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the son of Franz Strauss, who was the principal horn player at the Court Opera in Munich. He dropped out of Munich University to study music in Berlin, and was appointed assistant conductor to Hans von Bülow, during which time his compositions were fairly conservative. He broke from this tradition in the late 1880s to compose a series of widely acclaimed tone poems including Don Juan, Death and Transfiguration, and Domestic Symphony. Around the end of the 19th century, Strauss turned his attention to opera. His first two attempts in the genre, Guntram in 1894 and Feuersnot in 1901 were considered obscene and were critical failures. However, in 1905 he produced Salome (based on the play by Oscar Wilde), which used dissonance and turned out to be a sensation in Europe (though it closed after one night at New York City's Metropolitan Opera). Strauss's next opera was Elektra, which took his use of dissonance even further and began a string of hugely successful works stretching into the 1940s. These ranged from Die Frau ohne Schatten (1918) to Die Liebe der Danae (1940). Strauss also composed well known chamber works during this period, as well as solo instrument with orchestra pieces.



There is much controversy surrounding Strauss's role in Germany after the Nazi Party came to power. Some say that he was constantly apolitical, and never cooperated with the Nazis completely. Others point out that he was an official of the Third Reich, Reportedly, in April 1945 Strauss was apprehended by American soldiers at his Garmisch estate. As he descended the staircase he announced to Lieutenant Milton Weiss of the US Army, "I am Richard Strauss, the composer of Rosenkavalier and Salome." Lt. Weiss, who, as it happened, was also a musician, nodded in recognition. Another musically knowledgeable American officer placed an 'Off limits' sign on the lawn to protect Strauss. The composer's last work was 1948's Four Last Songs for soprano and orchestra. He died on September 8, 1949 at the age of 85.