EIN HELDENLEBEN
The Hero
The Hero’s Critics
The Scholars
The Hero is saddened by the fact that he is not accepted
The critic and the scholars
He shuns his critics upon seeing:
The Hero’s partner (Pauline Strauss, his wife)
She is a woman of many moods.
Hypocritically languishing
Frivolous
Sweet, sentimental
Insolent
Playful
Lovable
More and more angry
Suddenly filled with warmth.
Angry
Scolding
Tender and loving
She submits to him completely
They gradually fall asleep
The Hero’s nightmare-- even in his sleep, the critics haunt him
A call to battle
The Hero arises
His gentle wife persuades him to remain in the reverie of slumber
The call to battle, even closer
The Hero cannot ignore this time, and with his wife at his side prepares to do battle.
The Battle begins--the Hero and his wife against his critics and foes.
Victory!
The Hero and his wife emerge victorious
The Hero’s works of peace
Two themes from Strauss’ Don Juan
The scholars are not impressed
Hero’s theme from Ein Heldenleben
Theme from Strauss” Death and Transfiguration
Theme from Strauss’ Don Quixote
Don Quixote (Sancho Panza) and Don Juan together (an odd pairing…)
Theme from Strauss Till Eugenspiegel
Death and Transfiguration and Strauss’ Thus Spake Zarathustra together
Love music from Strauss’ Don Quixote
Death and Transfiguration
Thus Spake Zarathustra
Still, the scholars shake their heads disapprovingly
The Hero breaks into a rage
Pastoral sounds in the English horns:
Perhaps the Hero is leaving for a more peaceful existence
Epilogue: The Hero and his helpmate escape from the world.
The critics rear their ugly heads one last time
The Hero tries to cast their weight from his shoulders
The Hero’s helpmate comforts and reassures him
The Hero (French horn) and his helpmate (solo violin) in a touching duet