Brahms - Opp. 43 and 46 songs

[Despina41]

Ok, now you get into some of the famous songs, two of which are from op. 43 (composed in the 1860s).

I confess I had trouble finding good youtube recordings of the famous "Von Ewiger Liebe" (there were many fine singing performances) because the pianists never bring out the accompaniment to my taste. The piano parts in Brahms are always important. Certainly, singing is hard, but playing the piano seems to be harder!

Or worse, you'll have a performance and then the voice is recorded in your face and the piano is so far in the background, the pianist could be sitting on the keys to make sound and it would still be ineffective.

The balance in chamber music is OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE!

Ok, rant complete.

Hear how important the piano is in "Von Ewiger Liebe:" For example, the rhythmic tension is ALL in the piano! 2 vs. 3 in the third verse to help depict the young man's upset state of mind. (Even Edwin Fischer kind of flubs it here!) Actually, some people have criticized Brahms for the piano part in the last verse, "rocking around like a boat on stormy waters!" That doesn't seem to stop singers from picking this song for programs, though.

"Von Ewiger Liebe"

Dunkel, wie dunkel in Wald und in Feld!
Abend schon ist es, nun schweiget die Welt.
Nirgend noch Licht und nirgend noch Rauch,
Ja, und die Lerche sie schweiget nun auch.

Kommt aus dem Dorfe der Bursche heraus,
Gibt das Geleit der Geliebten nach Haus,
Führt sie am Weidengebüsche vorbei,
Redet so viel und so mancherlei:

»Leidest du Schmach und betrübest du dich,
Leidest du Schmach von andern um mich,
Werde die Liebe getrennt so geschwind,
Schnell wie wir früher vereiniget sind.
Scheide mit Regen und scheide mit Wind,
Schnell wie wir früher vereiniget sind.«

Spricht das Mägdelein, Mägdelein spricht:
»Unsere Liebe sie trennet sich nicht!
Fest ist der Stahl und das Eisen gar sehr,
Unsere Liebe ist fester noch mehr.

Eisen und Stahl, man schmiedet sie um,
Unsere Liebe, wer wandelt sie um?
Eisen und Stahl, sie können zergehn,
Unsere Liebe muß ewig bestehn!«

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urRNdS81tTc&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urRNdS81tTc&feature=related[/ame]

Dark, how dark it is in the forest and field!
Night has fallen; the world now is silent.
Nowhere a light and nowhere smoke.
Yes, now even the lark is silent.

From yonder village there comes the young lad,
Taking his beloved home.
He leads her past the willow bushes,
Talking so much, and of so many things:

"If you suffer shame and if you grieve,
If you suffer disgrace before others because of me,
Then our love shall be ended ever so fast
As fast as we once came together;
It shall go with the rain and go with the wind,
As fast as we once came together."

Then says the maiden, the maiden says:
"Our love shall never end!
Steel is firm and iron is firm,
Yet our love is firmer still.

Iron and steel can be recast by the smith
But who would transform our love?
Iron and steel can melt;
Our love, our love will have to last forever!"

---
op 43 no 2. Wow, this song is pretty deep. Or at least, it can be, as long as one doesn't listen to the youtubers.

"Die Mainacht"

Wann der silberne Mond durch die Gesträuche blinkt,
Und sein schlummerndes Licht über den Rasen streut,
Und die Nachtigall flötet,
Wandl' ich traurig von Busch zu Busch.

Selig preis ich dich dann, flötende Nachtigall,
Weil dein Weibchen mit dir wohnet in einem Nest,
Ihrem singenden Gatten
Tausend trauliche Küsse gibt.

Überhüllet von Laub girret ein Taubenpaar
Sein Entzücken mir vor; aber ich wende mich,
Suche dunklere Schatten,
Und die einsame Träne rinnt.

Wann, o lächelndes Bild, welches wie Morgenrot
Durch die Seele mir strahlt, find ich auf Erden dich?
Und die einsame Träne
Bebt mir heißer die Wang herab!


Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau wins here. He builds up the tension more subtly across verses than most people, and Barenboim is at least audible, even if he is Barenboim.

When the silvery moon beams through the shrubs
And over the lawn scatters its slumbering light,
And the nightingale sings,
I walk sadly through the woods.

I guess you're happy, fluting nightingale,
For your wife lives in one nest with you,
Giving her singing spouse
A thousand faithful kisses.

Shrouded by foliage, a pair of doves
Coo their delight to me;
But I turn away seeking darker shadows,
And a lonely tear flows.

When, o smiling image that like dawn
Shines through my soul, shall I find you on earth?
And the lonely tear flows trembling,
Burning, down my cheek.
---
Op. 46, no 3.
Who wrote this? Wagner? Liszt?? This song is all over the place harmonically. Totally crazy for Brahms in the 1860s.

"Die Schale der Vegessenheit"

Eine Schale des Stroms, welcher Vergessenheit
Durch Elysiums Blumen rollt,
Bring, o Genius, bring deinem Verschmachtenden!
Dort, wo Phaon die Sängerin,
Dort, wo Orpheus vergaß seiner Eurydike,
Schöpf den silbernen Schlummerquell!
Ha! Dann tauch' ich dein Bild, spröde Gebieterin,
Und die lächelnde Lippe voll
Lautenklanges, des Haars schattige Wallungen,
Und das Beben der weißen Brust,
Und den siegenden Blick, der mir im Marke zuckt,
Tauch' ich tief in den Schlummerquell.


(same performers)

A goblet of the river Lethe which spreads oblivion
Through the flowers of Elysium,
O spirit, bring one to your thirsting servant!
There, where Phaon forgot the singer Sappho,
There, where Orpheus forgot his Eurydice,
Ladle up the silver sleeping potion!
Ha! For there will I plunge your image, brittle, imperious one;
And your smiling lips full of
Lute-music, your hair's shadowy waves,
The shaking of your white breast,
And that victorious gaze which pierces me through;
I will plunge all of them deep into oblivion.

[Despina41]

Op. 46, no 3.
Who wrote this? Wagner? Liszt?? This song is all over the place harmonically. Totally crazy for Brahms in the 1860s.

Of course, given the text, perhaps ol' JB thought it appropriate to sound like those two.

[haydnguy]

Thanks for this, Despina. I'll have to listen tonight because my better half is sleeping right now. I didn't even know Brahms WROTE lieder!!!

[Despina41]

Originally Posted by haydnguy

I didn't even know Brahms WROTE lieder!!!

Any ass could tell that!

[haydnguy]

Originally Posted by Despina41

Any ass could tell that!

[BrahmsGuides]

"Liebesglut," Op. 47, No. 2, is even more wild and harmonically/rhythmically complex than is "Die Schale der Vergessenheit."