Strauss’s Domestic Symphony

Sinfonia doméstica de Strauss

Live music 20€

Sunday 10 January · 17:00

Richard Strauss’s singular Domestic Symphony, Op. 53, a programmatic work centred on family life, performed with his characteristic orchestral mastery.

The Domestic Symphony, Op. 53 is a unique composition by Richard Strauss. The idea of composing a symphonic poem based on elements of his daily life, particularly centred on his family, reflects his vision of life during this period. As can be inferred from his biography, the family he had built was an important pillar for him, notably his wife Pauline, whom he married in 1894, and the couple's son, Franz, who would be born three years later in 1897. The choice of programme, albeit 'domestic', points to this period of stability in his closest family experiences. The musical themes therefore allude to the figures of the husband, the wife and the son, with the richness and mastery of orchestration characteristic of Strauss. The composer finished the work in 1903, shortly before beginning his tour of some cities in the United States of America. The work was premiered on 21 March 1904 at Carnegie Hall in New York by the Wetzler Symphony Orchestra, with considerable success. In Vienna, the premiere was conducted by Gustav Mahler that same year. Although well received, the work drew some criticism, particularly for the 'domestic' theme chosen by the composer. The Four Last Songs, of great emotional intensity, would be composed in 1948, when he was already 84 years old, constituting one of his final efforts. The work, revealing his musical fullness, would be premiered in 1950 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.