Richard Strauss: A Hero's Life Singapore Symphony Orchestra & Hans Graf

• Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949): Don Juan, Op. 20:
• 1 Strauss: Don Juan, Op. 20 17:36
• Der Held (The Hero) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40):
• 2 Strauss: Der Held (The Hero) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40) 04:34
• Des Helden Widersacher (The Hero’s Adversaries) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40):
• 3 Strauss: Des Helden Widersacher (The Hero’s Adversaries) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40) 03:22
• Des Helden Gefährtin (The Hero’s Companion) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40):
• 4 Strauss: Des Helden Gefährtin (The Hero’s Companion) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40) 12:57
• Des Helden Walstatt (The Hero at Battle) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40):
• 5 Strauss: Des Helden Walstatt (The Hero at Battle) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40) 07:36
• Des Helden Friedenswerke (The Hero’s Works of Peace) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40):
• 6 Strauss: Des Helden Friedenswerke (The Hero’s Works of Peace) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40) 06:35
• Des Helden Weltflucht und Vollendung (The Hero’s Retirement from the World and Completion) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40):
• 7 Strauss: Des Helden Weltflucht und Vollendung (The Hero’s Retirement from the World and Completion) (From Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40) 10:52
• Total Runtime 01:03:32

Info for Richard Strauss: A Hero's Life

The "Tondichtung", or tone poem, was a popular European genre from the mid-19th to early 20th century. German composer Richard Strauss excelled in this form, producing ten works. A tone poem is a single-movement orchestral piece meant to evoke moods, stories, or scenes without following a strict narrative. Strauss's Don Juan, Op. 20 (1888), was inspired by Nikolaus Lenau's poetic take on the Don Juan legend, portraying him as a man seeking the perfect woman and ultimately succumbing to despair. Strauss's orchestral work mirrors this, opening with energetic themes of Don Juan's adventures, featuring lyrical passages for his loves, and concluding with dark chords symbolizing his demise.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Hans Graf, conductor

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra
was set up with the encouragement of the Singapore government in 1979. Choo Hoey was appointed their founding music director and resident conductor, a position he held until 1996. He is credited for developing the orchestra with his diverse programming. He was appointed conductor emeritus when he stepped down in July 1996. Lan Shui assumed the position of music director in 1997. With 96 members, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra now makes its performing home at the Esplanade Concert Hall, and also performs regularly at the Victoria Concert Hall, home of the orchestra since 1979. It gives over 50 symphonic programmes a year, with repertoire ranging from all-time favourites and orchestral masterpieces to exciting cutting-edge premières, with Asian and Singaporean musicians and composers featuring prominently in the concert season. The orchestra has made several tours and performed in America, China, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Turkey and the Czech Republic.

Hans Graf
has been music director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra since July 2022. He was previously music director of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Basque National Orchestra and Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg. He has conducted and works closely with many leading orchestras worldwide, such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, London Symphony Orchestra, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonie Zuidnederland among many others.

He has appeared at Salzburg Festival since 1983, and has also participated in numerous international festivals, including Bregenz, Savonlinna, Tanglewood and Aspen. Graf has led many performances at the Vienna State Opera, and at the opera houses of Munich, Berlin, Paris and Rome among others.

His vast discography includes all the symphonies of Mozart and Schubert, Henri Dutilleux’s complete orchestral works, and the world premiere recording of Zemlinsky’s Es war einmal.

Graf is Chevalier de l’ordre de la Légion d’honneur and was awarded the Grand Decoration of Honour of the Republic of Austria. He is also Professor Emeritus for Orchestral Conducting at the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg.

Booklet for Richard Strauss: A Hero's Life