acquaintance
of Alexander Ritter, who, together with Hans von Buelow, is supposed to
have converted young Strauss, until then a good Brahmsian, to Wagnerism
and modernism. In 1885 at Buelow's invitation, Strauss conducted a
concert of the Meiningen Orchestra. In November of that year he
succeeded Buelow as conductor of the organization. In 1886 he become
third Kapellmeister at the Munich Opera; in 1889, director at Weimar.
1892-3 was spent in Egypt and Sicily after an attack of inflammation of
the lungs. In 1894 he became chief Kapellmeister at Munich. In 1895 his
European concert-tours commenced. He conducted in Budapest, Brussels,
Moscow, Amsterdam, London, Barcelona, Paris, Zuerich and Madrid. In 1898
he became conductor of the Berlin Royal Opera. In 1904 he came to
America to conduct at four festival concerts given in his honor in New
York. In one month he gave twenty-one concerts in different cities with
nearly as many orchestras. The tour ended with the hubbub over the fact
that Strauss had conducted a concert in John Wanamaker's. Since 1898
Strauss has resided chiefly in Charlottenburg and, in the summer, at
Marquardstein near Garmisch.

The dates of the composition of his principal works are:

"Serenade for Wind Instruments," Opus 7, 1882-83; "Eight Songs," Opus
10, 1882-83; "Aus Italien," Opus 16, 1886; "Don Juan," Opus 20, 1888;
"Tod und Verklaerung," Opus 24, 1889; "Four Songs," Opus 27, 1892-93;
"Till Eulenspiegel's Lustige Streiche," Opus 28, 1894-95; "Three Songs,"
Opus 29, 1894-95; "Also Sprach Zarathustra," Opus 30, 1894-95; "Don
Quixote," Opus 35, 1897; "Ein Heldenleben," Opus 40, 1898; "Feuersnot,"
Opus 50, 1900-01; "Taillefer," Opus 52, 1903; "Sinfonia Domestica," Opus
53, 1903; "Salome," Opus 54, 1904-05; "Elektra," Opus 58, 1906-08; "Der
Rosenkavalier," Opus 59, 1909-10; "Ariadne auf Naxos," Opus 60, 1911-12;
"Josef's Legende," 1913; "Eine Alpensymphonie," 1914-15; "Die Frau ohne
Schatten," 1915-17.

MOUSSORGSKY

Modest Petrovitch Moussorgsky was born March 16th, 1839, in the village
of Karevo in the government of Pskow, Russia. His parents were members
of the lesser nobility. His mother gave him his first piano lessons. At
the age of ten he was sent to the School of St. Peter and St. Paul in
Petrograd. His piano-studies were continued with a certain Professor
Herke. At the age of twelve he played in public a _Rondo de concert_ by
Herz. In 1852 he matriculated at the school for ensigns, and t