KN19 Lied ohne Name for two bassoons

deutschKN19 Lied ohne Name für zwei Fagotte

KN19 Lied ohne Name [1918]

für zwei Fagotte — Lied ohne Name for two bassoons

Title: Since the work was never published during Strawinsky’s lifetime, there is no authorised original title. The printed title by Boosey & Hawkes in 1977 mixes German and English LIED OHNE NAME / for two bassoons. Strawinsky himself wrote in the only surviving source which appears as a neat copy in the so-called “Sketchbook VI”, LIED OHNE NAME / für zwei Fagotten. German working corrected Strawinsky’s textual error into Lied ohne Name für zwei Fagotte. The title was derived from the German Biedermeier genre of piano work, Lied ohne Worte.

Style: This work for bassoons was written in the time around the composition of the Soldier’s Tale. The simple work at a length of 28 2/4 bars corresponds rather to Russian song diction and can be characterized as an orchestral study for two bassoons. Whether it is a sketch, a study, a completed work given to a private person or not commissioned, a forgotten or eventually discarded work, remains unclear.

Date of origin: The work was written in 1918; the neat copy is not dated, but signed Игорь Стравинскій by Strawvinsky in old printed capital letters with inserted letters in cursive.

First performance: The première took place on 30th October 1979 in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, performed by J. Price and J. Graham.

Remarks: Regarding the reason for the composition of this miniature, nothing is known up to now. Strawinsky did however often compose small pieces. They served as album sheaves, pieces for children, presents, occasional publications, or even as fee substitutes.

Versions: The piece was dug up in 1979 by Peter Wastall for his Bassoon Method Learn As You Play, which was published by Boosey & Hawkes and into which he also included smaller concert pieces next to technical instructions for playing the bassoon and the usual bassoon exercises. Boosey & Hawkes published a self-standing American subsequent edition in 1997 under the edition number WBB 17 (ISMN M-051–57017-1), which consists of a title page, a five-line explanatory page, one page of musical text and a page with adverts. Boosey & Hawkes had previously already published a collection of difficult bassoon and contrabassoon moments from Strawinsky’s compositions produced by Morelli.

Autograph: The Skizzenbuch VI is located in the Paul Sacher Stiftung, Basel.

K Cat­a­log: Anno­tated Cat­a­log of Works and Work Edi­tions of Igor Straw­in­sky till 1971, revised version 2014 and ongoing, by Hel­mut Kirch­meyer.
© Hel­mut Kirch­meyer. All rights reserved.
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