Richard Strauss

Muttertaendelei, Op. 43/2 [composer's transcription in G]

Richard Strauss (1864-1949) wrote his 3 Gesänge älterer deutscher Dichter (3 Songs by Older German Poets) in 1899 for high voice and piano. The three songs are: 1. An sie (To Them; text by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock); 2. Muttertändelei (Mother Chatter; text by Gottfried August Bürger); 3. Die Ulme zu Hirsau (The Elm of Hirsau; text by Ludwig Uhland). Muttertändelei has become the more popular of the three, depicting a deliriously happy new mother who would not give her child away "for all the coins in the world." The ebullient and perky song makes sudden, unexpected harmonic modulations, all set to the comic text by Gottfried August Bürger (1747-1794). Strauss orchestrated the accompaniment in 1911 in the original key of F. A version was later transposed to E major. Both keys are available from the publisher. Instrumentation: 2.2+EH.2.2: 2.0.0.0: Perc(2): Str (9-8-7-6-0 in set; no Bass): Solo High Voice.