20013 –Trost im Unglück

from Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

arranged by Roger Harvey
for Symphonic brass ensemble

(4 Tpts, Flugel, 4 Hns, 3 Trbs, Tuba, percussion)

Difficulty: Hard

Price: £25.00

Programme note:
Des Knaben Wunderhorn (Youth's Magic Horn) is a collection of German folk poems published in 1805-8. Mahler's numerous settings of these poems are scattered around his catalogue: some for voice and piano, some with orchestral accompanimiment and some of which he used as movements in his symphonies. The first 9 were written in 1887 and make up Volumes 2 and 3 of his voice and piano collections. 12 more were published in 1899, originally as Humeresque, conceived with orchestral accompaniment. Urlicht and Es sungen drei Engel were replaced in 1901 by 2 new songs after Mahler had incorporated the earlier songs into his 2nd and 3rd symphonies. Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt and Ablösung im Sommer were also included in the 2nd and 3rd symphonies as instrumental movements.

Trost im Unglück (Solace in Misfortune) is number 3 of the Humoresken collection. The soldier says that he must saddle up and ride off and that he will be able, with the help of a glass of wine, to live without the maid. She replies that she can also manage without him and that her heart will harden until the flower in her father's garden grows. They agree that they are better off without each other.

Performance note:
This version can be used as accompaniment for a solo voice performance. If this is the case, balancing the dynamics is vital and some of the transcribed vocal lines may be ommitted to avoid doubling the voice.
Play with great rhythmic life and energy. The groups of quick notes should always lead to the beat. Be more concerned with the accuracy of placing the groups rather than absolute correctness of notes. The trombones can use a slightly lazy double or triple tongue to ensure rhythmic precision.
Dynamics are graded to help keep the texture clear and the main lines audible.
As the piece is constantly switching between duple and triple rhythms, time signatures are not repeated. Some pick up notes from the transcribed voice part have been altered from duple to triple for the sake of neatness but if a vocal version is performed they can be changed at the discretion of the conductor.
Be a little less energetic, more graceful, at C and more indulgently expressive at F but switch immediately back to the spirited style at H.