STRAUSS, Richard and Hugo von HOFMANNSTHAL. Elektra. London, New York, Sydney etc.: Boosey & Hawkes, 1943. Signed and inscribed by Richard Strauss to Sir Thomas Beecham on the initial blank, large 8vo (272 x 186mm.) (Spotting to endpapers). Original cloth-backed boards, gilt initials 'R.S' to upper cover (minor spotting to cloth, slight weakening to inner hinge and minor discolouring to covers). Note: the inscription reads: 'Sir Thomas Beecham, dem treuer Freund und genialer interpreten meiner Werke, in grosslen Dankbarkeit und Bewunderung, Richard Strauss, London 24.10.47' [ Sir Thomas Beecham, the faithful friend and genius interpreter of my work, with deep gratitude and admiration, Richard Strauss, London, 24.10.47.] On the 19th February 1910, Thomas Beecham conducted the U.K. premiere of 'Elektra' at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. It began many decades of collaboration between them. Nearly forty years later, and a few days before inscribing this book Richard Strauss had attended the Strauss Festival in London - which Beecham had organised. He'd recently undergone and been 'cleared' by the 'denazification' process in Germany and Strauss felt enormous gratitude to Beecham for his support and the festival was to become crucial in the post-war acceptance of Strauss and his work. Provenance: Sir Thomas Beecham (ink ownership stamps to pastedowns reading 'The Property of Sir Thomas Beecham').