The subject of this work, Till Eulenspiegel, is a legendary rogue from northern Germany. Stories of his life were passed down orally for generations before being compiled and published in the 15th-century chapbook Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks. Till delighted in bewildering people with his countless pranks, but he also mocked the Church and those in power, and even took witty revenge on the pompous masters who supervised wandering craftsmen (journeymen). In this way, he became a folk hero whose escapades offered people a sense of release from everyday frustrations.
Richard Strauss initially planned to write an opera based on these traditional tales, but he ran into difficulty while drafting the libretto himself. As a result, he ultimately wrote the work as an orchestral composition, completing it in 1895. Bearing the subtitle "A Tone Poem in Rondo Form, Based on an Old Rogue's Tale", it was a triumph at its premiere and remains the most frequently performed of Strauss's seven tone poems.
The structure of this work is actually closer to sonata form than to a rondo. Each section features vivid tone painting, and Strauss left explanatory remarks in the score-added at the request of the critic W. Mauke-some of which are quoted below in brackets.
Exposition:
The exposition, following a leisurely introduction (suggesting: "Once upon a time, there was a mischievous fellow..."), presents two striking melodies:
-The famous "Till's Theme", played by a Horn solo (announcing: "His name is Till Eulenspiegel!").
-Till's "Laughing Theme", performed by an E-flat Clarinet solo (originally D Clarinet) (suggesting: "He was a terribly mischievous fellow").
Development:
As the two main themes are developed, four episodes from the legends unfold.
- Episode 1 (m. 133-): "Till frees the cattle and horses tethered in the marketplace, causing an uproar; then he escapes on flying boots and hides in a mouse hole to observe the commotion."
- Episode 2 (m. 179-): "Till disguises himself as a monk and delivers a nonsensical sermon."
- Episode 3 (m. 209-): "Disguised as a knight, Till courts a beautiful lady, only to be coldly rejected. Furious, he vows revenge on all humankind."
- Episode 4 (m. 293-): "Choosing pedantic scholars as his first targets, Till entangles them in an outrageous debate. As the argument turns against him, he hums a tune and slips away.
Recapitulation:
The horn restates the "Till theme" (m. 429-), but the mischief continues to escalate. Just as the music reaches its climax, a fierce drum roll cuts it off-Till has been captured at last.
Coda (m. 573-):
"At first Till mocks his captors, but gradually he trembles in fear of death." He is sentenced and ultimately meets his fate on the gallows-although the historical Till is said to have died of the plague. The near-final "Epilogue" (m. 632-), a reprise of the work's opening, forms an unforgettable ending that suggests Till's tales will continue to be passed down through generations.
This wind band arrangement was written in April 2009 at the request of Mr. Tomoki Ubata of Saitama Prefectural Inagakuen Comprehensive Upper Secondary School, who has deep expertise in Strauss's music. As in the original, the balance and contrast among the instruments are skillfully preserved, making the piece highly engaging. Moreover, only by overcoming the considerable technical challenges can performers fully convey Strauss's characteristic floods of humor and wit. I would add that the first performance-at the Inagakuen Wind Orchestra 24th annual concert on May 3-4 of the same year-was truly remarkable despite the work's difficulty.
The tuba part is written in octaves on the assumption that an E-flat bass will be used alongside the tuba. If performed with tuba alone, please omit the upper notes where necessary.
(Kazuhiro Morita)
