Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner "The Laughing Song" by Strauss

probably not the right forum to post this on, but since many of you are accompanists here goes:

How many versions of "The laughing song" are they?

This one, performed with a full orchestra, is only 2 minutes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoX496NwolQ&feature=related

This other one, also with a full orchestra is almost twice as long!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npLZNoRoH2M

I also checked out the piano accompaniment version, is also well over 3 minutes.

The answer to your question is quite simple. There is only one "original" version.

The first video is a taping of a staged performance (Royal Opera House Covent Garden, 1983) of the operetta ( Die Fledermaus - with Hildegarde Heichele), and Heichele sings both verses of the aria. The second version, sung by Maki Mori, is a concert performance, and she does not sing the first verse, she sings only the second verse. That explains the difference in length, but they each sing the original version of the aria. I followed it with the score.

Mori's performance may have been excerpted from the concert for YouTube. It would be unusual not to sing the first verse, since the aria often goes by the title of the opening words of the first verse, "Mein Herr Marquis".

Listen closely to the lyrics. Mori opens with "Mit dem Profil in griech'schem styl...." Heichele starts with "Mein Herr Marquis, ein Mann wie Sie..." but Heichele sings "Mit dem Profil in griech'schem styl..." as the beginning of the second verse.

Just goes to show you that you can't believe everything you see on YouTube might be all there is to see of a performance.

Regards,

If you're interested in getting to know Fledermaus, one of the greatest operettas, check out this delightful DVD with Kiri Te Kanawa as Rosalinde. The witty dialogue slides between German and English, just hilarious.

Going even more OT, I found this version by Gruberov Gruberov . She seems to capture Adele perfectly: the servant girl dressed up as nobility and trying to act "noble" but not quite managing to.

I see...
Maybe Maki Mori's performance was "shortened" for TV? If you look at the very beginning, you will see the two Japanese TV presenters introducing her performance, followed by a view of the full orchestra with captions introducing the work & composer. It seems Maki Mori did in fact perform a 2 minute version that night. Maybe because they didn't have the backing choir we see in the staged version?

Anyone knows what the lyrics mean? What is Adele mocking?

Okay, this is getting weird.
I have now heard 3 different orchestral introductions to this work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjo_gB-u9SY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V28UvMf-Vpw&feature=related

and MMO version:

http://www.musicminusone.com/audio/4075-09.wma

(copy and paste into Windows Media Player's "open URL" tab.)

please explain!

Adele :
My dear marquis, a man like you
should know better,
so I advise you to take a closer
look at people!
Surely my hand is so very graceful, ha ha ha,
this foot is so small and dainty, ha ha ha,
the way I speak,
my waist, my bustle,
you won't find these on a maidservant!
You really must admit,
it was a very funny mistake!
Yes, how funny, ha ha ha,
this thing is, ha ha ha,
so forgive me, ha ha ha,
if I laugh, ha ha ha!

Chorus :
Yes how funny, ha ha ha,
this thing is, ha ha ha!

Adele :
How funny you are marquis!
My Grecian profile
was a gift of nature;
if this face is not proof enough,
see my figure!
Then just have a look through your lorgnette, aha,
at this outfit, aha.
I really think love
has clouded your vision,
the image of your beautiful maidservant
has quite filled your heart!
Now you see her everywhere,
truly it is a very funny business!
Yes, how funny, ha ha ha,
this thing is, ha ha ha
so forgive me, ha ha ha,
if I laugh, ha ha ha!

Adele, Chorus :
Yes, how funny, ha ha ha,
this thing is, ha ha ha ... you are!"

Translation by Robert A. Jordan for the Philips recording, with Te Kanawa, Gruberova, Fassbaender, Brendel, Leech, Bär, Krause, Wiener Philharmoniker, André Previn, conductor. Philips 432 157-2 (1991)

Regards,

That wouldn't be the reason for the shortened version. The aria is strophic, which means that the same music is used for each verse and, therefore, the chorus' part is in each verse, as well. Mori performed a concert version without chorus - as is often done with operatic excerpts, but - who knows? it may well have been YouTube who "shortened" the Mori version by omitting the first verse.

Regards,

answer given meanwhile - edit