This collection of orchestral excerpts from the symphonic works of Richard Strauss includes his most important compositions and the most called upon sections for auditions and juries.

It can be said that Strauss not only brought the valved trumpet to prominence but revived somewhat the use of the trumpet as a solo instrument to the importance it had attained during the baroque period. From the time of these works to the present there have been many improvements in the instruments themselves and the players have become more proficient. At the time these works were written and first performed the trumpets were not yet perfected. They were difficult to play and the intonation of the instrument was very poor. With the improvements in the instruments and the works of Strauss to show what could be done by the trumpet, composers started using the instrument in more important passages. In the compositions for orchestra written in the twentieth century up until the present time it is not uncommon to find the trumpet used extensively as a solo instrument. The trumpet today is secondary in importance to no other wind instrument in the orchestra, and we have Richard Strauss to thank.

To the left you will find some samples, and below the full list of pieces included. Give them a try then grab an immediate PDF download above.

Table of Contents

1. Symphony in F minor
2. From Italy
3. Don Juan
4. Macbeth
5. Death and Transfiguration
6. Till Eulenspiegel
7. Thus Spake Zarathustra
8. Don Quixote
9. A Hero’s Life
10. Symphonia Domestica