like a diamond in the sky "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is a popular English nursery rhyme. The lyrics are from an early nineteenth-century English poem, "The Star" by Jane Taylor. The poem, which is in couplet form, was first published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a collection of poems by Taylor and her sister Ann. It is sung to the tune of the French melody Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman (oldest known publication 1761). The English lyrics have five stanzas, although only the first is widely known. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 7666.
Many songs in various languages have been based on the "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman" melody. In English, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", the "Alphabet Song", and a variant of it is used for "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep". It is also the basis of the Scots song Coulter's Candy.
The German Christmas carol "Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann", with words by Hoffmann von Fallersleben, also uses the melody, as does the Hungarian Christmas carol "Hull a pelyhes fehér hó", and the Dutch "Altijd is Kortjakje ziek".
Several classical compositions have been inspired by the tune:
Many songs in various languages have been based on the "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman" melody. In English, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", the "Alphabet Song", and a variant of it is used for "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep". It is also the basis of the Scots song Coulter's Candy.
The German Christmas carol "Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann", with words by Hoffmann von Fallersleben, also uses the melody, as does the Hungarian Christmas carol "Hull a pelyhes fehér hó", and the Dutch "Altijd is Kortjakje ziek".
Several classical compositions have been inspired by the tune:
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Variations on "Ah vous dirai-je, Maman" (K. 265 / K. 300e) (1781 or 1782)
- Franz Joseph Haydn, The Surprise Symphony[5] (1791)
- Camille Saint-Saëns, Carnival of the Animals (1886), 12th movement (Fossiles) quotes the tune
- Ernő Dohnányi, Variations on a Nursery Tune, op.25 (1914)
- Erwin Schulhoff, Ten Variations on 'Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman' and Fugue
- John Corigliano, The Mannheim Rocket
- Franz Liszt, Album Leaf: "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman" (1833) (S.163b)
- Theodor von Schacht, 3rd movement (Allegretto con variazioni) of his clarinet concerto in B flat major
- Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck, Variations and finale for organ on "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman", op. 90 (pub. 1828)
- Jean-Baptiste Cardon (1760–1803), Variations for harp on "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman"
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