Search - Famous Composers - Richard Strauss on DVD

The life of Richard Strauss--in about 30 minutes

Mr John Haueisen | WORTHINGTON, OHIO United States | 01/19/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is very good for what it is: a thirty-minute story of the life and work of composer Richard Strauss.

With photographs of Strauss and many of the people and places in his life, and video of present-day sights, this program does a better than expected telling of the Strauss story in 30 minutes. How much can you accomplish in a half hour?

They tell about his music, dividing it into six categories, for which the very-talented Strauss wrote:

orchestral music
chamber music
choral music
songs
ballet music
operas

It was probably Strauss' unique combination of talent and longevity that permitted him to write in so many genre.

The program also deals fairly with the question of Strauss' association with the Nazi party--it doesn't whitewash him, but neither does it excoriate him for his life in very trying times.

In addition to the 30 minute "life of Strauss," there is a five minute musical overview of his many varied works.
"

Just not enough

R. F. M. Kassenaar | Amsterdam, Netherlands, Europe | 08/04/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Very dissappointing purchase. Merely a 28-minute slideshow of black-and-white photographs with a British-sounding professor, reading out loud a biography. No interviews with conductors, performing musicians, whatsoever. Not one excerpt from his works being played, except for endless repetition of the "Capriccio" string sextet in the background. Very, very poor, indeed."