Tag Archives: classical music

Richard Strauss and The Levin family’s connection to a famous composer

Ernst Levin maintained a strong personal interest in famous German composer Richard Strauss even in his old age. Correspondence implies that Strauss was a friend to the prominent Levins, Ernst’s parents Natalie and Willy. His opera ‘Elektra’ was dedicated to them, and many assume that Strauss based some of his characters on Willy Levin (see post on ‘The Levins’).  Strauss was later publicly condemned as an anti-Semite due to the seemingly ‘collaborative’ and prominent role he held as president of the State Music Bureau, established in 1933 under the Third Reich. It has been claimed that Strauss collaborated out of necessity to protect his Jewish grandchildren, as his son had married a Jewish woman. Ernst, claiming to have ‘personally known’ Strauss, frequently made moves to defend his good character.

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Letter from Ernst to Mr Black denying Strauss’s anti-Semitism:

24th February 1969:

“I thank you very much for your recent letter with your commentary about Richard Strauss’s supposed anti-Semitic activities and the quotations from the new Life of Richard Strauss. It is very generous of you to offer me a copy of this new biography, but I possess it since it was first published in this country and have read it with interest from the first to the last page. Before one labels anyone an anti-Semite it is well to remember that this entirely depends on what you mean by it. Personally – after a lifetime of friendship with Richard Strauss – and with his wife Paulina – I deny that he was an anti-Semite”

Letter to Ruth about talks with BBC concerning Strauss

12th May 1968:

“I have seen Hans Gal at the club yesterday. He was very nice and very patient when I put my problem of Richard Strauss reminiscences before him. /He feels I should go through with the talk on the BBC in all circumstances in spite of the new Life published recently. He also seemed to agree with you that our first plan of the talk in the form of (your) questions and (my) answers is not a very good one. /You were also right in assuming he is no longer on the festival council and as a matter of fact can now do very little as regards the Scottish BBC’s attitude to such a talk of mine”

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Letter to Austrian State Opera, enquiring about copyright of Strauss photograph printed in The Times

20th March 1964:

“This photograph does not belong to the Opera’s public collection or copyright photographs”

 

Ernst later wrote to The Times newspaper requesting a larger print of the image due to his great personal interest in Richard Strauss.

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Ernst wrote in a disgruntled tone to Radio 4 on the 3rd October 1975, complaining about the introduction of a new ‘signature tune’ which he deemed “coarse, alarming and altogether deplorable”. He substantiates his view by claiming a substantial musical education and friendships with ‘musicians and music-lovers’.

Ernst signs off with his proudest claim to fame: “It may interest you, that I am the eldest surviving son of William LEVIN, to whom and his wife [sic.] Natalie, RICHARD STRAUS [sic.] dedicated his ELECTRA [sic.]”

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Anicuta’s Salome sketches

Anicuta, who had an interest in art and had studied at Utrecht Art School, drew sketches depicting Salome, a symbol of female seduction and sinfulness, and Herod alongside John the Baptist’s head on a platter. In 1905, Richard Strauss had produced the famous modernist opera Salome, based on Oscar Wilde’s play of the same name.