"A man lies half-conscious in a dim, little chamber, fever-tossed, awaiting death. A candle, flickering as uncertainly as the life that is in him, casts wavering shadows, and the book of life is turned back page by page as the exhausted man dreams.
He dreams of his childhood, of the battleground of youth, the torn banner of the ideal carried dauntlessly forward; the hopes, futilities, illusions that beset him, and the remorseless foes that confront him at every turn of the upward path. And death strikes, and out of blackness and void rises the music of apotheosis".
... observed of "Death and Transfiguration" composed by Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
1st movt [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHnFgmNWtfM&feature=player_embedded]
2nd movt [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvKP9jS-V7w&feature=player_embedded#!]
3rd movt [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7qSEGu3a78&feature=player_embedded]
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He dreams of his childhood, of the battleground of youth, the torn banner of the ideal carried dauntlessly forward; the hopes, futilities, illusions that beset him, and the remorseless foes that confront him at every turn of the upward path. And death strikes, and out of blackness and void rises the music of apotheosis".
... observed of "Death and Transfiguration" composed by Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
1st movt [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHnFgmNWtfM&feature=player_embedded]
2nd movt [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvKP9jS-V7w&feature=player_embedded#!]
3rd movt [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7qSEGu3a78&feature=player_embedded]
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Pictured above is Strauss at 57 enjoying Paris with German opera singer (soprano) Elisabeth Schumann (1888-1952) during a break from an extensive music tour. She wrote in her diary for that day:
''After lunch we went at once to the Louvre - wonderful impressions - stood for ages in front of the Mona Lisa too - then by car to the Château de Madrid in the Bois - beautiful drive, coffee - elegant people - discreet music with modern dances - we sat outside "au soleil" - back by car as far as the Place de [la] Concorde from where we walked down to the Seine and enjoyed the view. Strauss spoke about architecture - I admire his many interests - we returned to the hotel - I announced that I had to go to bed or else I would keel over with tiredness. . . the Dr. . .has just shown me the separate entrance to his bathroom which he says I should use as well. He is so sweet'' (1921)
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