Richard Strauss

Weihnachtslied op. 2

Strauss's very first "Lied" - in fact his very first attempt as a composer - was a Christmas song, "Weihnachtslied", to a poem by Christian Schubart, most famous as the poet of Schubert's "Die Forelle". The six-year-old composer was just able to "paint in the notes" (as he put it), but because he "could not write small enough" the words were inscribed into the manuscript by his mother. Melody and accompaniment are both simple and unadorned, but the harmonization is far from elementary, with an unexpectedly touching modulation at the end. Dutch arranger Jos van de Braak arranged this "Weihnachtslied" in a small setting for Voice, two Clarinets and Bassoon.