10 - Last works

Summary

As difficult as it may appear to define the beginning of a characteristic Spätwerk in the case of Strauss, the composer himself has made it easy for us to delineate the last phase of his creativity. The works in question are a group of compositions all finished, albeit not begun, after the completion of his opera Capriccio:

Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 2 in E♭, TrV 283

Completion: Vienna, November 28, 1942

Sonatina No. 1 in F for 16 Wind Instruments, “From the Workshop of an Invalid,” TrV 288

Completion: Garmisch, July 22, 1943

Metamorphosen for 23 Solo Strings, TrV 290

Completion: Garmisch, April 12, 1945

Sonatina No. 2 in E♭. for 16 Wind Instruments, “Joyful Workhop,” TrV 291

Completion: Garmisch, June 22, 1945

Concerto in D for Oboe and Small Orchestra, TrV 292

Completion: Baden (Switzerland), October 25, 1945

Duett-Concertino in F for Clarinet and Bassoon, String Orchestra, and Harp, TrV 293

Completion: Montreux, December 16, 1947

Vier letze Lieder after Poems by Hermann Hesse and Joseph von Eichendorff for Soprano and Orchestra, TrV 296:

I. “Frühling” (“Spring”) (Hermann Hesse)

Completion: Pontresina, July 18, 1948

II. “September” (Hermann Hesse)

Completion: Montreux, September 20, 1948

III. “Beim Schlafengehen” (“On Going to Sleep”) (Hermann Hesse)

Completion: Pontresina, August 4, 1948

IV, “Im Abendrot” (“At Sunset”) (Joseph von Eichendorff)

Completion: Montreux, May 4, 1948