2. Why is Strauss’s father so important?
Franz Strauss was one of the leading horn players of the 19th century, as well as a respected composer in his own right. He instilled a very strong conservative musical upbringing in his son, and guided his musical training. Franz Strauss had no use for Salome, and commented: “Oh God, what nervous music. It is exactly as if one had one’s trousers full of maybugs”.