Born June 11, 1864, Richard Strauss Dedicated Last Work to Maria Jeritza

Summary: Born June 11, 1984, Richard Strauss dedicated his unpublished, last work, “Malven,” composed in November 1948, to Czech soprano Maria Jeritza.

Maria Jeritza in costume backstage with Richard Strauss at a performance of Die Ägyptische Helena in Vienna, Austria; photo by Jewish-German photographer László Willinger (April 16, 1909-Aug. 8, 1989): GBOPERA @gbopera, via Twitter Sep. 28, 2014

Born June 11, 1984, Richard Strauss dedicated his unpublished, last work, “Malven,” composed in November 1948, to Czech soprano Maria Jeritza (Oct. 6, 1887-July 10, 1982).

The last completed work by the late Romantic-early modern German composer bears the date of Nov. 23, 1948. Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864-Sept. 8, 1949) composed “Malven” (Mallows) at the Montreux Palace Hotel, a luxury hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva in southwestern Switzerland’s Vaud canton.

“Malven” is set in the key of E flat, with a 2/4 Allegretto tempo. Strauss scored the song’s 72 bars as a Lied, “song” setting of Romantic poetry for a single voice and piano. “Malven” is arranged for a soprano voice. In his Sept. 15, 1984, article on the discovery of “Malven,” The New York Times music critic John Sargent Rockwell (born Sept. 16, 1940) described the German composer’s last completed work as featuring “an inventive piano part” and offering “unsettling harmonic twists.”

The German text of “Malven” comes from the same-named poem by Swiss journalist, novelist and poet Bettina “Betty” Wehrli-Knobel (July 13, 1904-Feb. 13, 1998). The poem first appeared in a literary review in the Oct. 29, 1948, issue of Die Weltwoche (The World Week), a Swiss weekly magazine based in Zürich. It was included in the author’s poetry collection, Neue Gedichte, published in 1949.

Strauss included 14 of the poem’s 16 lines in his setting. A dedication, “Der geliebten Maria dieser letzte Rose!” (Beloved Maria, this last rose!), is inscribed at the end of the German composer’s two-page musical adaptation.

Surfacing as part of Maria Jeritza’s estate, “Malven” was included in Sotheby’s auction of Dec. 12, 1984, in New York. American collector and philanthropist Frederick Robinson Koch (born Aug. 26, 1933) purchased “Malven,” which was then published by London-based classical music publisher Boosey & Hawkes in 1985.

The Czech soprano’s estate also yielded an early version of “September,” dated Aug. 14, 1948, and dedicated to Maria Jeritza and her fourth husband, New Jersey businessman Irving Peter “Pat” Seery (May 24, 1890-Jan. 11, 1966). “September” comprises one of the “Vier Letzte Lieder” (Four Last Songs) that had been thought, prior to the discovery of “Malven,” to represent Strauss’ final works.

Strauss scored “Vier Letzte Lieder” for soprano voice with orchestral accompaniments. The quartet’s first three songs, “Frühling” (Spring), “September” and “Beim Schlafengehen” (Going to Sleep), are set to poems by German-Swiss novelist, painter and poet Hermann Hesse (July 2, 1877-Aug. 9, 1962). The fourth song, “Im Abendrot” (At Gloaming), considers a poem by Prussian literary critic, novelist, playwright and early Romantic poet Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff (March 10, 1788-Nov. 26, 1857).

Strauss completed “Frühling,” “Beim Schlafengehen” and “September” on July 18, 1948; Aug. 4, 1948; and Sept. 20, 1948, respectively. He completed “Im Abendrot” on May 6, 1948.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (born March 6, 1944), appearing with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the orchestra’s music director, Zubin Mehta (born April 29, 1936), is credited with the first public performance of “Malven.” The song’s world premiere took place Thursday evening, Jan. 10, 1985, at a subscription concert in Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York. Additional performances were offered Friday afternoon, Jan. 11; Saturday evening, Jan. 12; and Tuesday evening, Jan. 15.

The concert opened with Symphony, Opus 21, by Austrian composer and conductor Anton Webern (Dec. 3, 1883-Sept. 15, 1945), followed by Strauss’ “Four Last Songs” and “Malven.” After the intermission, Symphony No. 1, A-flat major, Opus 55 by English composer Sir Edward Elgar (June 2, 1857-Feb. 23, 1934) was performed.

The musical association of Richard Strauss with Maria Jeritza dates to his discovery of the Czech soprano at Künstler Theater in Munich, Germany, in July 1911. She was performing in La Belle Hélène (German: Die schöne Helena; English: The Beautiful Helen) by German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (June 20, 1819-Oct. 5, 1880).

Maria Jeritza originated roles in premieres of Strauss operas in Europe and in the United States. She performed as the prima donna and as Ariadne in the world and Austrian premieres of Ariadne auf Naxos (Ariadne on Naxos), respectively held Oct. 25, 1912, at Germany’s Kleines Haus des Stuttgarter Hoftheaters (Small Playhouse of Stuttgart Court Theater) and Oct. 4, 1916, at Wiener Hofoper (Vienna Court Opera). On Oct. 10, 1919, she originated the role of the Empress (Die Kaiserin) in the world premiere of Die Frau Ohne Schatten (The Woman Without a Shadow) at Wiener Operntheater (1918 renamed Wiener Hofoper). Maria Jeritza created the title role of Die Ägyptische Helena (The Egyptian Helen) in the opera’s Austrian premiere June 11, 1928, and for its United States premiere Nov. 6, 1928, at the Metropolitan Opera.

The takeaway for Richard Strauss’ dedication of his last work, “Malven,” to Maria Jeritza is that the late Romantic-early modern German composer, born June 11, 1864, discovered the Czech soprano July 1911 and appreciated her interpretations of his operas, beginning with Ariadne aux Naxos in 1912.

Maria Jeritza and Richard Strauss in Berlin, Jan. 1, 1930; photo by Scherl/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo: Trendfem.com @MaryGNguyen, via Twitter Aug. 29, 2014

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Maria Jeritza in costume backstage with Richard Strauss at a performance of Die Ägyptische Helena in Vienna, Austria; photo by Jewish-German photographer László Willinger (April 16, 1909-Aug. 8, 1989): GBOPERA @gbopera, via Twitter Sep. 28, 2014, @ https://twitter.com/gbopera/status/516128301778481152

Maria Jeritza and Richard Strauss in Berlin, Jan. 1, 1930; photo by Scherl/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo: Trendfem.com @MaryGNguyen, via Twitter Aug. 29, 2014, @ https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/505289800115838976

For further information:

“Debuts: Maria Jeritza, George Meader.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 79050 United States Premier Die Tote Stadt {1} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 11/19/1921.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=79050

Downes, Edward. “’Four Last Songs’: Richard Strauss.” In: Phillip Ramey, program ed., Notes on the Program: 11. New York Philharmonic Archives > 1985 Jan 10, 11, 12, 15 Subscription Season.
Available @ https://archives.nyphil.org/index.php/artifact/deff597e-a107-488b-9165-89a7a071dd9c-0.1/fullview#page/3/mode/1up

Eriksson, Erik. “Maria Jeritza.” AllMusic > Artist.
Available @ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/maria-jeritza-mn0002180952

GBOPERA ‏@gbopera. “Richard Strauss Celebrations: ‘Die Agyptische Helena’ gbopera.it/2014/09/richar…” Twitter. Sept. 28, 2014.
Available @ https://twitter.com/gbopera/status/516128301778481152

Kissler, John M. “’Malven’: Richard Strauss’s ‘Letzte Rose!’” Tempo, new series, no. 185 (June 1993): 18-25.
Available via JSTOR @ https://www.jstor.org/stable/945709

Marriner, Derdriu. “Maria Jeritza Sang Title Role in U.S. Turandot Premiere at Met Opera.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Aug. 6, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/08/maria-jeritza-sang-title-role-in-us.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Violanta and Die Tote Stadt Composer Erich Korngold Was Born May 29, 1897.” Earth and Space News. Monday, May 27, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/12/hansel-und-gretel-is-dec-24-2016.html

The Princeton Class of 1912. “Irving Peter Seery ’12.” Princeton Alumni Weekly, vol. LXVI, no. 19 (March 1, 1966): 13.
Available via Google Books @ https://books.google.com/books?id=0RhbAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA133

Ramey, Phillip. “’Malven’ (‘Mallows’) for Soprano and Piano: Richard Strauss.” In: Phillip Ramey, program ed., Notes on the Program: 12A-12B. New York Philharmonic Archives > 1985 Jan 10, 11, 12, 15 Subscription Season.
Available @ https://archives.nyphil.org/index.php/artifact/deff597e-a107-488b-9165-89a7a071dd9c-0.1/fullview#page/1/mode/1up

Rockwell, John. “Song by Richard Strauss Discovered.” The New York Times. Sept. 15, 1984.
Available @ https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/15/arts/song-by-richard-strauss-discovered.html

Senelick, Laurence. Jacques Offenbach and the Making of Modern Culture. Cambridge, United Kingdom; New York NY: Cambridge University Press, 2017.

Strauss, Richard, Dr. “Maria Jeritza, International Gefeierte Sopranistin.” Official Richard Strauss Website > Errinerungen.
Available @ http://www.richardstrauss.at/erinnerungen.html

Trendfem.com @MaryGNguyen. “#MariaJeritza with #Strauss created the roles of Ariadne (1912) & the Empress in his Die Frau ohne Schatten (1919).” Twitter. Aug. 29, 2014.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/505289800115838976

“United States Premiere: Die Ägyptische Helena.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 100100 United States Premiere Die Ägyptische Helena {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/6/1928.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=100100

Wehrli-Knobel, Betty. Neue Gedichte. Zürich, Switzerland: Verlag Die Ausfahrt, 1949.