ADVERTISEMENT
Which of these is a work by Richard Wagner (pictured)?
Although Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was a controversial and divisive figure, there is no disputing his devotion to his second wife Cosima, the daughter of fellow-composer Franz Liszt, and this particular work, premiered on Christmas morning, 1869, in their villa near Lucerne, was intended, in fact, both as a birthday present (Cosima was born on Christmas Eve) and a welcome to their youngest child and only son, not surprisingly called Siegfried, but known to the family as "Fidi" - a pet name incorporated into the work's full title - which made poetic reference to "Fidi's birdsong and the orange sunrise".
Perhaps surprisingly, this symphonic poem pre-dates the premiere of his opera "Siegfried", the third part of the "Ring of the Nibelung", which was not performed until 1876, although both the theme of the work and the music for it had been in his mind for years. Those who know the "Ring" will recognise elements of the "Forest Murmurs", "Brunhilde's Awakening" and also the Rhine Journey from "Goetterdaemmerung". It also contains elements of a German lullaby especially linked to one of his older children, Eva.
Perforce, the orchestra at the domestic premiere was small, but subsequently, the work was adapted for larger orchestras (at a slower tempo) and also for piano. It remains a popular and much-loved work.
More Info:
en.wikipedia.org
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT