The Viennese Dance Series for Chamber Ensembles

Kurt Noack

Heinzelmännchens Wachtparade for Piano Trio or String Quartet

Kurt Noack's character piece Heinzelmännchens Wachtparade (The Guard Watch of the Gnomes) was composed in 1912. Noack was 17 at the time and this piece, which became instantly popular throughout Europe and could be heard in cafes, restaurants, hotels and whereever light music was played, made him famous. Originally for piano four hands, arrangements for virtually every combination from orchestra to mandolins have been made. The most successful, however, have been for small chamber music ensembles such as the piano trio or string quartet and it was in these versions that the music was most often heard in the cafes of Vienna and Berlin. The title page to the original edition shows three small men (gnomes, elves or dwarves, take your pick), dressed in green suits with red caps, marching with guns slung over their shoulders. (see above).

 Kurt Noack (1895-1945) was born in the old Hanseatic German city of Stettin which after the Second World War became part of Poland and is now known as Szczecin. He studied music at the local conservatory and pursued a career as a composer and orchestra director of light music in Stettin and later Berlin.

(A) Heinzelmännchens Wachtparade for Piano Trio-Parts	$16.95
(B) Heinzelmännchens Wachtparade for String Quartet--Parts	$16.95