More Brahms Lieder!

[Despina41]

It seems like the Lieder are everyone's favorite Brahms works on this forum. How ironic, since JB is known today for those chamber works theorists love to analyze, the big symphonic stuff, and the amazing late piano pieces.

Anyway, SchubertGuy can post some of those middling songs from the opp50s and 60s since he just got the new CPO Brahms Lieder set. I have a few from later opp here.

These are from the 1870s, when Brahms was settled in Vienna and well established as one of the best composers of the day. He's not trying to prove anything in these songs; they're just good songs for music lovers.

Op. 69 (9 songs) has some gems. Here's no. 8, "Salome." No more explanation..

Singt mein Schatz wie ein Fink,
Sing ich Nachtigallensang;
Ist mein Liebster ein Luchs,
O so bin ich eine Schlang!

O ihr Jungfraun im Land,
[Vom Gebirg]1 und über See,
Überlaßt mir den Schönsten,
Sonst tut ihr mir weh!

Er soll sich unterwerfen
Zum Ruhm uns und Preis!
Und er soll sich nicht rühren,
Nicht laut und nicht leis!

O ihr teuren Gespielen,
Überlaßt mir den stolzen Mann!
Er soll sehn, wie die Liebe
Ein feurig Schwert werden kann!


(Jessye Norman and Daniel Barenboim)

If my dear one sings like a finch,
I sing a nightingale's song.
If my lover's a fox,
I'm a snake!

O ye virgins in the country,
From the mountains and across the sea,
If you don't want to hurt me
Leave the most beautiful man to me!

He shall give himself up
to us for fame and fortune
And not worry,
neither loudly nor softly!

O dear playmates,
leave the dear man to me!
He shall see how love
can be a fiery sword!

---
Here's the last song, with some fun acting for the soprano. Heh, she gets pretty angry in the second half of this song. (I can't BELIEVE this is not on youtube - what a great prima donna aria! GET ON IT, youtubers!)

The poem is also "from the Serbian" so perhaps that can explain some of the quasi-exotic sound here.


Mädchenfluch, op. 69, no 9. (Maiden's Curse)

Ruft die Mutter, ruft der Tochter
Über drei Gebirge:
"Ist, o Mara, liebe Tochter,
Ist gebleicht das Linnen?"
Ihr zurück die junge Tochter
Über neun Gebirge:
"Nichts in's Wasser, liebe Mutter,
Taucht' ich noch das Linnen,
Denn, o sieh', es hat das Wasser
Jawo mir getrübet. -
Wie dann erst, o liebe Mutter,
Hätt' ich es gebleicht schon!
Fluch' ihm, Mutter, liebe Mutter!
Ich auch will ihm fluchen.
Gäbe Gott im hellen Himmel,
Daß er sich erhänge -
An ein böses Bäumchen hänge,
An den weißen Hals mir!
Gäbe Gott im hellen Himmel,
Daß er lieg' gefangen -
Lieg' gefangen tief im Kerker,
An der weißen Brust mir!
Gäbe Gott, der Herr im Himmel,
Daß er Ketten trage -
Ketten trage, festgeschlungen,
Meine weißen Arme!
Gäbe Gott im hellen Himmel,
Daß ihn nähm' das Wasser -
Daß ihn nähm' das wilde Wasser,
Mir in's Haus ihn bringe!"


(Same performers)

The mother calls, calls to her daughter
Across three mountains:
"Is, o Mara, dear daughter,
The linen bleached?"
Back to her, the young daughter calls
Across nine mountains:
"Nothing is in the water, dear mother,
I haven't dipped the linen yet
For, you see, Jawo has
Muddied the water.
How, then, o dear mother,
Could I have bleached it?
Curse him, mother, dear mother!
I will curse him too.
May God in bright heaven grant
That he might hang himself
On a terrible little tree...
On my white neck!
May God in bright heaven grant
That he might lie imprisoned,
Imprisoned deep in a dungeon...
On my white breast!
May God grant, o lord in heaven,
That he might wear chains -
Wear chains tightly about him...
My white arms!
May God in bright heaven grant,
That the waters might seize him -
That the wild waters might seize him...
And bring him to my house!"

----
And now for something rather different.

Lerchengesang, op. 70 no. 2

The text is in the video line by line.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p8z2aX6mlc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p8z2aX6mlc[/ame]


---

Walpurgisnacht, op. 75, no. 4.

Ok, these kids aren't the most professional of singers (and neither were Brahms's audiences), but you can hear pretty well in spite of everything how dramatic this song is - compare the range of the soprano child and the mezzo mother. What a great duet! If you can find the other op. 75 duets, they are also a good time.

Liebe Mutter, heut' Nacht heulte Regen und Wind.
»Ist heute der erste Mai, liebes Kind.«

Liebe Mutter, es donnerte auf dem Brocken droben.
»Liebes Kind, es waren die Hexen oben.«

Liebe Mutter, ich möcht keine Hexen sehn.
»Liebes Kind, es ist wohl schon oft geschehn.«

Liebe Mutter, ob wohl im Dorf Hexen sind?
»Sie sind dir wohl näher, mein liebes Kind.«

Liebe Mutter, worauf fliegen die Hexen zum Berg?
»Liebes Kind, auf dem Rauche von heissem Werg.«

Liebe Mutter, worauf reiten die Hexen zum Spiel?
»Liebes Kind, sie reiten auf'nem Besenstiel.«

Liebe Mutter, ich sah gestern im Dorf viel Besen.
»Es sind auch viel Hexen auf'm Brocken gewesen.«

Liebe Mutter, 's hat gestern im Schornstein geraucht.
»Liebes Kind, es hat Einer das Werg gebraucht.«

Liebe Mutter, in der Nacht war dein Besen nicht zu Haus.
»Liebes Kind, so war er zum Blocksberg hinaus.«

Liebe Mutter, dein Bett war leer in der Nacht.
»Deine Mutter hat oben auf dem Blocksberg gewacht.«

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebkr9IQRZDU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebkr9IQRZDU[/ame]

"Dear Mother, the wind and rain howls tonight," -
"It is the first of May, my child..."

"Dear Mother, there's thunder over the Brocken." -
"Dear child, there are witches up there."

"Dear Mother, I don't want to see any witches." -
"Dear Child, they are seen often enough."

"Dear Mother, but even in town?" -
"They're even closer, my child."

"Dear Mother, how do they fly up to the mountain?" -
"Dear Child, on the smoke from glowing flax."

"Dear Mother, how do they ride to their gatherings?" -
"Dear Child, they ride on broomsticks."

"Dear Mother, yesterday I saw many brooms in the village." -
"Here are also many witches on the Brocken."

"Dear Mother, the chimney was smoking yesterday." -
"Dear Child, someone needed to burn flax."

"Dear Mother, last night your broom was missing." -
"Dear Child, it was over the Blocksberg."

"Dear Mother, your bed was empty last night." -
"Your Mother was awake over the Blocksberg."
---

Back to op. 72, which the ever-reliable Quasthoff has recorded with Justus Zeyen.

Here's one of my all-time favorites, and this performance is especially good, largely due to Zeyen's amazing piano skillz. Listen to the waves crashing in the piano part - not easy to play to such effect.

Verzagen, op. 72, no. 4 (Despair)

Ich sitz' am Strande der rauschenden See
Und suche dort nach Ruh',
Ich schaue dem Treiben der Wogen
Mit dumpfer Ergebung zu.

Die Wogen rauschen zum Strande hin,
Sie schäumen und vergehn,
Die Wolken, die Winde darüber,
Die kommen und verwehn.

Du ungestümes Herz sei still
Und gib dich doch zur Ruh',
Du sollst mit Winden und Wogen
Dich trösten, - was weinest du?



I sit by the shore of the rushing sea
And there I search for peace;
I look at the drifting waves,
With a dull resignation.

The waves are rushing to the shore,
They foam and vanish again;
The clouds, the winds above,
They come and blow away.

Be still, impetuous heart,
And be resigned in peace,
Let the waves and winds console you;
Why do you weep?

--

Unüberwindlich, op. 72, no. 5 (Insuperable)

This is the last song in the set. I guess Brahms felt the need to lighten up the atmosphere a tad after "Verzagen." The opening tune he ripped so blantantly from a Scarlatti sonata that he jotted down Scarlatti's name in the score to let people know about the borrowing.

There's also some funny musical-word play between the verses with "Flasche" (bottle) vs "Falsche" (false one).

Hab' ich tausendmal geschworen
Dieser Flasche nicht zu trauen,
Bin ich doch wie neugeboren,
Läßt mein Schenke fern sie schauen.

Alles ist an ihr zu loben,
Glaskristall und Purpurwein;
Wird der Propf herausgehoben,
Sie ist leer und ich nicht mein.

Hab' ich tausendmal geschworen,
Dieser Falschen nicht zu trauen,
Und doch bin ich neugeboren,
Läßt sie sich ins Auge schauen.

Mag sie doch mit mir verfahren,
Wie's dem stärksten Mann geschah.
Deine Scher' in meinen Haaren,
Allerliebste Delila!

Attachment 2095


Although I've sworn a thousand times
Not to trust this bottle,
I feel born again
when from afar my innkeeper presents it.

Everything about it may be praised:
crystal glass and purple wine;
but when the cork is drawn,
it is soon empty and I am not my own master.

Although I've sworn a thousand times
not to trust this false one,
I feel born again
when she gazes into my eyes.

She may treat me
as the strongest of men was treated.
Your scissors are in my hair,
most beloved Delilah!

[haydnguy]

Actually, Despina, I only have the first two CD's of that set so far. I DID just find out that there is some Brahms lieder on a Richter set that I own. I'm not sure how good Richter is with Brahms but I'll look and see what's on there.

[Despina41]

Originally Posted by SchubertGuy

Actually, Despina, I only have the first two CD's of that set so far. I DID just find out that there is some Brahms lieder on a Richter set that I own. I'm not sure how good Richter is with Brahms but I'll look and see what's on there.

He plays enough Bach - I'm sure he's fine with Brahms too.

[haydnguy]

Gotcha. Will report back on this later today.

[Despina41]

I love how Salome is such a Strauss ripoff -- hey, wait a minute, that's a funny sentence given that are talking about a Brahms song and Johann Strauss II!

Let's see. I've heard a Strauss (Richard) scholar once sweepingly say, "In Vienna, Brahms would learn melody."

Well, yes and no. If by "melody" you mean "learn to rip off JSII," then ok, sure.


I believe Fledermaus premiered in.. 1876, nope: 1874. Here's Adele's hilarious "audition" aria where she plays a girl in the countryside, a queen, and some cheating socialite.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4smu-JYt1U&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4smu-JYt1U&feature=related[/ame]


Salome still sounds like Brahms, but it also sounds like Strauss. Which is cool, because they both sound good.

[BrahmsGuides]

Speaking of Op. 75--the first and third duets of that set are very difficult to find in print. Peters left them out because, unlike any of the other Brahms duets, they require a tenor. Kalmus had a reprint of the old complete edition available for a while, but it is surely out of print. A shame because both of those duets are EXCELLENT. No. 1 is a setting of "Edward" for alto and tenor (mother/son) that puts the more famous piano Ballade (Op. 10, No. 1) to absolute shame. It's one of his most dramatic vocal works. Schreier/Fassbaender on DG is the only recording I know of--very much out of print, but very, very good. Schreier is absolutely PERFECT for the part of Edward.

No. 3 is an absolutely gorgeous love duet.

[Despina41]

Originally Posted by BrahmsGuides

Speaking of Op. 75--the first and third duets of that set are very difficult to find in print. Peters left them out because, unlike any of the other Brahms duets, they require a tenor. Kalmus had a reprint of the old complete edition available for a while, but it is surely out of print. A shame because both of those duets are EXCELLENT. No. 1 is a setting of "Edward" for alto and tenor (mother/son) that puts the more famous piano Ballade (Op. 10, No. 1) to absolute shame. It's one of his most dramatic vocal works. Schreier/Fassbaender on DG is the only recording I know of--very much out of print, but very, very good. Schreier is absolutely PERFECT for the part of Edward.

No. 3 is an absolutely gorgeous love duet.

Have got that recording, but I need to figure out how to make a youtube video of it before I post anything else..

Guter Rat is also in that set, for alto and soprano? It's cute!

Shaham has recorded the Walpurgisnacht ballade too, but obviously I didn't post it here.