Joseph Martin Kraus (1756−1792)

Du i hvars oskuldsfulla blick. Aria from Sparrschöld's comedy 'De mexikanske Systrarne' [The Meixan Sisters]

VB 30 (earlier VB 28)

Print
  • Year of composition: Stockholm autumn 1789 (according to van Boer)
  • Work category: Incidental music
  • Text author: Nils Birger Sparrschöld (1763-1830) {according to van Boer's earlier edition (see more below) the text was probably written by [Vilhelm?] von Rosenheim (1755-1822)]
  • First performed: 13 October 1788 at the Royal Dramatic Theatre,a Stockholm
  • Duration: Approx. 1-5 min
  • Detailed duration: 2'02 (according Naxos's CD edition)

Instrumentation

Orchestra instrumentation unknown

Solo voices/choir

Zelda (soprano)

Examples of printed editions

Musikaliskt tidsfördrif (1790)

Location for score and part material

Transcription at Uppsala University library: Kapsel [Sleeve] 57:3a. 51. Si-S and at Musik- och teaterbiblioteket: SPB/Sv-R Samling af Arier (according to van Boer)

  • Possible call no. and autograph comment: Autograph lost (it earlier existed at the Royal Opera library, according to van Boer)

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 A Systematic-Thematic Catalogue of His Musical Works and Source Study (in a as of yet [Feb. 2015] unpublished VB numbering the piece is specified as VB 29)

Description of work

Andante G major 2/4


Work comment

In early autumn 1789, Nils Sparrschöld wrote a letter to the management of the Royal Dramatic Theatre, saying that should the play be accepted, he asked them kindly to give his good friend Kraus the task of setting to music the stanzas to be sung by Zelda.


Libretto/text

Du i hvars oskuldsfulla blick