Alfred and Rosalinde's duo in the "Trinklied" was the first musical section of the Act 1 finale. In the subsequent section the jailor Frank enters and a comic szena ensues in which Alfred continues to sing phrases of the "Trinklied" while Frank attaches his own meaning to them, in the process mistaking Alfred for Eisenstein. Rosalinde realizes what is happening and, because she is trying to get rid of Alfred, claims he is in fact Eisenstein. Her strophic song "Mein Herr, was dächten Sie von mir" elaborates on this ruse ("How could you imagine I would be here with anyone other than my husband? Etc.). See the opening below. Strauss often uses polkas for happy moods or congeniality, but sometimes for irony or, as here, for a series of comic double entendres. (The polka I am referring to is the original type from the 1840s, known in the second half of the 19th century as the
polka française, or a slower tempo polka. The music of the
polka schnell, in a fast tempo, is barely distinguishable from a galop.)
Note the very strong emphasis on ^6 (E5) as the ninth in a V9. Also note the tonic with add6 at the end.
Still putting emphasis on ^6, the second half of each strophe switches to a waltz, which consists of a double period (Caplin's 16-measure theme) that is repeated. In the first iteration the melody makes its way through an octave -- see the beam.
In the second iteration, Frank and Alfred join in, making for a bit of contrapuntal play. In the cadence, Rosalinde takes the melody back up to G5.
Here is a reduction of the voice leading for the final bars.
