Debuss% on Music !ew +or') Knopf, #$11" #A0. 2<
Strauss does u5tapose tonalities in a wa% that must hae been arring to man% listeners at the premiere, %et this statement is 7uite relatie. 9agner had been doing essentiall% the same thing, and it could be said that Strauss simpl% pic'ed up where he left off !9agner was still alie in Strauss(s %outh". =s we hae seen in the aboe anal%sis of the wor', Strauss(s harmonic language, while certainl% infused with much chromaticism, is strongl% rooted in the tonal s%stem, and is not er% dissonant b% modern standards. &dward 9right Murph% points out in his dissertation on harmon% and tonalit% in Strauss(s music that passing tones alone account for A#.A of the melodic dissonance in Don Juan. Juan.2@ he harmonic dissonances, most of which occur on the strong beat, 2A are perhaps more stri'ing. he ascending third is the interal used most often between 'e%s, 21 the prominent use of which was still a relatiel% new harmonic deice in Strauss(s time, but as far as the oerall structure is concerned, tonic and dominant relationships are fundamental. f we follow the oerall course of the harmon%, we see that it is an essential structural element. he piece begins in the 'e% of & maor !though the new harmonic language that Strauss had inherited is alread% at wor' in the opening ? maor chord", generall% sta%ing in this 'e% in spite of man% transitor% harmonic changes until the deelopment, which transitions to the 'e% of B, the dominant. =n e5ception to the general scheme is section =2, which deceptiel% modulates to ? maor instead of &. Generall% spea'ing, howeer, the = section material is strongl% associated with the 'e% of & maor. =fter a long series of modulations throughout the deelopment, we finall% arrie again at & maor for the recapitulation. &en the coda, which is so completel% different from the opening in eer% other wa%, sta%s in the 'e% of &, though this time in & minor. So, in summar%, the form ma'es almost a complete arc, strongl% adhering to the tonal s%stem. 9ith regard to Debuss%(s comment we can see that it has more to do with his own interests than with Strauss. Strauss himself, though he certainl% contributed to the eolution of tonalit%, was 7uite content with the basic tenets of the s%stem, which he neer abandoned, though he came close in "le(tra in "le(tra !after !after which he retreated to a less dissonant language". =nother important element of the deelopment of Don Juan in Juan in particular is melod%. Henr% >inc' states in his boo' on Strauss !published in #$#1" that on the whole, Don Juan has *more melod% than an% of the other wor's of Struass, and that is wh% it is the most popular of 2@
&dward 9right Murph%, Harmon% and onalit% in the :arge Crchestral 9or's of Richard Strauss !ndiana -niersit%, =nn =rbor) -niersit% Microfilms, nc." A#. 2A Murph%, A1. 21 Murph%, 10.
them all.28 >inc' was one of Strauss(s most ardent critics, who also tells an amusing stor% of how a German court decided that stealing themes from Strauss(s music !at least in the case of +eldenleben +eldenleben"" did not constitute cop%right infringement, because the% could not, in the technical sense, be considered to be *melod%. 2$ ?ritics hae often argued that although Strauss had an ama;ing abilit% to transform and combine his themes, the themes themseles left much to be desired. his stands in direct contrast to what Strauss said he was tr%ing to do) the prere7uisite for reall% artistic program music, he said, is that *its creator must be primaril% a musician with ideas and the abilit% to fashion structures/4whose6 first and most important 7uestion alwa%s concerned the absolute alue and strength of the musical idea. <0 9e can see how in this regard, Strauss was er% much rooted in the classical tradition of using a short musical idea as a seed from which an entire piece would grow, as Beethoen did. But, unli'e Beethoen, Strauss did not rel% 7uite so heail% on one idea, and rather had 7uite a number of themes, most of which were strongl% related to each other but operated independentl%. n his tone poems, these themes are of course programmaticall% significant, and are best understood as leitmotifs , since the influence of 9agner on Strauss is an established fact. heir similarities to each other are a maor factor in their potential to be combined and transformed, which Strauss e5ploited to such a degree. he% are highl% related in terms of rh%thm, with !b" for e5ample growing 7uite naturall% out of !a". 9e see the dotted eighth rh%thm again and again, and triplet figures are also prominent in man% of the themes and throughout the wor'. hemes !a" !b" and !c" all contain er% definite ascents or descents, which allow for great use of contrar% motion when the% are contrapuntall% combined. hese and the rest of the principle moties sere as the basic building bloc's of the piece, and at the finest leel of anal%sis it is Strauss(s use and deelopment of his themes that ma'e the wor' such as a coherent whole. 9ith so man% elements at pla%, what can be considered to be the central organi;ing factor of Strauss(s programmatic music 9ithout a doubt, the obious answer is) the program. But what is meant b% this =ll the action of the stor% is absent from the 7uotations proided b% Strauss, which focus solel% on Don Fuan(s ps%cholog%, and %et much of this action is depicted 7uite iidl% in the music. he 'e% is to recogni;e that Strauss(s use of the program cannot be understood in blac' and white terms, and in fact the program is functioning on a number of 28
>inc', #A2. >inc', #20#22. <0 &rnst Krause, Richard Strauss) Strauss) he Man and His 9or' !Boston) ?rescendo Eublishing Eublishing ?ompan%" #31. 2$
leels simultaneousl%. he first leel is the action of the stor%. he second leel is Don Fuan(s emotional and ps%chological response to these eents in the conte5t of his life philosoph%. he third leel is the musical ideas that the program inspired in Strauss, and how the% relate to one another. he relationship between these ideas is of the utmost importance to the structuring of the wor', because the% must not onl% be in accordance with the musical form, but also fit into the framewor' of the stor% in a wa% that ma'es sense. he first leel should be especiall% obious after the aboe anal%sis, but if one loo's closel% one would find few instances where Strauss fails to e5plore the impact of these eents on Don Fuan(s ps%che. ndeed, it is reall% this second leel that moes the piece from one scene to the ne5t there is alwa%s a hint of Fuan(s restlessness before each brea'up actuall% occurs. he most central themes of the piece all focus on Fuan, not an% particular eents. &en the themes of the mistresses hae more to do with Fuan(s feelings than the mistresses themseles. he mistress themes nonetheless demonstrate the first leel !literal interpretation", which is clearl% present and should not be ignored. he first two leels together are the inspiration for the third leel, the use of themes. &ach of the themes is programmaticall% significant in its own wa%, though it his hard to pinpoint the e5act s%mbolism of each of Fuan(s themes, which probabl% cannot be e5pressed er% well in words an%how. a'en together, howeer, Fuan(s themes present a complete character, with all his lust, carelessness, and taste for adenture. he use of these themes is alwa%s programmaticall% significant, as are of course the loe themes. =t the same time, the% sere as the foundation for the musical structure of the wor', with themes !a" through !c" being strongl% associated with the = section that reappears in modified recapitulations at points that are strategic both musicall% and programmaticall%. :i'ewise, the remaining themes are used as the structural basis for their respectie sections and, in some cases, recapitulations. he use of interruption to segue from one section to another is also significant from both a musical and programmatic perspectie, which greatl% contributes to the e5citing unfoldment of the long deelopment section. n summar%, the program !on man% leels, but weighted toward Fuan(s feelings and thoughts" supplies the structural foundation of the wor'. n this case, the form that it inspired has a ague resemblance to traditional sonataallegro form, which is not in itself the basis of the wor'(s organi;ation, but rather a form that seemed to suit the poetic subect. ndeed, especiall% in the deelopment and in the coda, Strauss feels no need to confine himself strictl% to the
traditional rules of sonataallegro form but rather creates his own form to suit his compositional intent. Still, he uses his training in classical forms to create an architectural plan from which he constructs the composition, using his themes as building bloc's. n a brilliant s%nthesis, he combined freedom with structure in an original method of deelopment that defined the genre of the tone poem as we 'now it toda%.
Appendix A Princi$al Moti&es Moti&es !there are other less significant moties, mainl% limited to their own sections, that are not listed here" hemes that are associated with the loers are also associated with Fuan(s feelings toward them
Fuan Bar #
Fuan Bar $
Fuan Bar 2<
#st loer Bar 33
2nd loer Bar 3A
Fuan Bar #0A
Fuan Bar #$1
Fuan Bar <#3
etc,
Mas'ed Ball !and Fuan(s pla% ful flirtations" Bar <@#
Fuan Bar <8A
Appendix B Detailed anal-sis anal-sis of the the form Section
Subsection
Opening bar
Primary motives
I - Exposition
A1 B Transition derived fro A1
1 40 !"
a (z, y, x, w), b, c c, d, e, z z, fra#ents of e
*1
+1 (re&earsa ')
e, c
*" */
.0 14.
In searc& of a new ove "nd a aor ove affair
A" ' E
*ritica 2nct2re $as%ed ba
1
1!! 1.+ "/" (re&earsa ) /14 /31
e, c, f1, f" e (inor transforation), z, w z, w, b, c #, y, x &, #
psyc&oo#ica deveopent (sti in
/5!
62an 62an7s 7s ora orae e dro drops ps
8eca 8eca ss B, * and and E
62an sowy #at&ers stren#t&
II - 'eveopent 1st a aor ove afair
I= ; *oda 62an7s tota &opeessness and deat&
B (&arony is , t&e doinant, ep&asized by peda) B e * #
i, &, z & (transfored), i (transfored), z, w y (inor transforation), i (ast p&rase deveoped independenty), w
* , A (2nti bar /!.)
4"4 (4 after re&earsa 9)
d, e, &
Transition derived fro A1 and
43+
z
$ovin# %ey center: downward c&roatic &arony over a B peda E (&arony is B, t&e doinant, ep&asized by B peda)
A/ " / A4
4+4 a (z, y, x, w), b, c (re&earsa <) 310 i 34/ i, y, b 3!4 z, c
E *, E
35!
e
as%ed ba c&ronoo#icay)
III ; $odified 8ecapit2ation
Most prominent key(s)* E E $ovin# %ey center (c&roatic)
I:ower case letters designate minor 'e%s
no reco#nizabe t&ees fro earier in t&e piece
c, A, d
E
Appendix C "nglish translation translation of the $rogram $rogram he following is a translation of the three e5cerpts from the original pla% that Strauss included in the score and concert programs. he translation is b% Fohn E. Fac'son, as printed in Henr% >inc'(s boo', 'ichard boo', 'ichard trauss: trauss: The Man Man and +is .or(s/ .or(s/
C magic realm, illimited eternal, Cf glorified woman, C loeliness supernalO >ain would , in the storm of stressful bliss, &5pire upon the last one(s lingering 'issO hrough eer% realm, C friend, would wing m% flight, 9hereer Beaut% blooms, 'neel down to each, =nd, if for one brief moment, win delightO flee from surfeit and from rapture(s clo%, Keep fresh for Beaut% serice and emplo%, Grieing the Cne, that =ll ma% eno%, he fragrance from one lip toda% is breath of spring he dungeon(s gloom perchance tomorrow(s luc' ma% bring. 9hen with the new loe won sweetl% wander, o bliss is ours upfurbish(d and regilded = different loe has his to hat one %onder, ot up from ruins b% m% temples builded. +ea, :oe :ife is, and eer must be new, ?annot be changed or turned in new direction t cannot but there e5pirehere resurrection =nd, if Qtis real, it nothing 'nows of rueO &ach beaut% in the world is sole, uni7ue So must the :oe be that would Beaut% see'O So long as +outh lies on with pulse afire, Cut to the chaseO o ictories new aspireO t was a wond(rous loel% storm that droe me ow it is oer and calm all round, aboe me Sheer dread is eer% wish all hopes oer shrouded, (was p(r(aps a flash from heaen that so descended, 9hose deadl% stro'e left me with powers ended, =nd all the world, so bright before, o(erclouded =nd %et p(r(aps notO &5hausted is the fuel =nd on the hearth the cold is fiercel% cruel.
Bibliography
Del Mar, orman. Richard Struass) = ?ritical ?ommentar% Cn His :ife and 9or's !:ondon) Barrie and Roc'liff, #$A2" 2A. >inc', Henr% . Richard Struass) he Man and His 9or's !Boston) :ittle, Brown, and ?ompan%, #$#1" Krause, &rnst. Richard Strauss) he Man and His 9or' !Boston) ?rescendo Eublishing ?ompan%" Murph%, &dward 9right. Harmon% and onalit% in the :arge Crchestral 9or's of Richard Strauss !ndiana -niersit%, =nn =rbor) -niersit% Microfilms, nc." A#. Smith, Richard :angham, ed. Debuss% on Music !ew +or') Knopf, #$11".
Letters: :etter from Strauss to his parents, 9eimar, oember 8, #88$. :etter to Hans on Bulow, =ugust 23, #888
