[For a complete Dramatis Personae see TPO01.txt]

Transcribed using MOZART by Michael Bednarek, May 2003
<mb@tgm.com.au> http://mcmbednarek.tripod.com/

2. MORITAT VOM MACKIE MESSER
The prelude to the opera is sung by a role, the town-crier or Balladeer,
who is not even on the cast list. It's a song of six verses, only the
first two of which are repeated. The other four have the same melody
(plus a coda), but are treated to wonderful variations in the
accompaniment.

The song itself is probably Kurt Weill's most famous creation. Its simple
melody gives every performer ample scope for interpretation over its
strophic repeats. It has also been murdered by quite a few performers. And
never has any accompanying arrangement reached Weill's standards.