Richard Strauss (1864-1949) became famous above all for his programmatic orchestral music, the so-called tone poems, but also for his numerous songs and operas. Beyond his enormous importance as a composer, conductor and theatre director, he also redefined the role of the artist. He advocated an appropriate remuneration for the composer and compared the music-creating profession with that of a lawyer or doctor. This view was completely new at his time and met with resistance.

It was thanks to...