Description

The Four Songs op. 27, which Richard Strauss composed as a wedding gift for his wife Pauline de Ahna in 1894, hold a special place among his many works written for her. Unlike Strauss's earlier song cycles, op. 27 is not limited to a single poet; instead, it combines poems by Karl Henckell, Heinrich Hart, and John Henry Mackay into a diverse collection of emotive songs. The initial high voice publication was later supplemented with transposed versions for middle and low registers during the composer's lifetime - a common practice for Strauss's songs. This Henle Urtext edition for medium voice continues that tradition, making this beloved song cycle accessible to a wide range of vocalists.