Der Geiger von Echternach (‘The Echternacht Fiddler’) deals with the origins of the Echternach Jumping Procession, which dates back to the Middle Ages and is now included on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List. The ballad tells the story of the musician Tall Veit, who on his return from the Orient is sentenced to death by hanging for allegedly killing his wife. The composer and poet are equally interested in a detailed description of Veit’s different emotional states, which modulate his violin playing and increasingly move the listener until they fall into a dancing rage, from which only Saint Willibrord can free them.