Strauss 150 Episode 5 of 5: Final Years First broadcast: Friday 13 June 2014
After the Second World War, Strauss was under suspicion as a collaborator. During the Allies' investigation, he was persuaded to go into exile in Switzerland and, once there, he and his wife underwent a gruelling, nomadic existence for more than three years. Finally cleared in June 1948, Strauss returned home in the spring of the following year, just months before he died. Donald Macleod introduces two of Strauss's finest works from those final years - one an overwhelming expression of grief, the other his crowning achievement to a life devoted to the human voice.
00:02 Richard Strauss Capriccio - opera in 1 act Op.85 Act II Scene 10 Das war ein schoner Larm Singer: Hubert Mayer. Performer: Ernst-Wolfgang Lauer. Orchestra: Stuttgart R S O. Conductor: Georges Prêtre. FORLANE: 268052, FORLANE, 10
00:08 Richard Strauss Metamorphosen, arr. Rudolph Leopold for string septet Ensemble: The Nash Ensemble. HYPERION : CDA-67574, HYPERION, 1
00:36 Richard Strauss Four Last Songs Orchestra: Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. Singer: Renée Fleming. Conductor: Christian Thielemann. DECCA : 478-064-7, DECCA, 1