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Die Enten laufen Schlittschuh - (2013)
Christian Morgenstern
for medium voice and piano
Die Enten laufen Schlittschuh
auf ihrem kleinen Teich.
Wo haben sie denn die Schlittschuh her –
sie sind doch gar nicht reich?
Wo haben sie denn die Schlittschuh her?
Woher? Vom Schlittschuhschmied!
Der hat sie ihnen geschenkt, weißt du,
für ein Entenschnatterlied.3 pages, circa 2' 30"
Christian Morgenstern
The icy ducks go skating
on their tiny icy pond.
What of their tiny icy skates?
Who funds a duck vagabond?
How came they by their ice skates?
The ice skate man, erelong!
He forged them as a gift, you see,
In thanks for their quack-quack song.
rhymed paraphrase by the composer
Copyright © 2013 Gary Bachlund
The opening gesture sustained by the pedal clusters notes together in the upper range of the piano, and then a simple, folk-like melody sets the text in a traditional waltz, albeit spelled in a duck-diminutive 3/8. A melodic quotation from the famous "Ice Skaters" -- Les Patineurs (1882), by Emile Waldteufel (1837-1915) -- combines with other voices paints the ducks on skates imagining their curves and pirouettes. The poet as humorist should be matched with performers in their similar roles. For other settings of Morgenstern's texts, click here.
The score for Die Enten laufen Schlittschuh 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.
