Vier letzte Lieder

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Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs). Songs for high v. and orch. by R. Strauss, comp. 1948. 5th song left unfinished. In order of comp.:

1. Im Abendrot (In the Sunset) (Eichendorff),

2. Frühling (Spring),

3. Beim schlafengehen (Falling asleep),

4. September. (Poems of 2, 3, and 4 by Hesse). Title of cycle given by publisher after Strauss's death. Strauss is said to have favoured order 3, 4, 2, 1. Some authorities believe that orch. vers. (1948) of Ruhe, meine Seele! (1894) was intended as part of the cycle. F.p. London 1950, Flagstad and Philharmonia Orch., cond. Furtwängler.