Richard Strauss's Elektra

Bryan Gilliam's study of this major work looks at its musical-historical context: establishing its compositional chronology, examining critical response to the premiere--especially within the context of contemporary German opera. Gilliam, furthermore, explores a number of important, hitherto unexamined Elektra sources including Strauss's musically fresh insight into such issues as the relationship between voice and orchestra, thematic treatment, and tonal organization, all serving to enhance our understanding of this complex and compelling work.