Joseph Martin Kraus (1756−1792)

Der Abschied an L. 'Skulda winkt' in F minor

VB 95 (earlier VB 94)

Print

  • Year of composition: Vienna 29 October 1783 (according to van Boer)
  • Work category: Voice and piano
  • Text author: Joseph Martin Kraus
  • Duration: Approx. 5-10 min
  • Detailed duration: 7'14 (according to the Naxos CD edition)

Solo voices/choir

Soprano

Examples of printed editions

Airs et Chansons pour le Clavecin, composés par Joseph Kraus, Maître de S. M. le Roi de Suède, à Stockholm, chez G. A. Silverstolpe et en commission chez Breitkopf und Härtel à Leipsic [sic] (1796). Facsimile edition, Autographus Musicus, Bandhagen (1980)

  • Location autograph: Musik- och teaterbiblioteket
  • Possible call no. and autograph comment: Z/Sv Kraus Sånger

Literature

van Boer Jr, Bertil H: Die Werke von Joseph Martin Kraus. Systematisch-thematisches Werkverzeichnis, the Royal Swedish Academy of Music series no. 56, Stockholm (1988); an updated edition in English with a partly revised VB-numbering was published in 1998 by Pendragon Press under the title Joseph Martin Kraus. A Systematic-Thematic Catalogue of His Musical Works and Source Study

Description of work

Andante moderato F minor [although a set key signature is missing in the autograph] 4/4 (C)


Work comment

According to van Boer, the autograph is dated as indicated above and the song may have been composed as a departure gift to his close friend in Vienna, Johann Samuel Liedemann, as Kraus was about to travel to Rome (as supposed by Silverstolpe). Karl Friedrich Schreiber, on the other hand, was of the opinion that it had been written earlier in Göttingen, as a tribute to Johann Friedrich Hahn (also one of Kraus's close friends).
In van Boer's book from 1998, "an L." is missing in the song title, but it is included in the Musik- och teaterbiblioteket's catalogue.


Libretto/text

Skulda winkt. Vergebens würzelt der Fuss des