Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, TrV 171, Op. 28

Description

TILL EULENSPIEGELS LUSTIGE STREICHE (TILL EULENSPIEGEL'S MERRY PRANKS), is a tone poem written in 1894-95 by Richard Strauss (1864-1949). It chronicles the misadventures and pranks of the German peasant folk hero Till Eulenspiegel, who is represented by two themes. The first, played by the horn, is a lilting melody that reaches a peak, falls downward, and ends in three long, loud notes, each progressively lower. The second, for D clarinet, is crafty and wheedling, suggesting a trickster doing what he does best. Dedicated to Strauss' friend Arthur Seidl, it premiered on May 6, 1895 by the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne conducted by Franz Wüllner.

Instrumentation: 3+Picc.3+EH.2+ECl-BCl.3+CBsn: 8 (4 opt).6 (3 opt).3.1: Timp. Perc (3-4): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set).