Rainy season has come to Japan. It is very tough for a dog like me because I can not go for a walk. I need to look at bright side and keep posting this blog. Finally, I talk about Richard Strauss. The reason why I used “finally” is that Richard Strauss is special composer for Peter Damm. He said to my Master that “Richard Strauss is my favorite composer”. Why Peter Damm likes Richard Strauss ? Is it because he just likes the music ? Is it because Peter Damm was born in Meiningen where Richard Strauss worked for several years and introduced No.1 Horn Concert ? I am very curious. There are a lot of excellent recording of Richard Strauss played by Peter Damm, but I pick up “Die Schweigsame Frau” as a starter.
Music
“Die Schweigsame Frau” is an opera completed in 1935 under Nazi government during World War Ⅱ. The opera has 3 scenes about a British marine veteran who dislike noisy sound and voices. The script writer was Stefan Zweig. As Zweig was Jewish, theater staff hide his name on the poster at the first concert in consideration of Nazi government. However, Strauss strongly complained about it and requested to show his name on the poster again. The request was accepted, but Strauss’ s position got terribly worse by this incident.
Player and Recording
Conductor: Marek Janowski
Orchestra: Staatzkapelle Dresden
Date’: August, 1976, August 1977. （Peter Damm 39-40 years old）
Venue：Lukas Kirche, Dresden
Janowski is a conductor from Poland and worked in Germany. He was invited by Dresden to keep level of Opera. The recording still sound very fresh even after nearly half century.
My favorite
Potpurri
“Poppri” means small overture. It is cute, lovely, and enjoyable short music. The first phrase sound like Peter Damm’s scale exercise which sounds as if he said ” Exciting opera start now !”. Then, other instruments gather and play various music on Peter Damm’s scale like Flash Mob on the street.
Act 2 Scene 11
Morosus, marine veteran, married young Aminta, believing she is his ideal quiet lady. However, he found Aminta is very talkative and noisy woman. He was terribly shocked and decide to sleep alone and went to his bedroom, supported by his nephew, Henry, saying ” I will sleep, sleep, sleep…..” After he entered his room, beautiful Peter Damm’s solo begins. I think this is one of the most beautiful music for Horn which Richard Strauss wrote. Peter Damm plays this beautiful but super difficult phase with full emotion. You can’t miss it.
Act 3 Last song Wie schön ist doch die Musik
Please allow me to add this song which does not have super solo of Peter Damm. I simply like this song and want to share it with readers who don’t know.
“Wie schön ist doch die Musik – aber wie schön erst, wenn sie vorbei ist “
( Nothing is more wonderful than Music. However, the more beautiful is the moment when the music passed by. )
The music, combined with script by Zweig and voice by Theo Adam, really touch my heart. We can’t overlook works of Richard Strauss in his last years. Of course, you can’t miss wonderful performance by Peter Damm in this opera.
