Kolotylenko M. The Songwriting of Richard Strauss: artistic context, peculiarities of traditions' transformation

The thesis is dedicated to the songwriting of Richard Strauss (1864-1949), one of the most outstanding representatives of German musical culture of the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. The thesis examines the features of Austro-German Romantic art songs and explores the specific features that character-ized the song genre of the 19th - 20th centuries as the environment in which the song-writing of Richard Strauss developed. As a result of analyzing a number of composer's vocal cycles and songs collections, including "Lotus Petals" Op. 19, "Simple Tunes" Op. 21, 4 Songs Op. 27, 6 Songs Op. 68 and orchestral songs (Op. 33, 44, 51, 71, "Four Last Songs"), the thesis arrives at a conclusion as to the set of principles under-lying Richard Strauss' individual style of songwriting and establishes the relationship of composer's work with the art of late Austro-German musical Romanticism.