At the beginning of the 19th century it was common practice in Europe to adapt and arrange art songs in versions for voice and guitar. Guitar arrangements of songs by for example Beethoven, Haydn and Schubert were published during this period. It is the aim of this transcription to provide a version of Mozart’s Dans un bois solitaire for voice and guitar as it might have appeared around 1800.
The song or ariette was composed some time during the winter of 1777–1778 in Mannheim. The occasion for the composition is not known and the work was only published in 1799 by Beitkopf.
The song sets an allegorical poem by the French baroque author and poet, Antoine Houdart de la Motte (1672–1731).
It is one of very few songs by Mozart to set an original text in French.
Peter Lagersted
Copenhagen, December 2022