A survey of dissertations on Strauss reveals trends that emerged over time in terms of topics and methodologies that captured the interest of emerging scholars as well as the geographic locations and eras that produced the most research. Yet Strauss scholarship is not merely defined by the issues it addresses and questions it puts forward, but also by those it ignores or unwittingly pushes to the margins of discussion. After assessing the past, this chapter proposes topics and approaches largely absent in existing Strauss scholarship, many of which have been more thoroughly explored in related fields. While far from comprehensive, this discussion points to potentially fruitful paths for future research: the Lieder, his influence on contemporaries, his role as Kapellmeister and administrator, his material possessions, and his relationships with figures trusted to construct his legacy.

Strauss’s written correspondence consists of many thousands of documents. The publicly-known portion is extensive indeed, even without approximating the total inventory: edited today are some 8,000 letters, postcards, and telegrams to and from the composer, the bulk of which have not been translated. Hitherto untapped, however, is more than that amount of material in various archives and libraries. Particularly noteworthy here is the family-owned Richard-Strauss-Archiv in Garmisch, which houses the largest share of Straussiana worldwide, including the largest collection of letters to the composer. An official, even if not fully complete catalog of Strauss’s correspondence, both published and unpublished, is still an urgent research desideratum. This chapter contextualizes the extant materials by focusing on issues such as access, chronology, editorial standards, and dissemination, while calling for all materials to be made accessible via modern edition principles.