Although Brahms is thought of as a composer of absolute music, that is music that is written for its own sake without having to be inspired by anything outside of it, he was a total Romantic composer in that there were many of his compositions that were indeed inspired by outside influences. The difference between Brahms and the new school composers of his era such as Liszt was that Brahms kept the stories connected to his music to himself. He was an exceedingly private man, and preferred to let his music speak for itself.
With Brahms' works for chorus and orchestra the texts are an instance where the listener can hear the musical result of an outside influence. Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) is set to a poem by the German poet and philosopher Friedrich Hölderlin , a major writer in German Romanticism. Brahms was a voracious reader and while exploring a friend's library found a volume of Hölderlin's poetry which contained a poem in it called Hyperion's Schicksalslied from the novel Hyperion. The poem moved Brahms deeply as related by his friend Albert Dietrich
One morning we went together to Wilhelmshaven, for Brahms was
interested in seeing the magnificent naval port. On the way there, our
friend, who was usually so lively, was quiet and grave. He described
how early that morning, he had found Hölderlin’s poems in the
bookcase and had been deeply impressed by the Schicksalslied. Later on,
after spending a long time walking round and visiting all the points of
interest, we were sitting resting by the sea, when we discovered Brahms
a long way off sitting by himself on the shore writing. It was the first
sketch for the Schicksalslied, which appeared fairly soon afterwards.
A lovely excursion which we had arranged to the Urwald was never
carried out. He hurried back to Hamburg, in order to give himself
up to his work.
The year was 1868, but Brahms did not finish the piece until 1871. Brahms could not make up his mind concerning how to end the work. The final stanza of the poem appealed to Brahms' morose nature, but he hesitated to end the work in such a dark mood. After much thought (and some advice from conductor Hermann Levi) Brahms settled on a return of the orchestral prelude that began the work.
Schicksalslied is in three short movements. The first movement begins with an orchestra prelude and the chorus comes in with the first two stanzas of the poem in E-flat major. The second movement is in C minor and reflects the gloominess of the third stanza. The last movement is a repeat of the the orchestral prelude that opened the work, but Brahms transposed the key to C major and made changes in the instrumentation.
Friedrich Hölderlin
Schicksalslied (Song Of Destiny)
You walk above in the light
on holy ground, blessed genies!
Divine breezes
waft by you,
like the fingers of the player
on the holy strings.
Fateless, like sleeping infants,
breathe the heavenly beings.
With modest buds
ever protected,
their spirit will bloom forever,
and their blessed eyes
will see in silent,
perpetual clarity.
But we are given
no place to rest.
We vanish and fall,
suffering humans.
Blind from hour to hour,
thrown from tragedy to tragedy
like water thrown from cliff to cliff,
we disappear into the abyss.
The music of Beethoven changed the art of music forever. His music was revolutionary in his use and development of sonata form, the symphony, chamber music and piano sonata, but his music was also evolutionary in the sense that it grew out of the musical traditions of the past. He knew very well the traditions according to the music written by Haydn and Mozart, and he expanded upon them and infused them with his own craftsmanship and art. There is hardly a genre of music that doesn't show his influence.
One area of his art in which he struggled was music for voice. That is not to say his did not write vocal music of beauty and depth, such as his early and very popular song Adelaide, opus 46 but he admitted that composing for voice was not one of his greater interests. As he said himself in a letter:
Whenever I hear music in my inner ear it is always the full orchestra that I hear. When writing vocal music I invariably have to ask myself: Can it be sung?
But even in a genre that was not his strongest, Beethoven was innovative, for he is given credit with composing the first song cycle written by a major composer, the set of six songs of Opus 98, An die ferne Geliebte (To The Distant Beloved) written in 1816. The six songs of opus 75 are a set of independent songs written in 1809. The first three are to texts by Johann Goethe, one of Beethoven's favorite writers. The two giants met each other in 1811, and Goethe had this to say about Beethoven:
His talent astounded me; nevertheless, he unfortunately has an utterly untamed personality, not completely wrong in thinking the world detestable, but hardly making it more pleasant for himself or others by his attitude. Yet he must be shown forgiveness and compassion, for he is losing his hearing, something that affects the musical part of his nature less than the social. He is naturally laconic, and even more so due to his disability.
1) Mignon - Kennst Du Das Land (Do You Know The Land?)
Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre (Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship) was written in 1796. In short, Mignon is a young woman that Wilhelm Meister becomes infatuated with. In the novel, Mignon sings this song to Wilhelm after he has taken responsibility for her welfare. Mignon falls in love with Wilhelm and sings this song.
Do you know the land where the lemon blossoms grow,
In the dark leaves the golden oranges glow,
A gentle wind blows from the blue sky,
The myrtle silent and the laurel tall?
Do you know it?
It is there! it is there!
Go there then
I go with you, O my beloved!
Do you know the house, its roof on tall pillars?
The hall shines, the chamber shimmers,
And marble statues stand and look at me:
What has been done to you, poor child?
Do you know it?
It is there! It is there!
Go there then
I would be with you, O my protector.
Do you know the mountain with the misty shrouds?
The mule is seeking passage through the clouds;
In caves dwells the dragon's ancient brood;
The rock falls steeply and over it the flood!
Do you know it?
It is there! It is there!
Go there lies our way! O Father, let us go!
2) Neue Liebe, neues Leben (New Love, New Life)
Written during the time Goethe was involved with Elizabeth Sheneman, a.k.a. Lily. They were deeply in love and were engaged, but the marriage was called off.
Heart, my heart, what does that mean?
What is changing you so much?
What a strange new life!
I do not recognize you.
Everything you loved is gone,
Gone is what troubled you,
Gone your hard work and your rest;
Johann Goethe
How did this happen?
Does this bloom of youth shackle you,
This lovely form,
full of good quality
with infinite power?
I want to quickly escape,
to take courage and flee,
but in only a moment
I am led back to her.
With this magic thread,
that cannot be torn
the dear maiden
holds me tight against my will.
In her magic circle
I must now live.
The change, oh, how great!
Love, love, let me go!
3) Aus Goethes Faust - Mephistos Flohgesang (Mephisto's Song Of The Flea)
Taken from Goethe's Faust, Part One. Mephisto sings his sarcastic song in a cellar where a group of men are drinking and singing songs. Russian compoer Modest Mussorgsky also set this text (in Russian translation).
There was once a king,
who had a large flea,
whom he loved as much
as his own son..
He called his tailor,
The tailor came up;
"Here- make clothes for this knight
And measure him for pants! "
In velvet and silk
was the flea dressed in,
with ribbons on the clothing,
and a cross on the front.
He was immediately made a Minister,
And had a big star.
And all his kin
became members of court as well.
Lords and ladies of the court,
They were greatly afflicted,
The Queen and her maidens
were chomped and bitten,
and they did not dare swat
or scratch them away.
But we smash and crush them
as soon as they bite!
4) Gretels Warnun (Gretel's Warning)
A poem written by Gerhard Anton von Halem
With his eyes, music and song
handsome young Christel wooed.
So fresh and slim no other boy
was as nice.
No, no one was
so much fun
or held me in his heart.
And he was aware of it,
put pressure to bear
until he had his way.
There were other boys in the village,
as young and beautiful as he;
Gerhard Anton von Halem
But the girls wanted him
to makes eyes and flirt with.
They didn't stop
Flattering him
until they won his heart.
To me he turned cold,
Then he fled,
and left me here,
and left me here in pain.
With his eyes, music and song
seem like a dream.
His kiss that penetrated deep in my soul,
has cost me my happiness.
Look at my fate,
my sisters all .
If a rat has set his eye on you,
don't trust him.
Oh look at me, look at me,
Oh look at me, and flee!
5) An den fernen Geliebten (To My Man Who is Far Away)
The final two songs were set to texts by Christian Ludwig Reissig, who was an army captain that had been wounded in the Napoleonic Wars. He asked contemporary composers to set some of his texts to music and Beethoven agreed to show respect and sympathy for the wounded man.
Once sweet
calm and peace
Dwelt in my heart,
Now yearning colors every joy
Since we have parted.
The hour of
your leaving
was so dull and hollow.
The evening song of nightingales
Your dear
soul, love’s words address
with this plea:
Oh friend, whom I chose on this earth,
Do not forget me.
If by moonlight some random breeze
makes your hair flow free,
That is my spirit begging you:
Do not forget me.
when the moon was full,
Have yearned for me as zephyrs blew,
Their music has conveyed
my fond Adieu. 6) Der Zufriedene (The Contented One)
The engagement of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck was a long and difficult one due to Clara's father, who did not approve. He forbade the two from seeing each other, but the two lovers continued to exchange letters and meet in secret until Schumann took the case to court. It wasn't until the court decided in Schumann's favor that the two could marry in 1840.
Before 1840, practically all of Robert Schumann's compositions were for piano solo. Schumann had written a handful of lieder earlier in his career, but he admitted he was not much attracted to the form until the late songs of Schubert were published in about 1838. He studied Schubert's songs and was encouraged to try his hand at writing some of his own by his friend Felix Mendelssohn. His marriage to Clara gave him added incentive and inspiration to write about 140 songs in 1840, which has been called his Year Of Song.
The Liederkreis Opus 24 was the first song cycle that Schumann wrote, with the song cycles by Schubert used as his model. A song cycle is a set of individual songs that have a common element or subject that is shared in each song. Schumann had an affinity for the early poetry of Heinrich Heine and used nine of them as the texts of opus 24. Later in his career Heine began to reject the lyrical Romanticism of his earlier works and became satirical, full of caustic wit, and his radical political views caused his works to be banned by German authorities. He would end his days as an exile in Paris. His change of style can be illustrated by two quotes that are far removed from his lyrical Romantic works:
Whatever tears one may shed, in the end one always blows one's nose...
Nor have I ever seen an ass, at least any four-footed one, that spake as a man, though I have often enough met men who, whenever they opened their mouths, spake as asses.
The theme of the cycle is the Romantic era idea of being in love with the emotions of elation, sadness, and tension that love brings.
1) Morgens steh' ich auf (Every morning I awake and ask) A short song that can be thought to be an introduction, as it sets the tone for the rest of the songs. A simple melody with a simple accompaniment, it segues to the next song : Every morning I awake and ask: Will my sweetheart come today? Every evening I sink and lament: She stayed away again today. All night with grief I lay sleepless, waking, dreaming, half asleep, dreaming, I pass the day. 2) Es treibt mich hin (I'm driven here) The nervous excitement and anticipation of seeing the loved one is reflected in the agitated piano part: I'm driven here, I'm driven there! In only a few hours I will see her, the fairest of fair young women. True heart, how heavily you pound! But the hours are like lazy people! They drag themselves.comfortable and sluggish, creeping and yawn the whole way. Rouse yourself, lazy fool!
A raging hurry seizes and drives me! But the hours are not in love, sworn to a secret, cruel conspiracy they mock the lover's haste.
3) Ich wandelte unter den Baümen (I wandered among the trees)
Romantic poets tended to wander a lot, and here Heine wanders through the trees and has a dialog with the birds about his love: I wandered among the trees,
suffering alone;
along came that old
dream
and crept into my
heart.
Who taught you this
little word,
wee birds up in the heights?
Quiet! if my
heart hears it,
then my pain
will return.
"It came from a
young woman,
who sang it over and over;
that is how we tiny
birds learned
this pretty, golden
word."
Do not
explain this to me now,
you wee, cunning
birds;
you wanted to steal
my grief,
but I trust no
one. 4) Lieb' Liebchen (Dear Sweetheart)
The link between love and death is also represented quite often in Romantic era poems, and here the poet compares his pounding heart to a carpenter that builds his coffin. The song is short, with but one musical sentencethat is repeated, but a careful listener can hear how Schumann adds interest by having the piano anticipate and play the ending of the sentence just before the singer sings it: Dear sweetheart, lay
your hand on my heart;
ah, do you hear the
hammering inside?
inside lives a
carpenter, wicked and evil,
building my
coffin.
He hammers and
pounds day and by night;
it has been long since I could sleep.
Ah, hurry, Mister
Carpenter,
finish so that
I can sleep. 5) Schöne Wiege meine Leiden (Pretty cradle of my sorrows)
A song about love lost, as the poet leaves the town where his sadness occurred. A passionate, beautiful song with an ending played by the piano alone: Pretty cradle of sorrows,
pretty tombstone of
my rest,
pretty town - we
must part,
farewell! I call to
you.
Farewell, holy
thresh hold,
across which my
darling would tread;
farewell! you sacred
spot
where I first saw
her.
I wish I had
never seen you,
lovely queen of my
heart!
Then it would have never happened,
that I would be
so wretched now.
I never wished to
touch your heart,
I never begged for
love;
all I wished was to
lead a quiet life
where your breath
could stir me.
Yet you yourself
pushed me away,
with bitter words at
your lips;
Madness filled my
senses,
and my heart is sick
and wounded.
And my limbs are
heavy and sluggish;
I'll drag myself
forward, leaning on my staff,
until I can lay my
weary head
in a cool and
distant grave. 6) Warte, warte, wilder Schiffsman (Wait, wait, wild boatman) Another about departure, with this one having the lover hustling to try to get on a boat to take him away: Wait, wait, wild boatman,
I'll follow you
to the harbor;
I
am taking my leave from two maidens,
Europe and from
Her.
Stream of blood. run
from my eyes,
stream of blood,
burst from my body,
so that with this
hot blood
I can write of my agonies.
Ah, my dear, why today
do you shudder to
see my blood?
You've seen me pale,
my heart bleeding,
standing before you
for years!
Do you know the old
song
about the serpent in
Paradise
who, by wickedly
giving an apple,
threw our ancestors
into misery?
Apples have caused
every ill!
Eve brought death
through them,
Eris caused the
flames of Troy;
and you have brought
both, flame and death!
7) Berg und Burgen schau'n herunter (Mountains and castles gaze down)
The Rhine River is a favorite of many German poets, and Schumann writes a piano part that flows like the Rhine as the singer compares his love with the river: Mountains and castles gaze down
into the
mirror that is the Rhine,
and my little boat
sails with
the sunshine
glistening around it.
Calmly I watch the
play
of golden waves surging,
silently feelings
arise in me
that I have kept
deep in my heart.
With greetings and promises,
the splendid river beckons,
but I know it -
gleaming above
it conceals death and night within itself.
Above, pleasure; at
heart, malice;
River, you are the
very image of my beloved!
She can nod with as much friendliness,
and smile so devotedly and gently. 8) Anfangs wollt' ich fast verzagen (At first I almost despaired)
A very short song of the survival of the poet despite his lost love: At first I almost despaired,
and I thought I
would never be able to bear it;
but yet, I have
borne it,
do not ask
me how. 9) Mit Myrthen und Rosen (With myrtle and roses)
The poet hopes his love will someday find his book of love songs and that the songs will tell her of his love: With myrtle and roses so lovely,
with cypresses and gold tinsel,
I would decorate
this book like a coffin
and bury my songs
inside.
O if only I could
bury my love there as well!
On the grave of love
grows the blossom of peace;
it blooms and then
is plucked,
yet it will bloom
for me only when I am in the grave.
Here now are the
songs which, once so wild,
like a stream of
lava that flowed from Etna,
burst from the
depths of my heart,
and sprayed glittering
sparks everywhere!
Now they lie mute like death,
now they stare
cold and pale as mist,
but the old glow
will revive them afresh,
when the spirit of
love someday floats above them.
Carl Loewe composed in most of the genres of his day, but he is most remembered for his over 400 songs for voice and piano. He was called the Schubert of North Germany, and exerted a great influence on German lieder composers in the 19th century. Loewe was also a fine pianist as well as baritone, conductor and composer, and his songs are known for the imaginative effects in the accompaniments. His ballads were very popular in the 19th century, especially in Germany where they remain in the lied repertoire. With the coming of modern scholarship and recordings, Loewe's music is being heard more often outside Germany.
The text for the ballad Edward Opus 1, No. 1 originated in the British Isles. There are many versions of this poem in England, Scotland, and Ireland and there are also very similar ballads in Northern Europe. The poem was many centuries old before it was put on paper in 1765. The German poet Johann Gottfried Herder translated the poem to German, the version Loewe used in his setting of the poem.
The poem is a dialogue between Edward and his Mother. After his Mother presses him where the blood on his sword came from, Edward confesses that he has killed his father. After the Mother continues to ask questions, this time about what will happen to his wife, children, towers and house, his Mother asks what will he do for his Mother dear. Edward replies she will recieve the curse of hell, and it is then that he accuses his Mother of counseling him to murder his father.
Edward
"Why does your sword drip with blood,
Edward, Edward?
Why does your sword drip with blood
And why are you so sad, O?"
"O, I have killed my hawk so good,
Mother, Mother;
O, I have killed my hawk so good,
And I have no more, O!"
"Your hawk's blood was never so red,
Edward, Edward!
Your hawk's blood was never so red,
My dear son, I tell you, O!"
"O, I have killed my red-roan steed,
Mother, Mother;
O, I have killed my red-roan steed,
That was once so fair and free, O!"
"Your steed was old, and you have more,
Edward, Edward!
Your steed was old, and you have more,
Something else troubles you, O!"
"O, I have slain my father dear,
Mother, Mother;
O, I have slain my father dear,
Alas and woe is me, O!"
"And what penance will you do for that,
Edward, Edward?
And what penance will you do for that,
My dear son, now tell me, O!"
"I'll set my feet in yonder boat,
Mother, Mother;
I'll set my feet in yonder boat,
And I'll go over the sea, O."
"And what will you do with your towers and house,
Edward, Edward?
And what will you do with your towers and house
That were so fair to see, O?"
"I'll let them stand till they fall down,
Mother, Mother;
I'll let them stand till they fall down,
For here will I never be, O."
"And what will you leave to your children and wife,
Edward, Edward?
And what will you leave to your children and wife,
When you go over the sea, O?"
"The world has room, let them beg through life,
Mother, Mother;
The world has room, let them beg through life,
For never more will I see them, O."
"And what will you leave to your mother dear,
Edward, Edward?
And what will you leave to your mother dear,
My dear son, now tell me, O!"
"The curse of hell from me shall ye bear,
Mother, Mother;
The curse of hell from me shall ye bear,
For the counsel you gave to me, O!"
The link below is of the German bass Kurt Moll singing the ballad with an orchestral accompaniment:
Moll's interpretation is classic, and his deep bass voice suits the music quite well. At the other end of the spectrum is the 1932 version done by Lawrence Tibbett. This version uses the original piano accompaniment. Tibbett also sings in the dialect that the poem was written in when published in 1765. In comparison to Moll's more contemporary interpretation, Tibbett's is much more free musically in tempo and is over the top dramatically, some might even say to the point of going too far. But his version is certainly not boring:
Totendanz, Opus 44, No. 3 is set to parts of a poem by Johann Goethe who wrote the poem in 1813. The poem is not only in the tradition of the dance of death that runs through European culture for centuries (an aftermath of the changes in society created by the Black Death ), but Goethe infuses it with some black humor as a night watchman at first just watches the skeletons shed their shrouds and dance. But a voice whispers in his ear to take one of the shrouds, which he does. As the skeletons end their dance, they all grab their shrouds and go back to their graves except for the one that had his shroud taken by the watchman. The skeleton climbs up the tower wall, and as it corners the watchman, bells toll out and save the watchman as the skeleton shatters into pieces.
Totendanz
At dead of night the watchman on the tower
looks down on the row of graves.
The moon has made everything bright,
the churchyard is as if in daylight.
One grave stirs, then another;
out they come, here a woman,
there a man, in white
trailing winding sheets.
Now intent on pleasure, they stretch
their bones in around dance.
Poor and young, old and rich,
their trains hinder their dance.
Since they have no need of shame,
they all shake them off and the
shrouds lie scattered
over the burial mounds.
Now shanks stir and legs totter,
there are crazy antics and
now and then clicks and clacks
as if castanets were beating time.
To the watchman it seems ludicrous,
and the artful Tempter whispers in his ear,
"Go out and seize one of the shrouds!" No sooner said
than done, and he retreats behind hallowed doors.
The moon shines brightly on the hideous dance,
but at last they disperse, and one by one
slip back into their clothes and scurry
back under the turf.
Finally only one is left, tripping and stumbling,
fumbling and groping at the graves,
but none of hiss fellows has wronged him.
He smells the grave cloth in the air.
He rattles the tower gate, but is repulsed,
fortunatley for the watchman,
by holy ornaments
shining with metal crosses.
But he has to have his shroud and will not rest,
nor is there time for lengthy reflection.
The creature grasps the Gothic decorations
and clambers from coping to coping.
Poor watchman, he's done for now!
Up it climbs from turret to turret like a long legged spider.
The watchman blenches and trembles, gladly
would he give the shroud back! Now -can anything save the watchman!
A corner of the shroud catches on an iron spike,
already the moon is clouded over, the light fades,
C.P.E. Bach is most well known for his instrumental works, of which his most prolific genre is the works for solo keyboard with over 400 pieces. But it may be a surprise to learn that his second largest genre of works was his output of songs, with over 250 works. Bach's role as a transitional composer applies to his songs as well as other genres. To be sure, songs had been written before his time, but the style of accompaniment for earlier songs was a holdover from the Baroque era, a continuo accompaniment that could be played by a bass instrument that included numbers (a figured bass) that were an outline for harmony to be filled in by a keyboard. Bach wrote out his accompaniments in full to his later songs and made them specific for a keyboard instrument.
Bach was very discriminating towards the texts that he set to music. Many of the texts he used were spiritual or sacred in nature. One of the poets he set to music was Christoph Christian Sturm, German writer and preacher. Geistliche Gesänge (Sacred songs with melodies) is a set of two volumes of Sturm's poems (thirty in each volume for a total of 60 songs) that Bach set to music in 1780 and 1781. Many of the songs are strophic; the music is the same for each verse of the poem. Bach did not always set all the verses of a poem, and performers did not always perform all the verses that were contained in a song.
1) Über die Finsterniss kurz vor dem Tode Jesu (On The Darkness Shortly Before Jesus' Death) Wq. 197, No. 29
Christoph Christian Sturm
Bach did not always set every verse of a poem, and performers did not always perform all the verses that were contained in a song. This is part of the tradition of these songs to this day, and the performance linked at the end of this post has only the first verse of the song performed. Modern scholarship has seen more awareness of the tonal colors C.P.E. Bach was familiar with. With most of Bach's songs being intended for private performance in a household or a very intimate venue, the keyboard instruments of his time are often utilized in performance. The first five songs in the linked video are accompanied by a tangent piano, a keyboard instrument that was a hybrid between piano and clavichord.
Night and shadow cover
the mediator's face,
and the soul cannot bear
the soul's terror!
Oh, how he feels the despair
for joy and light!
Father, oh how long
must your face remain hidden!
Lord, have mercy!
God, have mercy!
Christian Gellert
Geistliche Oden und Lieder (Spiritual Odes And Songs) are a collection of poems written by Christian Fürchtegott Gellert, who was a German philosopher and poet that helped usher in the Golden Age of German literature that culminated with the writings of Schiller and Goethe. Despite that he could be exceedingly wordy, his works were very popular. C.P.E. Bach admired Gellert's works so much that he set all fifty four poems of the first volume in 1758 as well as a supplement of twelve poems in 1764. Bach himself wrote a preface for the first edition of the work that conveys his purpose in setting the poems:
It would be superfluous to add more praise to the famous author of the text, since his work has already received much recognition. However, it can not be thankful enough
fully convinced of the distribution of this collection and its enormous advantage. I for my part, have been very moved by the excellence of the noble and instructive thoughts contained in these texts and felt compelled to set all of them to music. It is common knowledge that didactic odes are not so easily set to music as lyrical poems. However, if
didactic odes are as beautifully written as by Mr. Gellert, one feels compelled to make every effort to beautify their purpose, so that their use will be more widely circulated.
It is solely for this reason that I composed these melodies. My main objective was to
allow these odes to be more accessible and enjoyable for music lovers...
The melodies, which show
directions such as 'alive', 'happy', et al. require a moderate pace, otherwise one can
easy fall into a bold interpretation and can be easy to forget that these are religious songs
Last but not least, I hope again for the approval of the experts and would be very grateful
if my good intentions would be recognized.
2) Prüfung am Abend (Reflections In The Evening) - WQ. 194, No. 7 The day has gone again, and so thus far in my life, how have I spent it? Has it passed by in vain? Have I seriously strived after good? Have I, perhaps only obeyed myself and not my duties? God, who knows everything, what could I conceal from You? Every day I still feel the frailty of my soul. Forgive my breach of duty through Christ's blood; Forgive and do not pronounce judgement on me. Yes, You forgive the one who is wounded by his sins; You love mercy and You will have mercy on me, too. You protect me this night as well; if I live, I live for You, if I die, I die for You!
3) Trost der Erlösung (Consolation Of Redemption) - Wq. 194, No. 30
What cannot be explained by thought
the heart is able to understand.
"That God so loved the world that He gave
his only begotten son."
Give me the comfort to know that Jesus Christ
on the cross removes the blame from me,
that He is my redeemer
so that I am not filled with fear.
I know that my Redeemer lives,
that when I rise from the grave
I will see Him in the flesh.
4) Paßionslied - Erforsche mich, erfahr mein Herz (Passion Song - Search within me, inspect my heart) - Wq. 194, No. 14
Search within me, inspect my heart
and see, Lord, who I am.
I think of the pain of your suffering,
of your love, and I weep.
Your cross shall be praised!
What a miracle of mercy
have you given the world.
When have I ever thought of this enough,
and when have I ever, with all my strength,
praised you for it enough?
A victim, according to the old scripture.
burdened with our afflictions,
for you people's iniquity
tormented and beaten.
You are taken away to the cross
in innocence, like a lamb,
that leads to the slaughter.
Voluntarily as the hero's hero.
Your head falls. It is accomplished.
You die, the earth trembles.
This I have made you do.
Lord, my soul is shaking.
What is man, that you free him?
Oh, if only I could be truly thankful;!
Lord, let me find mercy.
And your love shall press me
so that I love you back,
and never crucify you again with my sins.
5) Abendlied - Herr, der du mir das Leben(Evening Song - Lord, you have given me my life) - Wq.194, No. 32
Lord, you have given me my life.
Until this day,
I pray to you like a child!
I am much too undeserving
of the loyalty that I sing of,
which you have shown me today.
Covered with your blessing
I hurry towards my rest,
your name shall be praised!
My life and my end
is yours; into your hands
Father, I commit my spirit.
6) Bußlied (Song Of Penance) Wq. 194, No. 46
This final song in the video is sung to the accompaniment of a clavichord, reportedly Bach's most favorite keyboard instrument. It is an instrument that is capable of much nuance and expression, but in a very subdued tone.
Against you I have sinned
And often done evil in front of you.
You see the guilt,
Which declares my curse,
God. also look at my misery!
To you my pleading
My sighing is not hidden,
And my tears are in front of you,
Oh God, my God,
How long must I worry?
How long will you be absent from me?
Lord, do not treat me
As I deserve because of my sins,
Do not punish me for my guilt.
I seek you,
Let me find you,
God of infinite patience.
Soon you will fill me
With your grace,
God, father of mercy.
Make me glad for the sake of your name,
You are a God that gives delight.
Allow me on your path
Wander again with joy,
And teach me your holy law,
So I can every day
Do what pleases you.
You are my God, I am your servant.
Schubert had an exceptional drive to compose at every possible opportunity, almost an obsession for writing music. Schubert said himself that:
I compose every morning, and when one piece is done, I begin another.
Despite the few years of life he had, he developed his talent to a remarkable degree. When Franz Schubert died in Vienna in 1828 even his close friends had no idea of how much music he had written. He wrote in almost every musical genre of his day, and it wasn't until the last few years of his life that his works were beginning to be published. It wasn't until 1951 when research done by Otto Erich Deutsch resulted in the publication of a comprehensive catalog of Schubert works that the tremendous number of Schubert works were known.
During his lifetime Schubert was known for his songs; it is the genre that he wrote the most in with over 600 songs to his credit. His songs were the first compositions to be published, beginning in 1821 with his setting of Goethe's poem Der Erlkönig. The three songs of opus 4 were published in 1822 and included Der Wanderer(1816) , Morgenlied (1820), and Wandrers Nachtlied I (1815).
The Wanderer, D. 489 - Schubert had a genius for being able to read a poem and setting it to music. Sometimes the poems he set were of the highest quality by poets such as Goethe, but he was adept at making the most of any poem that set his musical imagination to composition. The poem Der Wanderer was written by Georg Philipp Schmidt von Lübeck who was something of a Renaissance man. He was born to an old merchant family, studied law, medicine, was an astute business man and politician. He was also a man of letters who wrote on historical subjects as well as poetry. By the time Schubert wrote this song he had written over 300 songs as well as numerous cantatas for solo voices and choirs ans well as part songs with piano accompaniment. He used the experience of writing all of these vocal works and no doubt his experience of listening to opera and created a song with operatic overtones and a concentrated opera aria structure. It was one of Schubert's most popular songs in his lifetime and still resonates with audiences today.
Georg Philipp Schmidt von Lübeck
The Wanderer
I come down from the mountains,
The valley fills with mist, the sea roars.
I wander silently and unhappily,
And my sighs always ask "Where?"
The sun seems so cold to me here,
The flowers dead, life old,
And what they say has an empty sound;
I am a stranger everywhere.
Where are you, my dear land?
Sought and brought to mind, yet never known,
That land, so hopefully green,
That land, where my roses bloom,
Where my friends wander.
Where the dead ones rise from the dead,
That land where they speak my language,
Oh land, where are you?
I wander silently and unhappily,
And my sighs always ask "Where?"
In a ghostly breath it calls back to me, "Where you are not, there is happiness."
Morning Song D. 685 - A man of many accomplishments, Zacharias Werner studied law, was appointed a government post for tow years until he resigned and traveled widely. He became acquainted with Goethe and other literary artists while traveling, and while in Rome converted to Roman Catholicism and was consecrated a priest. He was also a playwright, and Schubert got the poem from Werner’s play The
Sons of the Valley. This song was also popular in Schubert's time, but it doesn't age very well, at least the lyrics.
Morning Song
Before the sun rises early,
When from the sea mist
The morning breeze wafts up and down,
When dawn, armed with it shining spear, leads
forward,
Little birds flutter here and there,
Zacharias Werner
Sing joyfully in all directions
A song, a jubilant song.
"What so delights all you birds,
So happy in the warming rays of the sun?"
"We are happy that we live and exist,
And that we are companions of the air,
According to time-honoured custom
we flutter joyfully through the bushes,
Wafted about by the lovely morning breeze,
Whose caress is also enjoyed by the sun."
"Why do you little birds sit so silent and
crouched down
In your mossy nests on the roof?"
"We sit because the sun no longer takes
notice of us,
Night has already been enveloped by the waves,
The moon alone, the lovely light,
The sun’s lovely reflection
Does not leave us in darkness,
Wherefore we rejoice quietly."
O youth, cool morningtide,
Where we, our hearts wide open,
With senses quick and waking
Delight in the freshness of life,
Now you have fled!
We old ones sit alone crouching in our nest,
But the lovely reflection of our youthful days,
Where we delighted in early dawn,
Johann Goethe
Never leaves us even in old age,
But fills us with the quiet, joy of the senses.
Wanderer's Nightsong I, D. 224 - Schubert chose a poem written in 1776 by the ultimate German poet Johann Goethe. Goethe wrote two poems named Wanderer's Night Song, this one is the first. Schubert also set the second poem to music. Schubert achieves a calmness and beauty in this short song that is remarkable considering he was only eighteen when he wrote it.
Wanderer's Night Song I
You who are from heaven,
who eases all pain and sorrow,
and the doubly wretched
you fill with doubly with fresh vigor.
Ah, I'm tired of restless life!
For what is all this pain and joy?
Sweet peace,
come, ah, come into my breast!
Modest Mussorgsky, one of the great natural musicians of the 19th century, died of alcohol-induced epilepsy in 1881 at the age of 42. He began his early adult life as an officer in the Russian military, but after serving only a year or two resigned his commission and began to devote himself to music. Mussorgsky had been a child prodigy on the piano, but his technical training in musical theory, harmony and counterpoint was sparse.
Mussorgsky planned and began many more compositions than he ever finished. He either planned or began eleven operas, but he completed only one, the well-known Boris Godunov, that for many years was only heard in Rimsky-Korsakov's version done after Mussorgsky's death. He wrote many pieces for piano solo and his best-known work Pictures At An Exhibition is more well known in the orchestration done by Ravel than the original piano version.
One area of composition in which he excelled was songs for voice and piano, of which he wrote over 70 examples. He was the first great song composer that integrated the inflection and stress of the Russian language with music. He wrote his first songs while still a teenager, but it wasn't until 1866 that he became adept as a composer of unique songs in and for the Russian language.
He wrote The Seminarist in 1867and it is set to Mussorgsky's own words. It is a comic song that deals with a young seminary student's ardor for a priest's daughter. The song begins with monotonous chanting of Latin nouns, an exercise seminary students were put through to teach them Latin. This chanting of Latin nouns occurs throughout the song, and interspersed with the chants are the amorous dreamings of the seminary student as well as the thumping he receives from the girl's father after he catches the seminary student flirting with her during church. The Russian Orthodox Church censor banned the song from being circulated or printed in Russia as the song was considered to be disrespectful of the church. Mussorgsky wrote two versions of the song, and the church banned both versions, to Mussorgsky's delight:
The Seminarist Panis, piscis, crinis, finis,
ignis, lapis, pulvis, cinis…
Woe is me! Woe is me! Orbis amnis et canalis, orbis amnis et canalis...
The priest gave me a thumping,
And blessed me with a beating,
And made me lose my memory
with the blow of his holy hand. Fascis, axis, funis, ensis, fustis, vectis,
vermis, mensis…
The priest Semyon has a beautiful daughter,
Her cheeks are rosy,
Her eyes are sensual,
Her breast like that of a swan,
That swells under her shirt. Fastis, axis, funis, ensis, fustis, vestis,
vermis, mensis…
Ah, Styosha, my Stoyosha,
How I would kiss you,
And embrace you! Postis, follis, cucumis, atque, pollis, atque pollis, cucumis, cucumis…
The other day during the service for holy
and
famous Mitrodora
I read a part of the Scriptures.
But peeped at Styosha all the time
And glanced at the left side of
the choir stall and gave her a wink.
Then her devil of a Father saw it
and wrote it in his little book,
And my master blessed me three times
on the ears,
And with all his power beat the Latin lessons
into my head with a stick. Orbis, amnis, et canalis, et canalis, sanguis, unguis, et canalis, et canalis…
Thus it was that I happened to experience
temptation
from the devil
In God’s own holy temple. Amnis et canalis, sanguis, unguis, et canalis,
et canalis, et canalis…..
.
