Bridging the turn-of-the-century, Richard Strauss (1864-1949) helped usher in the contemporary era. Rich tone painting evoked the lush chromaticism of the 19th-century Romantics and eclectic juxtaposition of styles foreshadowed the pluralism of post-modern art.
Like the music of Wagner, Strauss' work is sometimes tainted by his connection with Nazi Germany, although his relationship with Hitler's government was one of artistic pragmatism rather than ideological support. In 1933, he was appointed the president of the Reich Music Chamber. However, when forced to give up working with his Jewish librettist Stefan Zweig, he wrote a letter criticizing the regime and lost his post. Strauss managed to maintain contacts within the government, for matters of personal safety; in fact, his Jewish daughter-in-law was protected only because of Strauss' connections. Though exonerated after the war and freed from any charges of Nazi collaboration, Strauss nevertheless managed to maintain enough influence in the party to protect his immediate family.
But whether Strauss was a composer trapped by circumstances, a cowardly collaborator, or something in between, he still managed to produce a significant amount of music, most notably tone poems and operas.
Tone poems were instrumental dramatic works, usually based on some other piece of art, such as a painting, poem, or novel. Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 is perhaps Strauss' most famous tone poem. The work references Friedrich Nietzsche's book of the same title. The opening theme was used for the introduction to 2001: A Space Odyssey and now forms a very present part of popular culture, signifying technological and cultural progress.
Strauss' most notable operas include Salome (based on the play by Oscar Wilde), Elektra (based on a play by Hofmannsthal), and Der Rosenkavalier (libretto by Hofmannsthal). He also composed music for the film version of Der Rosenkavalier. The story recounts the adventures and mishaps of Octavian, Knight of the Rose, employing all the good elements of comedy: mistaken identity, disguise, love triangles, and the humiliation of rivals. Salome exploits the Western fascination with exotic sensuality so popular for the era.
In addition to being a composer, Richard Strauss was a conductor, and recorded some unusual interpretations of Beethoven and Mozart symphonies. Criticized for his lack of emotion and breakneck tempo, Strauss managed to reduce Beethoven's 9th Symphony to a shocking 45 minutes (normally performances span over an hour). The lack of expressivity might be unusual, but some find Strauss' eccentricities to be a refreshing minimalistic approach to the music.
