Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks

Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks (German: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, pronounced [tɪl ˈoʏ̯lənʃpiːɡl̩s ˈlʊstɪɡə ˈʃtraɪçə]), Op. 28, is a tone poem written in 1894–95 by Richard Strauss. 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.

The work opens with a "Once upon a time" theme,
$\relative c''' { \clef treble \key f \major \time 4/8 \tempo "Gemächlich" 8=88 \partial 8*1 a8(\p | f-.) b,( c-.) cis( | f4.) }$

as a solo horn bursts in with two repetitions of the first Till theme. $\relative c' { \clef treble \key f \major \tempo 4.=88 \time 6/8 r8 c-. f-. g-. gis4~( | gis8 a) c,-. f-. g!-. gis~( | gis4 a8) c,-. f-. g!-. | gis4-> a-> bes8-. b-. | d-. c-. a-. f-. c-. a-. | \clef bass f4. c-> | f,-> }$

The theme is taken by the rest of the orchestra in a rondo form (which Strauss spelled in its French form, rondeau), and this beginning section concludes with the tutti orchestra repeating two notes. The clarinet theme is heard next, suggesting Till's laughter as he plots his next prank.

$\relative c''' { \clef treble \key f \major \tempo 4.=108 \time 6/8 r8 a16\mf(^"lustig" f b,8) c-.\< cis-. f-.\! | <gis, e des bes>2.~(\sfz | <gis e des bes>\> | <a f c a>8\!) }$

The music follows Till throughout the countryside, as he rides a horse through a market, upsetting the goods and wares, pokes fun at the strict Teutonic clergy (represented by the violas), flirts with and chases girls (the love theme is given to the first violins), and mocks the serious academics (represented by the bassoons).

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