Es ist das Glück ein flüchtig Ding|Drei Gesänge, Op. 26

Johannes Dürrner’s setting of Es ist das Glück ein flüchtig Ding opens with an interplay of SATB voices that conjures the elusive nature of happiness. The composer’s part-song captures the poem’s sentiment that striving for fortune is futile, suggesting instead a more passive acceptance. The German text advises abandoning the chase and finding contentment in simple pleasures, like lying in a fragrant meadow and singing. It hints that happiness, if it comes, will arrive unexpectedly, as if from the clear blue sky. Dürrner’s musical setting reflects this philosophical outlook, offering a rich yet accessible texture for secular performance.