Die Heil’gen Drei Konige aus Morgenland
Dec 21st, 2008 by oldfogey
The three wise men, on their journey from the East, stop at each village and ask the way to Bethlehem. No-one knows. So they follow the golden star, that shines so sweetly in the sky.
‘The star came to rest above Joseph’s house; they went inside. The ox lowed, the child cried, and the three holy kings sang.’
In his orchestral accompaniment Richard Strauss has the orchestra mimic the sound of the cock crowing, the cattle lowing and the child crying. At least a third of the song is taken up with an orchestral postlude, after the singing has ceased. Here in a long lovely melody Strauss captures the joy of the three kings as they kneel before the sleeping Christ child. It is one of his finest and most joyful songs.
The singer, her voice perfect for the song, is Gundula Janovitz, with the Academy of London conducted by Richard Stamp.
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