KNOW YOUR CLASSICS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 477, 13 August 1948, Page 17

KNOW YOUR CLASSICS

THIS series of articles, written for "The Listener" by ~~ Se

BESSIE

POLLARD

is designed to help the student and the interested

listener towards a more complete appreciation of good music. Each article deals in outline with one accepted masterpiece and illustrates : its main themes.

(6) Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Op. 28 (Richard Strauss ) ICHARD STRAUSS'’S tone-poem Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, first performed in 1895, is based on a famous folk tale about a merry rogue who went through life whistling casually as he executed one practical joke after another. Although Strauss makes him ultimately die at the gallows, actually the real Till is said to have died of the Black Death at Lubeck in 1350. Strauss adopts the Rondo form for his tone-poem, and he employs a large orchestra, with a particularly full wood-wind section. The work begins with a prologue in subdued colouring, suggesting the "once upon a time" atmosphere of a fairy tale, then the horn announces the first theme of the main subject-

Following a climax succeeded by a pause we hear Till’s motif (clarinet), then Till jumps on his horse and gallops off through a crowd of market women, upsetting their wares in all directions. Next‘he dons "seven-league boots" (trombone) and is away, searching for new adventures-

Till now disguises himself as a priest, and preaches to the faithful-

Next we find him playing cavalier to the girls, who rebuff him, and he makes off, vowing revenge. The next episode brings .him into contact with some learned professors (lower wood-winds) and Till mocks them with a vulgar little street song (violin and clerinet)-- ;

A formidable side-drum roll, and Till is brought before the judge (brass, followed by strings afd horns), who condemns him to hang for his misdeeds; he whistles and jokes-defiantly as he ascends the ladder and he is hanged (bassoons, horns, and trombones)- ~_- = oo +

The music of the short epilogue is retrospective and plaintive, based upon Till’s theme with all the mischief taken out of it, remembering him with tenderness; it rounds out the tale by réminding the listener that eee upon a time, there was a rogue named Till." Richard Strauss’s tone-poem "Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks" will be heard from Station 1YX at 9.36 p.m. on Saturday, August 21.