"Zueignung", is a Lied composed by Richard Strauss in 1885, setting a poem by the Austrian poetHermann von Gilm. It was included in the first collection of songs Strauss ever published, as Op. 10 in 1885. Originally scored for voice and piano, the song was orchestrated in 1932 by the German conductor Robert Heger and in 1940 by Strauss himself. It has been one the composer's best-known songs.
History
In 1882, his friend Ludwig Thuile introduced Strauss to the poetry of Gilm contained in the volume Letzte Blätter, published in the year of the poet's death 1864. However, the original Gilm poem was not contained in this volume, and the original title of Gilm's poem was the refrain "Habe Dank". The Opus 10 songs were all written for the tenor voice, which caused some trouble in the Strauss family, since his father Franz wanted him to write his first published songs for his Aunt Johanna as thanks for all of her help with his musical development. The song was dedicated to the principal tenor of the Munich Court Opera, Heinrich Vogl. Strauss promised to later write some songs for Aunt Johanna. "Zueignung" was the first of eight songs by Strauss published as Op. 10, which were all settings of Gilm's poems. In 1885, they were the first songs Strauss ever published. The song was given its first public performance at Meiningen in a chamber concert on 5 March1886 sung by the tenor. In 1897, John Bernhoff wrote an English version of the lyrics, which were published as a bilingual “Universal Edition” by his publishers. The song was orchestrated by the German conductor Robert Heger in 1932. In June 1940, Richard Strauss orchestrated the song for Viorica Ursuleac. Strauss altered the music slightly and also added an extra line "Du wunderbare Helena", referring to her singing of the title role in his opera Die ägyptische Helena at the Salzburg Festival in 1933. The Strauss orchestration was premiered at Rome on 4 July 1940 with Ursulaec singing and her husband Clemens Krauss conducting. Strauss recorded the song three times with himself on the piano; in 1919 with the baritoneHeinrich Schlusnus and twice in 1942 from Vienna for wartime radio broadcasts with sopranoMaria Reining and tenor Anton Dermota.
Lyrics
Orchestral arrangements
The 1940 orchestration by Strauss was completed at Garmisch on 19 June 1940. The following instrumentation is employed.
Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, three bassoons
