It was originally for voice and piano, and not orchestrated by Strauss until 1948, after he had completed one of his Four Last Songs, "Im Abendrot".

Strauss composed the song in May 1894, and that September he gave it as a wedding present to his wife the soprano Pauline de Ahna.

Timothy L. Jackson has noted that Strauss had composed the song "Ruhe, meine Seele!"

[4] The accompaniment has sombre and ambiguous harmonies, with contrasting calm and tempestuous episodes, but ends peacefully in the home key of C major.

Not a breath of wind is stirring, Hill and Dale are wrapped in slumber; Golden through the sheltering foliage Summer's Midday sunbeams peep.