Der Krämerspiegel
# Der Krämerspiegel

"Der Krämerspiegel" ("The Shopkeeper's Mirror"), Op. 66, is a 1918 song cycle of 12 songs written by Richard Strauss. The songs were set to texts commissioned by Strauss in a piqued response to a contractual obligation to produce a set of songs for his publisher. The texts were provided by Berlin literary critic Alfred Kerr, who wrote for Strauss a set of acidic verses ridiculing the music publishing business and containing in-jokes attacking some of Strauss' enemies such as Bote & Bock. The list of titles is:

* "Es war einmal ein Bock"
* "Einst kam der Bock als Bote"
* "Es liebte einst ein Hase"
* "Drei Masken sah ich am Himmel stehn"
* "Hast du ein Tongedicht vollbracht"
* "O lieber Künstler sei ermahnt"
* "Unser Feind ist, großer Gott"
* "Von Händlern wird die Kunst bedroht"
* "Es war mal eine Wanze"
* "Die Künstler sind die Schöpfer"
* "Die Händler und die Macher"
* "O Schröpferschwarm, o Händlerkreis"

The cycle is rarely performed today due to the arcane texts, but contains virtuoso music for the pianist.

