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Frhlingsfeier
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Wikipedia article
"'Frhlingsfeier'" is a song composed by Richard Strauss using the text of a poem with the same name by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856), the fifth in his Opus 56 collection, (TrV 220) which was published in 1906. Originally written for piano and voice, Strauss wrote an orchestral version in 1933.
Composition History
Strauss set three of Heine's poems in his six Opus 56 songs, the poem 'Frhlingsfeier' being from Heine's collection 'Romanzen' (183942).
Startling and vivid, it depicts one of the wildest and most colorful of Spring rituals, the festival of Adonis...In addition to being the ideal of manly beauty, Adonis was the God of vegetation whose death and return to life represent decay in winter and its revival in Spring.Del Mar, page 353.
Jefferson believes that "This is the most uninhibited of Strauss's lieder so far as the words go, and certainly he matched these words to perfection in his later orchestral setting"Jefferson, page 72. The orchestral version was written for Viorica Ursuleac in 1933. With this song "he had reached his ultimate formula in transparent coloring of a big song supported by big orchestral forces" and "..it is a virtuoso song in every respect, and given the right kind of agony in its interpretation, the final six repetitions of "Adonis!" can wring the heart". Del Mar also believes that the song "...remains in its orchestral version one of the most passionately colorful of Strauss's Lieder".Del Mar, page 354.
Lyrics
"The poem expresses the ecstacy of the Spring festival of Adonis: its title could be translated as...'Rite of Spring', and Heine's poem expresses the cyclic ritual death motif. 'Frhlingsfeier' is a paen of pagan worship from Strauss's beloved Greece".Jefferson, page 72. Strauss added four repetitions of the name "Adonis" to the last verse.
Orchestral arrangement
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Strauss finished the orchestral arrangement on September 3, 1933 whilst staying at the Hotel Rez in Bad Wiessee (during the same visit he also orchestrated 'Mein Auge' and 'Befreit').Trenner, page 541. The premier of the orchestral version was given on 12 October 1933 in Berlin with Strauss conducting the Berlin philharmonic, Viorica Ursuleac the soloist.Trenner, page 542.
* Two flutes, Piccolo, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, Bass clarinet, two bassoons and one Contrabassoon.
* Four french horns, two trumpets, three trombones
* Timpani and Cymbal
* One harp.
* Strings
References
'Notes'
'Sources'
*Norman Del Mar, 'Richard Strauss. A Critical Commentary on his Life and Works', Volume 3, London: Faber and Faber (2009)[1968] (second edition), .
*Jefferson, Alan. (1971) 'The Lieder of Richard Straus's, Cassel and Company, London. .
*Trenner, Franz (2003) 'Richard Strauss Chronik', Verlag Dr Richard Strauss Gmbh, Wien, .
Category:Songs by Richard Strauss
Category:1906 songs
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