Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks

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Till Eulenspiegel (woodcut, 1515)

Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks op. 28, TrV 171 is a tone poem for large orchestra by Richard Strauss . The work of the then 30-year-old composer is now one of the most popular and most frequently performed orchestral works. The playing time is approx. 15 minutes.

Emergence

From the end of 1893 to the spring of 1894, Strauss worked on a libretto for a projected opera entitled Till Eulenspiegel bei den Schildbürgern , which was to follow his Guntram as a comical-satirical counterpart. He expresses himself as follows to an unknown recipient:

"Now I'm working on a 'Till Eulenspiegel among the people of the shield', I've already put together a very nice plot, only I don't see the figure of Mr. Till Eulenspiegel exactly in front of me, the folk book only passed down a rogue who is too shallow as a dramatic figure - but deepening the figure on the side of human contempt also has its great difficulties (...) ”.

Strauss has probably already sketched some musical motifs, but he broke off the work for unknown reasons. In the autumn of 1894, Strauss took up the subject again and used the "Till Eulenspiegel" text that had already been written as a program for Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks; according to the old rogue style in a round shape; set for large orchestra . According to Hartmut Becker, “this title, with the antiquated form of 'Rondeau' and the stilted expression 'set', announces the grimaces of the scoundrel Till, who is here not only with his fellow men, but - in the form of the composer - also with the listeners Playing antics. "

Strauss finished the fair copy on May 6, 1895 in Munich . The piece is dedicated to Arthur Seidl , a publicist and Nietzschean with whom he had been friends for several years. The work was premiered on November 5, 1895 as part of the second subscription concert of the Cologne Concert Society in the Gürzenich in Cologne with the Städtisches Gürzenich Orchestra under the direction of Franz Wüllner .

Publishing license Till Eulenspiegel (1895)

Musical figure

After Death and Transfiguration was formally designed as a modified sonata form, Strauss, as the title already indicates, reverted to the rondo principle on which Don Juan was based, with passage-like passages; The work is framed by a prologue and an epilogue , in which the orchestra takes on the role of a narrator, so to speak. The rondo form proves to be very freely designed; the piece contains elements of a sonata form as well as a variation and, with its rapid 6/8 time, is undoubtedly reminiscent of a symphonic scherzo . Ultimately, however, there are also some arguments in favor of understanding the composer's statement “in rondeau form” as a deliberate misleading.

The work comprises a total of 656 bars and is in the basic key of F major. Noteworthy are, among other things, parodic and tonal effects, Strauss' nuanced instrumentation as well as detailed information on tempo , dynamics and character ( presentation designations ). Furthermore, the title character Till Eulenspiegel is characterized by several themes , similar to Don Juan .

prolog

The work begins with a five-bar introduction (prologue), which was added later - originally, the music was supposed to start straight away in full time. The post-composed prologue seems a bit like opening a stage curtain or as if a narrator was reading “Once upon a time”. Strauss already presents the main features of the Till motif and overwrites it with the words: "Once upon a time there was a joker". In the entire piece, however, the introduction does not play any further role before it is heard again at the very end as an epilogue ( in the timeframe of the beginning ).

After the prologue, four episodes ( pranks ) appear one after the other, which illustrate Till's pranks musically: In the first episode, Till's ride into the pots of the nagging market women is shown, in the second he preaches disguised as a monk. In the third episode, Eulenspiegel's unsuccessful approaches to a girl and his candidacy with a group of scholars are set to music. Ultimately, the rogue is sentenced to death in court.

Main themes

A few bars later, two contrasting themes are presented, which represent the protagonist Till Eulenspiegel as if it were a leitmotif , and which appear varied in the course of the work.

Till Eulenspiegel: 1st topic (horn solo)

The first theme (bars 6–12) is played immediately after the prologue at a rapid pace from the 1st horn and represents the symphonic hero Till Eulenspiegel. Because of the three eighth notes in the G sharp , the theme begins with its partly chromatically filled rise with each repetition (it is repeated twice) an eighth later - a metric disturbance that also symbolizes Till's chaotic character, who despises indifferent traditional rules.

Till Eulenspiegel: 2nd theme, consisting of motif 1 (D clarinet) and motif 2 (oboes & cor anglais)

The second theme, which Till Eulenspiegel also represents, is more likely to be described as a combination of motifs and appears as a “calm” string version, hinted at in the prologue (bars 1–4). However , the theme only acquires its mischievous character (beginning with unstressed beat, strong rhythmic contrasts, performance description funny ) when it is performed by the garish D clarinet in bars 46–49. It consists of a melodic part, a downward and upward six-tone figure, and a harmonic, jerky turn of the moving figure that dissolves in the target key. The chord into which the motif ends (under the long G sharp ' ) can also be understood as a parody of the Tristan chord by Richard Wagner . In this way Strauss emancipated himself compositionally from Wagner's legacy.

Overall shape

No. Section (with Strauss' program notes) Tact Time signature Tempo / performance information
1. Once upon a time there was a joker (prologue) 1 4/8 Leisurely
2. Named "Till Eulenspiegel" 7th 6/8 gradually more lively, full time measure (very lively)
3. That was a bad goblin 46 6/8 Always very lively / fun
4th On to new pranks 75 6/8
5. Just wait, you duckies 113 6/8 (do not rush) / grazioso
6th Hop! On horseback through the middle of the market women [1. Prank] 135 6/8
7th He pinches out with seven-league boots 151 6/8
8th. Hidden in a mouse hole 159 6/8
9. Disguised as a pastor, he drips with anointing and morality [2. Prank] 179 2/4 Leisurely
10. But the rogue peeps out of the big toe 191 2/4 (mischievously)
11. He is gripped by a secret horror of the end because of the mockery of religion 196 2/4
12th Till, as a gentleman, exchanging gentle courtesy with beautiful girls [3. Prank] 208 6/8 First measure of time (very lively) / (smooth)
13th He woos her 221 6/8 scherzando, espressivo
14th A fine basket is also a basket 243 6/8 calmer - angry - always livelier
15th Swears to take vengeance on all humanity 262 6/8 expressive
16. Philistine motif [4. Prank] 292 6/8
17th After he has put forward a few monstrous theses for the Philistines, he leaves the amazed to their fate. 313 6/8
18th Grimace from afar [last stroke] 343 6/8
19th Tills hit songs 374 2/4 frivolously
392 2/4 fast and shadowy
409 6/8 a little more leisurely
Till theme (recapitulation) 428 6/8 gradually more lively, full time measure (very lively)
20th The court 572 6/8 (threatening)
21st He still whistles indifferently to himself! 581 6/8 indifferent
22nd Up on the ladder! There he dangles, he runs out of air, one last twitch - Till's mortal life has ended 614 2/4
[23.] epilogue 631 4/8 Twice as slow (in the time measure of the beginning)
(Coda) 649 6/8 Very lively

Notes on the program

When the conductor Franz Wüllner asked in writing about the program of “probably the only self-explanatory symphonic poem in all of the orchestral literature”, Strauss initially replied defensively via telegram: “It is impossible to analyze all the jokes in tones. letter follows. ". The composer initially did not consider the publication of programmatic information to be opportune, but on the same day he decided to be a bit more informative in a letter sent to the telegram and gave Wüllner some further information on the content, which he finally put in the program booklet for the premiere . Strauss refers “to the two Eulenspiegel themes that run through the entire work in different disguises, voices and situations, right up to the catastrophe: Till is pinned after the verdict.” Later, more detailed programmatic analyzes by Till Eulenspiegel, authorized by Strauss, appeared funny pranks , among others by Wilhelm Klatte and Wilhelm Mauke . According to Adrian Kech, the terms added for Mauke were misunderstood for a long time - as if there had been a preconceived Eulenspiegel program that had dictated the musical form to the composer. However, the sketches contradict this. Rather, Strauss developed the course of the work from the basic conflict of the piece: Till versus the Philistines .

Philistine motif (A minor episode)

Strauss handwritten the following key words in his own printed score :

Once upon a time ... / Entrata: / O those duckies / hop! On horseback through the middle of the market women! / and creates a terrible mess! / o how he pinches with seven-league boots! / he's gone! / Hidden in a mouse hole! / Disguised as a pastor, he drips with anointing and the like. Moral! / but the rogue peeps out of the big toe. / but at the mockery of the holy religion he is seized with a secret horror that the matter [will end] again badly / As a cavalier! exchanging gentle courtesies with beautiful girls / stop! One really did it to him! / He advertises! / oho, it doesn't go that fast! a fine basket is also a basket / he leaves / he swears to take revenge on the whole human race! / u. the Philistines arrived! / stop! let's give them some nuts to crack! / u. [dance] around them on their heads / after he put forward some monstrous theses to the Philistines, he leaves them to their fate! / u. lo and behold, they started talking in 5 languages ​​u. nobody understood the other! / a big grimace from afar!

He explained his intentions behind the composition as follows:

“It's impossible for me to give a program to Eulenspiegel: if I put it into words, what I thought of the individual parts would often look damned funny and cause a lot of offense. - Do we want to let the people crack open the nuts that the rogue gives them this time? In order to make an understanding possible at all, it may be sufficient to write down the two Eulenspiegel themes on the program: [Note: Strauss adds examples of notes here] which pull through the whole thing in a wide variety of disguises and moods, such as situations up to the catastrophe, where he picks up after the judgment: [Note: sample of the falling seventh] was spoken about him. The episode in A minor is his doctorate with the philistine professors, I believe in Prague, where Till creates a formal Babylonian language confusion (the so-called fugato) with his monstrous theses and, after having lost himself thoroughly about it, [.. .] away [...]. Please consider this as a private communication: Comments in the score such as 'glowing in love' etc. will surely complete the immediate understanding of the meaning of the content of the individual episodes, dto. 'Pathetic': his confession etc. etc. "

A few years later, Strauss finally compiled "his" program in a concert guide that appeared in the Schlesinger music library:

  1. Once upon a time there was a fool
  2. Named "Till Eulenspiegel"
  3. That was a bad goblin
  4. On to new pranks
  5. Just wait, you duckies
  6. Hop! On horseback through the middle of the market women
  7. He pinches out with seven-league boots
  8. Hidden in a mouse hole
  9. Disguised as a pastor, he drips with anointing and morality
  10. But the rogue peeps out of the big toe
  11. He is gripped by a secret horror of the end because of the mockery of religion
  12. Till, as a gentleman, exchanging gentle courtesies with beautiful girls
  13. He woos her
  14. A fine basket is also a basket
  15. Swears to take vengeance on all humanity
  16. Philistine motif
  17. After having put forward a few monstrous theses to the Philistines, he leaves the astonished to their fate.
  18. Grimace from afar
  19. Tills hit songs
  20. The court
  21. He still whistles indifferently to himself!
  22. Up the ladder! There he dangles, he runs out of air, one last twitch - Till's mortal life has ended.

A reference to the epilogue (actually: No. 23) is strangely missing here.

occupation

Piccolo , 3 flutes , 3 oboes , English horn , 3 clarinets in D and Bb, bass clarinet in Bb, 3 bassoons , contrabassoon , 4 (sometimes 8) horns in F, E and D, 3 (sometimes 6) trumpets in F, D and C, 3 trombones , tuba , timpani , percussion ( cymbals , ratchet , triangle , snare drum and bass drum ), strings : violin (2), viola , cello , double bass

In the instrumentation of Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks , Strauss works for the first time with four-fold woodwinds, four additional horns and three additional trumpets - each of which is ad libitum - as well as a string section that is precisely defined in terms of number and disposition, which is sometimes also divided or used as a soloist. The demands on the respective players are enormous and even higher than his previous orchestral works.

reception

Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks were a spontaneous success and were repeated several times. The first performance conducted by Strauss himself took place in Munich on November 29, 1895, whereupon the Munich arts section wrote:

“Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks made an impressive overall impression, even if at first on the outside, in which one simply couldn't help but notice the effect of the extremely lively color change of the extremely sophisticated instrumentation with the wonderful bravery of our fully represented court orchestra. What Strauss expects of the orchestra in virtuoso technique, in which he treats every single instrument, the violin, the flute, the horn, etc. in a concert-like manner, goes far beyond everything that has existed. The technical basis of the whole way of composing is a boldness of chromatics that goes far beyond Berlioz, Liszt and Wagner. The applause that the piece garnered was great, in part warm. "

Claude Debussy , who had heard a performance in Paris as a critic for the Revue blanche , gave the following reviews:

“This piece is like 'an hour of new music with the madmen': the clarinets perform insane dives, the trumpets are always blocked, and the horns, anticipating their constant sneezing, hurry up to them well, 'Well get it!' to call out; a big drum seems to underline the appearance of clowns with its boom boom. You feel like laughing out loud or crying sadly, and you are amazed that everything is still in its usual place, because it would not be so surprising if the double basses blew on their bows, the trombones their trumpets with imaginary bow lines and mister Nikisch [note: the conductor of the performance] kneels down on the usher's knees. None of that says anything against the fact that the piece has ingenious features, above all an extraordinary security in the orchestral treatment and an irrepressible movement that carries us away from beginning to end and forces us to witness all of the hero's pranks. Nikisch conducted their tumultuous succession with admirable coolness, and the applause that broke out for him and his orchestra was highly justified. "

anecdote

For the distinctive horn solo, Strauss was probably inspired by the first horn player of the Munich Opera Orchestra. When Strauss handed out the finished sheet music, the horn player said: “I can't play that!” Strauss replied: “Of course you can - it was you who gave me the idea. They played almost the same notes a few months ago while warming up, and I wrote them down. "

Chamber music arrangements

Franz Hasenöhrl (1885–1970) made an arrangement of the work in Vienna in 1954 with the title Grotesque musicale - Scherz for five instruments, “Till Eulenspiegel once different!” Op. 28 for violin, clarinet, horn, bassoon and double bass. The sentence names are: 1. Commodo; 2. Più allegro; 3. Meno mosso; 4. Più animato; 5. Leggiero; 6. Poco a poco più animato; 7. Assai animato; 8th epilogue: Meno mosso; 9. Assai animato.

In 2011, Aaron Dan (* 1981) created a chamber music version of the work for wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn) and piano.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks op. 28. In: Adventure Classic. Retrieved October 12, 2020 .
  2. ^ Willi Schuh: Richard Strauss. Youth and early master years . Atlantis, Zurich 1976, ISBN 3-7611-0490-1 , p. 332 .
  3. ↑ Hartmut Becker: Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks op.28. takt1.de, accessed on October 11, 2020 .
  4. ↑ Hartmut Schick: New thoughts have to look for new forms: Richard Strauss' tone poems and the problem of reprises . In: Richard Strauss - The composer and his work . tape 77 . Allitera Verlag, Munich 2014, ISBN 978-3-86906-990-6 .
  5. ↑ Till Eulenspiegel Music. In: Till-Eulenspiegel.de - everything about the famous fool. Retrieved October 12, 2020 .
  6. ^ Bernd Edelmann: Strauss and Wagner . In: Walter Werbeck (Ed.): Richard Strauss Handbook . Metzler, Stuttgart 2014, p. 74-76 .
  7. ↑ a b c d Alexander Moore: “Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks” tone poem op. 28. Accessed on October 11, 2020 .
  8. ^ Walter Werbeck: The tone poems by Richard Strauss . S. 245-251 .
  9. ^ Adrian Kech: Wagner's "Tristan" travestates. 2017, accessed October 12, 2020 .
  10. ^ Walter Werbeck: The tone poems by Richard Strauss . Schneider, Tutzing 1996, p. 540-541 .
  11. ↑ Till Eulenspiegel - with a difference! Retrieved October 14, 2020 .
  12. ↑ R. STRAUSS: TILL EULENSPIEGEL'S FUNNY PRESTS. Retrieved October 14, 2020 .