Rheinlegendchen from Des Knaben Wunderhorn (4 Tpts, Flugel, 4 Hns, 3 Trbs, Tuba)

Rheinlegendchen from Des Knaben Wunderhorn (4 Tpts, Flugel, 4 Hns, 3 Trbs, Tuba) (Programme note: Des Knaben Wunderhorn (Youths Magic Horn) is a collection of German folk poems published in 1805-8. Mahlers numerous settings of these poems are scattered around his catalogue: some for voice and piano, some with orchestral accompanimiment and some of which he used as movements in his symphonies. The first 9 were written in 1887 and make up Volumes 2 and 3 of his voice and piano collections. 12 more were published in 1899, originally as Humoresken, conceived with orchestral accompaniment. Urlicht and Es sungen drei Engel were replaced in 1901 by 2 new songs after Mahler had incorporated the earlier songs into his 2nd and 3rd symphonies. Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt and Ablösung im Sommer were also included in the 2nd and 3rd symphonies as instrumental movements. Rheinlegendchen (Little Rhine Legend) is number 7 in the Humoresken collection. It tells the story of a young girl mowing the grass by the riverside. She complains that though her sickle is sharp her lover is inconstant. She imagines throwing her ring into the river where it will be washed out to sea and swallowed by a fish which ends up on the kings plate. Her sweetheart will claim it back and rush to her side. Performance note: This can be performed as an instrumental item or with voice. If a vocal version is performed it may be necessary to tacet some lines that double the voice at the performers discretion. These lines are marked as leading voice. Aim for a simple but expressive style keeping the overall texture light.)