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Der alte Förster Püsterich - (2013)
Wilhelm Busch
for baritone and piano
Der alte Förster Püsterich
Der ging nach langer Pause
Mal wieder auf den Schnepfenstrich
Und brachte auch
Als er sie nun gebraten hätt,
Da tät ihn was verdreußen;
Das Tierlein roch wie sonst so nett,
Nur konnt er's nicht mehr beißen.
Ach ja! So seufzt er wehgemut
Und wischt sieh ab die Träne,
Die Nase wär so weit noch gut,
Nur bloß, es fehlen die Zähne.3 pages, circa 2' 00"
Wilhelm Busch
The old forester Püsterich
Returned after some time away
To find a snipe in his trap, and which
He butchered straight away.
But after it was roasted well,
He found to his dismay,
Though it gave such a pleasant smell,
He could not chew it, come what may.
Oh oh! he sighed his hearty sigh
And daubed away a tear,
A nose might savor, but why oh why
Do teeth fail to persevere?
rhymed paraphrase by the composer
A mixture of octatonic scales and harmonies coupled to a short quote from Wagner's Die Walküre to provide a little fire provide much of the musical material for this humorous setting. For other settings of Busch's texts, click here.
The score for Der alte Förster Püsterich is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this piano-vocal score.
