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On September 13,14,15, in Munich and in Essen on September 16th three German Masters are
grouped... compositions of JS Bach, Schubert and Richard Strauss. My only regret in the
Brandenburg Concerto #5 is that I will not be playing the violin part as I used to.
Schubert’s Fourth symphony has been given the title “ Tragic”, for indeed, its hues
are dark and brooding, in part due to the C minor key in which much of it is written.
The Tone Poem of Strauss, Thus Spake Zarathustra, is still one of his most popular works. Its
reference to Nietzschian philosophy and the mythical figure of Zarathustra appealed to
early 20th Century mentality.
The work is of incredible effect. In it, a very curious musical commentary is made by
Strauss who was not at all fond of the12 tone concept. He titled a section of the tone poem...von
der Wissenshaft “ ...of Science” a wry reference, because the fugal theme is dull
and arid, the theme itself a 12 tone row.