Wagner's Siegfried Idyll, a Symphonic Poem for Chamber Orchestra
German composer Richard Wagner conducts his Siegfried Idyll in his Swiss villa on Christmas morning, December 25, 1870, as a 33rd birthday surprise for his wife, Cosima (daughter of Franz Liszt). It is also a tribute to the birth of their son, Siegfried. The music lasts approximately twenty minutes.
Wagner composed Siegfried Idyll as a birthday present for Cosima, after the birth of their only son Siegfried in 1869. The piece was first performed on Christmas morning, 25 December 1870, by a small ensemble on the stairs of their villa at Tribschen, now a part of Lucerne, Switzerland. Conductor Hans Richter played the brief trumpet part during that private family performance.
The original title was Triebschen Idyll with Fidi's birdsong and the orange sunrise. "Fidi" was Siegfried's pet version name.
Wagner's opera Siegfried, which was premiered in August 16, 1876, incorporates music from the Idyll.
Video Credit:
Wagner - Siegfried Idyll (Proms 2012). Youtube, uploaded by kanal korisnieka Mandetriens. Accessed December 25, 2012.
Resource:
About the Composition of Wagner's Siegfried Idyll by Richard Freed. Accessed December 25, 2012. Note: if it's no longer available, search for "Siegfried Idyll" on the page. June 6, 2017)
(c) 2012-2017. Tel Asiado. Written for Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
[...] the opera, incorporates an earlier symphonic poem music of Wagner, Siegfried Idyll, which he composed for his wife, [...]
ReplyDelete