Der Rosenkavalier: I consider this to be R. Strauss BEST. Do You?

Question

For me, Der Rosenkavalier, along with say the final scene of Salome and perhaps 3 or 4 of his tone poems, to be his most masterful compositions.

Der Rosenkavalier is like Bizet's Carmen, one of those few almost perfect musical creations of the Romantic era.

What's your thoughts about this?

Alberich

Answer 1

I like Der Rosenkavalier: a lot, its music holds me enthralled every time I hear it and its story is both captivating and life affirming, but best is a big word. I also like Salome for the way the shock value of music and story go hand in hand and Die Frau Ohne Schatten for the meaningful complexity of its music and its loopy libretto that somehow ends up showing the importance of selflessness in defining the human condition. I love Strauss, I could keep going on and on - even his minor operas are better than almost anyone else's in his era.



Edit: I must disagree about Arabella its frankness and honesty make it a perfect book end to Rosenkavalier, it perfectly shows the moral declinne of the Austrian upper classes from one era to another. The year The Metropolitan Opera cast Kiri Te Kanawa in both in a single season is the best example of programming as an art I can think of.

Answer 2

Agree up to a point: Rosenkavalier was written after Salome, with the earlier opera being very much in the modernist aesthetic prevalent of the times. (Salome is closer in spirit to Schoenberg than Mahler.)



So Rosenkavalier, both musically and dramatically, isn't so much a Romantic work, than a farewell work- a work that views that era (and the conventions of Romantic-period musical harmony and structure) through a set of rose-tinted glasses.



It tweaks the genre through a set of ever-so-slightly off-kilter phrases, similar to how Stravinsky sets up Baroque and Classical-era music in pieces like Pulcinella and The Rake's Progress.



After Rosenkavalier, Strauss's musical style swung between modernism and romanticism (often incorporating elements of both in his pieces). Some of these works are considered successful masterpieces (i.e. Four Last Songs), others are interesting failures (Arabella).



But yes, I would agree that Rosenkavalier is one of Strauss's greatest works (and definitely one of the best operas from the early part of the 20th century.)

Answer 3

I agree that it is his best. There's something about Strauss operas that make them difficult and complex, yet completely accessible to opera novices. With the exception of Also Sprach Zarathustra, I personally don't think any of his tone poems measure up to his operas. I also think that there's a certain magic about Elektra.

Answer 4

I agree with you but I have to be honest and admit that I am not familiar with Strauss's other operas. I'm not really a great fan of opera but I do love Der Rosenkavelier.

Answer 5

I heard the overture to it and ran out and bought the score and CD - but the overture seemed by far the best part! I'm no Strauss expert, but give me the Four Last Songs anyday.

Answer 6

4 LAST SONGS absolute best .... although I adore Rosenkavalier .... would rather see Daphne or Cappricio again and again