Instruments, The (The Orchestra Song; Zur Feier, Die Geige)

DESCRIPTION: German; widely tramslated harmonic piece consisting of verses describing each instrument, sung over each other, e.g. "Die Geige, sie singt, sie jubelt und klingt" ="The violins they sing it, they sob it and swing it." With verses for much of the orchestra
AUTHOR: German version credited to Willy Geisler (1886-1952) (source: Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs)
EARLIEST DATE: 1886 (songbooks credited in mudcat.org thread "Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?")
KEYWORDS: music nonballad campsong
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, pp. 315, 514, "The Instruments"/"Orchestra" (notes only)
Tobitt-TheDittyBag, pp. 82-83, "Quodlibet" (1 text, 1 tune)
ChansonsDeNotreChalet, pp. 56-57, "The Instruments" (2 texts, 1 English, 1 Italian; 1 tune)
SongsOfManyNations, "The Instruments" (1 text, 1 tune) (CC edition, p. 28)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Musikanter (Ich Bin ein Muskanter)" (theme of describing instruments)
cf. "Johnny Schmoker" (theme of describing instruments)
NOTES [132 words]: The German lyrics of this are fairly fixed, but English translations vary widely and include many instruments. The mudcat.org thread "Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?" has verses for bassoon, clarinet, drum/kettledrum, horn, slide trombone, trumpet, tympani, violin. One person added 'cello and harp. It appears that most versions start with violin or fiddle. As well as German and English versions, there is a Spanish translation, and ChansonsDeNotreChalet gives it in Italian.
ChansonsDeNotreChalet, p. 31, has a song called "Instruments," which it says is from Estonia, and its instruments are drum (which has the sound "drum"!), trumpet, and clarinet. I think it's probably a different song, so I haven't listed it in the references, but it's very clearly the same idea..- RBW
Last updated in version 6.3
File: ACSF315O

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