Ex. 8-3: Dans un bois solitaire

Composed in Mannheim, early 1778 (K.308/295b), to a poem by Antoine Houdar de La Motte. This is the companion piece to "Oiseaux, si tous les ans" (K.307) — both were written for Elisabeth Auguste Wendling during Mozart's extended stay in Mannheim. (Ex. 1-2: Oiseaux, si tous les ans by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Mozart's letters to his father in Salzburg document the timeline. On 7 February 1778 he wrote: "I composed a French song for Mlle Gustl as soon as I arrived, with words she gave me. She sings it incomparably well. At the Wendlings' it is sung every day. They are absolutely mad about it." On 28 February he wrote: "I have also promised the daughter some more French ariettes. Today I started on one of them." This second arietta is believed to be "Dans un bois solitaire."