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Of Mushrooms and Lilac Blossom

Schubert's Music Used

Introduction

These descriptions are based upon the original vocal scores for the works. It is clear from an analysis of scores, recordings and theatre programmes, that various changes and additions were made to the contents of these shows in later years. Indeed, there are some changes (of words or omissions of words and one whole piece) between the vocal score of Das Dreimäderlhaus and the Textbuch der Gesänge, both copyrighted in 1916. See also the footnote to the Lilac Time music used. If anyone can fill in any of the gaps in the tables, please EMail us !

In the analyses that follow, I have, where known, quoted all the words of the songs, with the appropriate Schubert music used. The tables are thus rather large, so there is a separate sub page for the three operettas, Das Dreimäderlhaus, Blossom Time and Lilac Time.

Das Dreimäderlhaus

Ernst Hilmar has provided a comprehensive list of the Schubert pieces that Berté appropriated for Das Dreimäderlhaus[1]. The breadth of Schubert's music which Berté used is quite impressive: 1 (comic) opera, 3 orchestral works, 1 chamber work, 4 lieder, 10 piano works, a 4-handed march, 2 Ecossaises, a Galopp, 4 Deutsche and 9 Waltzes. Whilst there are some very well known works in the list it would be very unfair to accuse Berté of plundering Schubert's greatest hits to ensure success: indeed he seems to have gone out of his way to find those 'half hidden gems' that Gammond referred to.

The particularly well known works that he used include the Rosamunde ballet music, and Shakespeare's Ständchen, D889, sung to the correct words ('Horch, horch!, die Lerch'), but then with a second verse added. Schubert even says "There isn't a second verse", but his friends sing one anyway !: about food. Ungeduld, of course, is a necessary element of the plot. The Symphony no 8 in B Minor (unfinished), D759; the Wanderer Fantasy, D760, the best known of the Military Marches, D733 no 3 and the Octet, D803, are also used, but these are generally short snippets which pass quickly by with a smile of recognition.

Berté also included the closing section of Erlkönig. This opens the start of the second act when Vogl, at the wedding party, is finishing a recital. As ever, this was done with at least some taste. In Lilac Time, Clutsam, by comparison, substituted in the same place in the plot a complete performance of Ständchen ('Leise flehen meiner lieder' - D957/4).

The "three little girls" song, is somewhat of an exception in that a single piece of Schubert's music was used for a whole song. The other songs that Berté crafted tended to use two or more separate and somewhat contrasting Schubertian themes, usually from dances or other piano music.

See the music used in Das Dreimäderlhaus

Blossom Time

Despite diligent searching, I am yet to track down a vocal score of Blossom Time. Individual pieces of sheet music for most of the songs are quite common (especially for Song of Love, but there are still one or two I have never seen), so I'm beginning to suspect that there is no such thing ! The pieces and sequence numbers given here are therefore taken from the programme for a peformance from the original cast during the 592 show opening run (the earliest programme I have seen is dated October 24th, 1921; less than a month after the opening). Later performances tended to interpolate various musical pieces (dances and the like) at the different stages, especially at the beginning of the second act.

See the music used in Blossom Time

Lilac Time

The music used in Lilac Time follows that of Das Dreimäderlhaus more closely than that of Blossom Time, though there are still major differences. These can perhaps best be judged by viewing the tables for the works next to each other.

See the music used in Lilac Time

Notes

[1] Ernst Hilmar: Die Musikalischen vorlagen in Berté's "Dreimäderlhaus" in Schubert durch die Brille 13: Schneider, Tutzing, 1994. Although this list identifies the great majority of Berté's sources, there were a few unidentified sections, most of which have now been identified by the author of this article. Although the presentation here is somewhat different, the author acknowledges his indebtedness to this source.