Description

At the age of just 18, Richard Strauss created the highly Romantic, single-movement Serenade for Wind Instruments, Op. 7. This composition remains exceptionally popular among wind musicians today and draws inspiration from the instrumentation and structure of Mozart’s “Gran Partita,” which likely influenced Strauss. Contrary to expectations, the serenade did not have its premiere in its native Bavaria; instead, it was first performed in Dresden in 1882, conducted by the esteemed Franz Wüllner, who had previously conducted the inaugural performances of Richard Wagner’s Rheingold and Die Walküre, as well as the premieres of Strauss’ tone poems Till Eulenspiegel and Don Quixote. Thus, it was a significant honor for the young Bavarian composer. Editor Norbert Gertsch presents this remarkable work here for the first time in Urtext quality, meticulously examining both the first edition and the autograph manuscript.