Richard Wagner

Wesendonck Lieder: No. 5, Träume

Richard Wagner's (1813-1883) collection of five songs titled Fünf Gedichte für eine Frauenstimme (Five Poems for a Female Voice), WWV 91, is more commonly known as Wesendonck Lieder after the source of the poems, Mathilde Wesendonck. Mathilde was the wife of Wagner's patron Otto Wesendonck, and there is some speculation that Wagner and Mathilde had a love affair that inspired the opera Tristan und Isolde (which are referenced in two of the songs, calling them "studies" for Tristan und Isolde), but idea that these songs were also inspired by the same possible affair is given less attention. They were written originally for female voice and piano between 1857 and 1858, though Wagner did orchestrate No. 5, Träume, for chamber orchestra to be played at Mathilde's window for her birthday on December 23, 1857. The remaining songs were orchestrated in 1893 by the Wagner conductor Felix Mottl. While originally written for the female voice, tenors have also contributed their own interpretations starting in the 20th century. The five songs are: 1. Der Engel (The Angel); 2. Stehe still! (Be still!); 3. Im Treibhaus - Studie zu Tristan und Isolde (In the Greenhouse); 4. Schmerzen (Sorrows); 5. Träume - Studie zu Tristan und Isolde (Dreams). This edition of No. 5: Träume (Traeume) is in A-flat and is transcribed by the composer for chamber accompaniment and solo voice, though the solo may also be just played by violin or flute. Instrumentation: 0.1.2.2: 2.0.0.0: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set: Solo [voice, violin, or flute]. Reprint edition.