Becker, Marianne2015-01-072015-01-072015-01-07http://hdl.handle.net/10539/16188This study is concerned with an analysis of tne songs of Richard Strauss, op. 10 to op.56. The years during which these compositions were created (1882-1906) not only demonstrate clearly Strauss's individual development as a composer, but also represent a time of great change in music history generally, since they bridge the T.ate-Romantic and Twentieth-Century styles. Strauss stands as a central figure amidst all these developments and his music consequently reflects the spirit of those times. As a result, certjain issues had to be investigated before the songs could be analysed. The most important of these are: i Whether his music can be regarded as tonal or not; ii How far the ideal of Musik als Ausdruck influenced his compositions. The analyses of the songs were used to verify the findings that: i His works are generally not structured according to tonal principles (if tonality is defined as existing because of a hierarchical structuring of tonal materials around a central tonic) despite their consonant nature; ii Musik als Ausdruck was the single most important element in his musical philosophy and all else was subjugated to this ideal.enThesis