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Schnauz und Miez - (2010)
Christian Morgenstern
for medium voice and piano
Ri-ra-rumpelstiez,
wo ist der Schnauz, Wo ist die Miez?
Der Schnauz, der liegt am Ofen
und leckt sich seine Pfoten.
Die Miez, die sitzt am Fenster
und wäscht sich ihren Spenzer.
Rumpeldipumpel, schnaufeschnauf,
da kommt die Frau die Treppe rauf.
Was bringt die Frau dem Kätzchen?
Einen Knäul, einen Knäul, mein Schätzchen,
einen Knäul aus grauem Wollenflaus,
der aussieht wie eine kleine Maus.
Was bringt die Frau dem Hündchen?
Ein Halsband, mein Kindchen,
ein Halsband von besondrer Art,
auf welchem steht: Schnauz Schnauzebart.
Ri-ra-rumpeldidaus,
und damit ist die Geschichte aus.[ 3 pages, circa 1' 35" ]
Christian Morgenstern
Mister Muzzle and Kitty Puss
Ta-da-dee-dumple-dee!
Where is Mister Muzzle? Where is Kitty Puss?
Mister Muzzle lies on the oven
and licks his paws.
Kitty Puss, she sits on the window
and washes her little wee vest.
Bump-and-thump, huff-and-puff,
Then comes the wife up the stairs!
What did the wife bring the cat?
A tangle, a ball, my treasures,
A wad of gray brushed wool thread
That looks quite like a little mouse.
What did the wife bring the hound?
A collar, my children,
A collar of a particular sort,
on which one read: Mister Muzzle Muzzle-beard.
Ta-da-dee-dumple-dee!
And with that is this story finished.
gb
The five-note diatonic clusters and parallel seconds color a fully C major song setting with their modern palette. The duple "thump" of 6/8 is broken often by hemiolas within the melodic arches, duple and triple coexisting for the fun of it.
The diatonic sixteenth-note runs echo classical settings and textures while following the acceleration from duple to triple, as in measures 40-41. Clusters again at measure 44-45 link classical textures to contemporary sensibilities.
The score for Schnauz und Miez 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.
