Richard Wagner wrote his Siegfried Idyll in 1869, and it was first performed the following year. The piece, conceived as a symphonic poem for chamber orchestra, was dedicated to Wagner's second wife, Cosima, as a deeply personal gift (the piece is allegedly full of musical references to couple's personal life). Although Wagner intended the piece to remain a private composition, he ended up selling it and expending the orchestration. The original orchestation calls for 1 flute, 1 oboe, 2 clarinets, 1 bassoon, 2 horns, trumpet, 2 violins, viola, cello, and double bass, with the trumpet part lasting only 13 measures.
