used in his A major String Quintet, and also the viola alta, an instrument developed during the 1870s by Hermann Ritter and the prototype of viola expressly endorsed by Richard Wagner for his Bayreuth Orchestra. A heavily contrapuntal composer, Draeseke reveled in writing choral music, achieving major success with his B minor Requiem of 1877–1880. His most contrapuntal work is called Mysterium "Christus", which is composed of a prologue and three separate oratorios and requires three days for a complete performance, a work which occupied him between the years 1894–1899 but whose conception reaches back to the 1860s. According to some , Draeseke's Symphonia Tragica (Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 40) deserves a place alongside the symphonies of Brahms and Bruckner. Other orchestral works by Draeseke include the Serenade in D major (1888) and its companion of the same year, the symphonic prelude after Kleist's Penthesilea. Draeseke also composed chamber music. Estimation During his life, and the period shortly following his death, the music of Draeseke was held in high regard, even among his musical opponents. His compositions were performed frequently in Germany by the leading artists of the day, including Hans von Bülow, Arthur Nikisch, Fritz Reiner, and Karl Böhm. However, as von Bülow once remarked to him, he was a "harte Nuß" ("a hard nut to crack") and despite the quality of his works, he would "never be popular among the ordinary". Draeseke could be sharply critical and this sometimes led to strained relations, the most notorious instance being with Richard Strauss, when Draeseke attacked Strauss’s Salome in his 1905 pamphlet Die Konfusion in der Musik — rather surprising, as Draeseke was a clear influence on the young Strauss. Draeseke's music was promoted during the Third Reich. After the Second World War, changes in fashion and political climates allowed his name and music to slip into obscurity. But as the 20th century ended, new recordings spurred a renewed interest in his music. Notable works Orchestral Symphony No. 1 in G major, Op. 12 (1872) Symphony No. 2 in F major, Op. 25 (1876) Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 40 "Symphonia Tragica" (1885–6) Symphony No. 4 in E minor, WoO 38 "Symphonia Comica" (1912) Julius Caesar, symphonic poem (1860, revised 1865) Serenade in D major for small orchestra, Op. 49 (1888) Penthesilea, symphonic prelude (after Kleist), Op. 50 (1888) Jubel-ouvertüre, Op. 65 (1898) Concerto for