Richard Strauss: Salome - Op. 54 (Full Score)

Composed in July, 1905.

0:00- Scene I
5:21- Scene II
14:24- Scene III
40:24- Scene IV



There is no work in the operatic canon quite like Salome. Not even Elektra, which was composed IMMEDIATELY after Salome. In Elektra, our lead character is a triumphant savior in the end; yes, she is driven to death by embracing Hatred and Revenge as her companions, but she can really be considered the deliverer of justice. In Salome, our character is a sexually confused and psychopathic teenager, driven to clinical insanity by the dull court life of Herod Antipas. She is an allegory of the role of sexual desire in society. She is described as beautiful, but she is also described as pale and sickly, perhaps suffering from a Jack Torrance-esque case of hormonal Cabin Fever.
The simplistic language of Wilde’s play contributes to the effect of this opera, as if it were some kind of nightmare, like all of what we are seeing is not real. The scenes that are meant to poke fun at society (namely the Jewish scene) are instead emphasized to contribute to the overall feelings of this opera: feelings of anxiety, feelings of claustrophobia, violence, discomfort, and a hint of vague, grotesque irony. These are furthermore emphasized by the extremely experimental orchestrations: the heckelphone, unlike Elektra, has virtuosic passages here. The xylophone has one of its first appearances in opera, the horns and trumpets have various sections with quick, hideous tremolos, and, of course, there is that famous section with solo contrabass playing in treble sforzandos, to represent the smothered screams of the damned.
The harmony shifts CONSTANTLY, in beautiful, hypnotic ways. There are many sections with almost pure atonality. Just listen to the section after Salome says she wants John the Baptist’s head. The bass is constantly moving, the violins frantically sputter all over the place, Herod and Herodias interrupt eachother, it is all complete, delicious chaos.
In short, I love Salome, perhaps not as much as Elektra, but making this video has made Salome even more dear to my heart.

Georg Solti with the Wiener Philharmoniker, 1961. I do not own the recording. This video was made for educational purposes.