Composer

:

Hanns Eisler

Genre

:

Miscellaneous

Style

:

Miscellaneous

Compose Date

:

1928

Average_duration

:

4:54

Auf den Straßen zu singen, Op. 15 is a song cycle composed by Hanns Eisler in 1929. The premiere of the work took place in Berlin on May 17, 1929, with the composer himself at the piano. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which sets a poem by Bertolt Brecht to music. The first movement, "Auf den Straßen zu singen" (To Sing on the Streets), is a lively and rhythmic song that encourages people to sing and make music together in public spaces. The second movement, "Die Ballade vom Wasserrad" (The Ballad of the Waterwheel), is a slower and more contemplative piece that tells the story of a waterwheel and its role in the lives of the people who depend on it. The third movement, "Die Ballade von der Krüppelgarde" (The Ballad of the Cripple's Guard), is a satirical and ironic song that criticizes the use of disabled soldiers as a form of propaganda. The fourth movement, "Die Ballade vom angenehmen Leben" (The Ballad of the Pleasant Life), is a cheerful and upbeat song that celebrates the simple pleasures of life. The fifth movement, "Die Ballade von den Seeräubern" (The Ballad of the Pirates), is a dramatic and intense piece that tells the story of a group of pirates and their violent exploits. The final movement, "Die Ballade vom Nigger Jim" (The Ballad of Nigger Jim), is a poignant and emotional song that laments the racism and discrimination faced by African Americans in the United States. Overall, Auf den Straßen zu singen, Op. 15 is a powerful and politically charged work that reflects the social and cultural climate of its time. Eisler's music is characterized by its use of folk melodies, rhythmic complexity, and expressive harmonies, which help to convey the emotional and intellectual content of Brecht's poetry.

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