Richard Strauss - Liebe; Der Abend; Hymne; Traumlicht (Bavarian Radio Chorus)

Information

Composer: Richard Strauss

1. Männerchöre, Op. 42, TrV 194: No. 1, Liebe
2. 2 Gesänge, Op. 34, TrV 182: No. 1, Der Abend
3. 2 Gesänge, Op. 34, TrV 182: No. 2, Hymne
4. Männerchöre, TrV 270: No. 2, Traumlicht

Bavarian Radio Chorus

Peter Dijkstra, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: BR-Klassik

_____________________

Drawing on Friedrich von Schiller’s Der Abend, this program explores contrasting Romantic conceptions of night and dream in works by Richard Strauss. While Schiller portrays evening as a realm of tranquility and sensual delight, later Romantic poetry often presents night as a refuge from earthly suffering, promising consolation or transcendence. Strauss, celebrated for his operas and tone poems, devoted sustained attention to choral music. His Zwei Gesänge, Op. 34 (1897), display symphonic richness through intricate, virtuosic choral writing; Der Abend unfolds as a luminous tonal landscape, while Hymne, with double chorus and fugue, recalls Baroque architecture. The later Drei Männerchöre (1935) reveal mature subtlety, and Liebe (1899) offers more restrained expression.

Founded in 1946, the Bavarian Radio Chorus is internationally renowned for its homogeneous sound and stylistic versatility, encompassing repertoire from medieval motets to contemporary works, as well as oratorio and opera. The ensemble has received multiple ICMA and Diapason d’or awards and collaborates regularly with leading conductors, including Sir Simon Rattle, Herbert Blomstedt, Andris Nelsons, Riccardo Muti, and Christian Thielemann. Since 1998, the choir has presented its own concert series in Munich, and Peter Dijkstra has served as Artistic Director since 2022. A frequent guest at major European festivals, the BR Chorus also partners with prominent orchestras such as the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics.

High Resolution 24-bit / 48 kHz