John Ritter's poem of Richard Strauss' "Death and Transfiguration"

     This year, I am taking a class called, "DSO Learning Lab", in which I am in the process of doing an analysis on one of the pieces that the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will be performing this season.  I chose to do this project on a piece by Richard Strauss called Death and Transfiguration.  
     When Strauss finished composing this piece, a good friend of his named John Ritter wrote a poem that was inspired by the piece, and is often read at the close of the song at concerts today.  As a part of my analysis for the project, I talk about the meaning of the poem as it relates to the piece, so I thought it would be good for me to share what I have so far as a blog post.
     In the following analysis, I state the name of the movement in the piece and then state the poem.  Below that is the actual interpretation of the poem as it relates to each movement.


I. Largo.  “In a small bare room, dimly lit by a candle stump, a sick man lies on his bed.  Exhausted by a violent struggle with death, he lies asleep.  In the stillness of the room, like a portent of impending
death, only the quiet ticking of a clock is heard.  A melancholy smile
lights the invalid’s pale face: does he dream of golden childhood as he lingers on the border of life?”

    The mood is quiet and there is a steady, yet syncopated, pattern played by the violins and violas. The woodwinds enter with whole notes, adding ominous, static energy.  This is often thought to be the death motive, though it can also be associated with a ticking clock and a failing human heartbeat.  Arching woodwind solos over horn and harp accompaniment  signal a sad smile and thoughts of youth. The sighing motives that carry across all string sections suggests heavy exhaling and breathing. This section is centered around c minor in 4/4.  The lyrical line that is passed between solo woodwinds and solo violin suggests the feeling of loneliness and nostalgia after this section reaches its main development and begins to recap.  The ending of this section adds tension to what is about to come in the next movement.  

 II. Allegro molto agitato. “But death grants him little sleep or time for
dreams.  He shakes his prey brutally to begin the battle afresh. The
drive to live, the might of death! What a terrifying contest!  Neither
wins the victory and once more silence reigns.”

    This is some-what considered the development variation.  The tone center is undefined because of the excessive dominant and diminished chords.  Harsh blows of the brasses and a faster tempo signify the struggle with death. The much faster sighing theme in the strings is understood to be a sharp gasp or cry, then suddenly the ominous theme comes back. Motives that describe this struggle, including the fast paced version of the death motive (triplet motive) from the opening, are battered about the orchestra throughout the movement. The projected emotion that seems to be introduced is of a dark undercurrent that is insidiously creeping up. The slower, lyrical passages suggest the diminishing hope of the inevitableness of death.  As new themes and old themes are introduced and brought back, Strauss adds variations to original themes with different dynamics and textures; this allows him to maintain the idea of death but through different perspectives.  Just as death is about to triumph we hear a glimpse of the transfiguration theme (more filled out triplet theme) presented in the harp, trombones, cellos, and violas, the ideal that can only be achieved after death. But death has not yet come. The music settles again as calm returns to the room.     

III. Meno mosso, ma sempre alla breve. “Exhausted from the battle,
sleepless, as in a delirium, the sick man now sees his life pass before him, step by step, scene by scene.  First the rosy dawn of childhood, radiant, innocent; then the boy’s aggressive games, testing, building his strength—and so maturing for the battles of manhood, to strive with burning passion for the highest goals of life: to transfigure all that seems to him most noble, giving it still more exalted form—this alone has been the high aim of his whole existence.  Coldly, scornfully, the world set obstacle upon obstacle in his way. When he believed himself. near his goal, a thunderous voice cried: ‘Halt!’  But a voice within him still urged him on, crying: ‘Make each hindrance a new rung in your upward climb.’  Undaunted he followed the exalted quest.  Still in his death agony he seeks the unreached goal of his ceaseless striving, seeks it, but alas, still in vain.  Though it grows closer, clearer, grander, it never can be grasped entire or perfected in his soul.  The final iron hammerblow of death rings out, breaks his earthy frame, and covers his eyes with eternal night.”

   This section begins quietly with the triplet motive that outlines the key of G major, which is a completely new tonic and harmony, suggesting the idea of life instead of death. It almost serves as a passive resolution that isn’t completely resolved.  Solos traded throughout the orchestra possibly suggest particular people or events that the dying man misses or will miss.  While the movement is filled with both joyous and nostalgic remembrances of his past, Strauss also adds hints of the death theme throughout. (The orchestra swells, and at the high points of phrases we hear the trombones and timpani proclaim the death motive.)  That being said, this movement of the piece goes through many different key centers, some major and some minor.  In the midst of the chaos that forms the transfiguration motive is also heard, signaling that the end is near.  Another outburst occurs, the final struggle with death, the storm and fury of the orchestra dying away chromatically to a strange resolution (fully diminished F# chord) and capped off with the sound of the gong, the death knell, announcing the soul’s departure.

IV. Moderato. “But from the endless realms of heavenly space a mighty resonance returns to him bearing what he longed for here below and sought in vain: redemption, transfiguration.”
   
   Beginning quietly, the transfiguration theme is presented and is, itself, transformed. (The death theme (triplet motive) is no longer present.)  The sound grows as instruments are added and the sound climbs higher and higher with arpeggios, with all of the symbolic imagery implied, to the uppermost reaches of the brass, woodwinds and strings. Gradually, tighter rhythms form and the texture begin to thicken as the tension and sense of longing builds to the complete resolution and coda of the piece which centers around C major (suggesting acceptance of death).  The work ends peacefully and tranquilly in C major (the parallel major of C minor), with death having won the battle but with the soul’s deliverance and transformation surpassing all.