Fiakerlied

The "Fiakerlied" ('Fiaker Song') is an 1885 Wienerlied (Viennese song) with words and music by Gustav Pick.

The song was written to celebrate the centenary of the Viennese Fiaker, a horse-drawn carriage for hire. It was performed on 24 May 1885 by Alexander Girardi at a charity festival at the Rotunde in the Prater, accompanied by Nathaniel Rothschild's band conducted by Wilhelm Rab. The music was published in that year by August Cranz.[1][2]

It was Gustav Pick's most successful song, and has remained popular. The song was the basis of the 1936 German film of the same name (English title The Cabbie's Song).[1] A notable transcription for solo piano was written and performed by the pianist Friedrich Gulda.

References

  1. ^ a b "Pick, Gustav" Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon Online. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  2. ^ H[ans] Pemmer [in German] (1979). "Pick, Gustav (1832–1921), Komponist". Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon ab 1815 (online) (in German). Vol. 8. Austrian Academy of Sciences. p. 61.