Among the many works that Richard Strauss wrote for his wife Pauline de Ahna, the Four Songs op. 27 occupy a special position, for the composer gave these “to my beloved Pauline” as a wedding present on 10 September 1894. In contrast to the earlier song cycles, this is not limited to a single poet, but rather Strauss combined here poems by Karl Henckell (Ruhe, meine Seele) and Heinrich Hart (Cäcilie) with two texts by John Henry Mackay (Heimliche Aufforderung and Morgen) into a contrasting bouquet of effusive songs.

The first edition of op. 27, published in 1894 for high voice, was followed during the composer’s lifetime by transposed versions for middle and low registers, something that was then to become the rule for all of Strauss’s songs. These transpositions have proven themselves to this day, and this Henle Urtext edition for medium voice also uses them in order to offer this wonderful song cycle to every voice type.

Annette Oppermann (Editor)