Joseph Lanner, Tritsch Tratsch, Walzer Quodlibet, Op. 78

From www.cpestrauss.com
https://www.cpestrauss.com/lmusic/cot...

My transcription of a manuscript copy of the autograph from the Wien Bibliothek im Rathaus.

It has been a catalogue of errors and misunderstandings, most of them mine, not the least of which is that the library also holds the autograph and, with a bit more effort using the indeces, I could have worked from that, thus saving myself the pain of sorting out the numerous transcription errors. Lanner’s handwriting is better too.

It dates from the very end of 1833 (Nestroy’s play, Der Tritschtratsch was premiered in November of that year and some of the pieces quoted here date from late 1833). The first performance was in early 1834. The piece often does not appear in various lists of Lanner’s work as, although Lanner allocated the opus number 78 to it, the publisher did not use it.

I was under the impression, not contradicted by the index entries or Dörner catalogue, that this was a potpourri of early Lanner waltzes, in the manner of his later “Walzer Fluth”, Op. 129 that I had previously orchestrated. Usually, the Dörner catalogue gives quotations from the contents of potpourris etc., but not in this instance.

I had two reasons for doing this. Lanner’s early work is rarely played or recorded and I thought it would be nice to at least hear some of the tunes. I also wanted to check my working on Op. 129 as there would be considerable overlap between the two pieces, I thought, and this was a full orchestral score.

My suspicions were first aroused by the opening, which seemed to have been lifted from Johann Strauss’s “Mittel gegen der Schlaf,” Op 65. I then kept hearing familiar tunes, which I was expecting given my work on “Walzer Fluth”. It was only when a quote from Strauss’s “Kettenbrücke Walzer” turned up that the penny dropped. Some of the “familiar tunes” were by Strauss. I recognised most of the tunes then but I can’t be sure all of the others are by Strauss or Lanner.

He has a couple of sly digs at Strauss too. When “Das Leben ein Tanz oder der Tanz ein Leben!”, Op. 49 turns up, the first eight bars are orchestrated for a (bad) band of buskers. The second eight bars are given some top class orchestration and a brilliant Lanner counter melody. Towards the end of the piece there is a waltz played pizzicato by all of the strings. It is repeated for full orchestra and turns into an accompaniment to the main theme of Strauss’s “Mittel gegen der Schlaf”. It is if to say “Yes these are ok but they could be better”

As to how I did with my orchestration of “Walzer Fluth”, well it’s good in parts. All waltz composers have a box of tricks for orchestration that they develop over time. My biggest mistake was using some tricks that Lanner hadn’t developed yet. Must do better. Still ok to listen to though. The orchestra here does have violas and cellos, so earlier pieces (three violins and bass) must have been re-orchestrated both here and in Op. 129.

Lanner’s orchestra here is very strange. He has his four trumpets by this time (but not let off the leash much). Two of them are full time trumpets and are new-fangled valve instruments. The other two are played by the horn players and are older natural instruments. Given that the horn player also seems to be playing natural horns, I think that the first horn player must have had at least six instruments in front of him, even allowing for crook changes. The first clarinet has similar problems.