Folksongs from Alsace -

'Ne Reihe Stüecke üssm Elsass

for cello and guitar

 

 

Download Hans im Snokeloch

 

Download Das Elsass Unser Laendel

 

Download Mutter i will e ding

 

 Download Das Maisel pfifft di zitt isch do!

 

Story behind the piece:

While I was in Strasbourg in 1976 I came to know several Alsacien folkongs and also a cellist called Emmanuel.The two came together briefly, but there wasn't time to record the duets I wrote. When I returned to the UK, Chris Benson and I performed them (sight-reading from scrawled pencil copy!) and this is the result.

 

No 1

A strange tale from the "mosquito hole" D'r Hans im Schnokeloch is the archetypal anti-hero of Alsace, who spends his time in the pub (im Schnokeloch = in the mosquito hole), bewailing the fact that what he has he doesn't want and what he wants he doesn't have.

[and here is the Schnokeloch in question:]

 

No. 2

Berceuse Patriotique - Patriotic lullaby, based on the Alsacien national anthem (Das Elsass unser Laendel es isch meineidi scheen - Alsace our country is beautiful, by my troth) transposed from 4/4 time to 3/4 and turned into a lullaby

 

No. 3

Mudder ich will e ding - Mother I want something Dear old mother doesn't realize that her daughter feels ready for marriage already!

 

No. 4

Das Maisel pfifft "De Zitt isch do" - The titmouse sings "the time has come" Spring is here. (Maisel is a titmouse - a little acrobatic bird, according to Chambers)

 

 

Sample page of score (pdf)