Aus Italien ist eine sinfonische Dichtung im Gewand einer großen, viersätzigen Sinfonie, die zunächst fünfsätzig geplant war. Strauss komponierte das Werk im Alter von 22 Jahren, widmete es Hans von Bülow und dirigierte kurz nach Fertigstellung die Uraufführung in München. Als Zwischenwerk in Strauss' Entwicklung zum vollendeten Komponisten blieben viele Aspekte der Rezeption, Publikations- und Werkgeschichte bislang unbeachtet. Im Rahmen der neuen Edition "Richard Strauss Werke · Kritische Ausgabe" wurden alle Quellen einer Sichtung und Bewertung unterzogen, mit kritischem Bericht versehen und in neu gesetzter Partitur veröffentlicht.

The edition Richard Strauss Works · Critical Edition (RSW) is the first scholarly critical edition of Richard Strauss’s complete musical oeuvre. Up until now, the majority of his compositions have been available only in largely uncorrected reprints of older publications. In the new edition, all compositions in major genres – the complete stage works, orchestral works, lieder and songs, and chamber music – are newly edited and published in 64 volumes. The edition also incorporates different versions and fragments alongside a documentation of the sources, the genesis of individual works, and performance variations authorised by the composer. The edition consists of printed musical volumes with integrated critical reports and is augmented by an online platform featuring text comparisons and annotated collections of documents. The extensive introductions and footnotes are written in German and English.

Members of the Honorary Board: S. K. H. Franz Herzog von Bayern, Renée Fleming, Mariss Jansons (†), Prof. Dr. Peter Ruzicka, Prof. Dr. Alexander Strauss, Dr. Christian Strauss (†), Christian Thielemann

5 Facts about the edition:
*The first scholarly edition of the works of Richard Strauss
*Issued by the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Munich under the direction of Hartmut Schick in cooperation with the Richard Strauss Institute in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Work undertaken in the Richard Strauss Edition Research Centre at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich.
*The first volumes – Macbeth, Lieder Op. 10–29 and Don Juan – have been issued in April 2017.
*Critical reports are included in each volume; text comparisons and annotated collections of documents are available in digital form.
*Performance material to accompany the edition is in preparation.