10-07-08, 10:02 PM
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I have listened to the Fischer-Dieskau clip of Erlkoenig now. It is fantastic but it makes me wonder how much 'acting' by a singer really works.
Not speaking much German (I think this is the main problem here), it gives me the impression that he is about to pull out an axe and hack the accompanist into small pieces.  But then there are four characters - that's a lot of acting :-
Quote:
Four characters — narrator, father, son, and the Elrking — are all sung by one vocalist normally, but the work has been performed by four separate singers on occasion. Schubert has placed each character in largely a different vocal range and each has his own rhythmic nuances; in addition, most vocalists endeavor to use a different vocal color for each one.
The Narrator lies in the middle range and is in minor mode.
The Father lies in the low range and sings both in minor mode and major mode
The Son lies in a high range, also in minor mode, representing the fright of the child.
The Elrking's vocal line undulates up and down to arpeggiated accompaniment resulting in striking contrast and is in the major mode. The Elrking lines are typically sung pianissimo, portraying a sneaky persuasiveness.
A fifth character, the horse, is implied in rapid triplet figures played by the pianist throughout the work, mimicking hoof beats.
Erlkönig starts with the piano rapidly playing octaves to create a horror theme and triplets of a repeated note to simulate the horse's galloping; this motif continues throughout. Each of the son's pleas grows louder and higher pitched than the previous ones. Near the very end of the piece the music quickens (as the father desperately tries to spur his horse to go faster), slows down (as he arrives), and the piano stops before the final line, "In seinen Armen das Kind war tot" (In his arms the child was dead). The piece then ends with a dramatic perfect cadence.
The piece is regarded as extremely challenging to perform due to the vocal characterization required of the vocalist as well as its difficult accompaniment, involving the playing of rapidly repeated chords and octaves to create the drama and urgency in the poetry.
The accompaniment has been orchestrated twice, by Hector Berlioz and by Franz Liszt.
(wikipedia)
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And the whole thing is pretty terrifying
Quote:
"Der Erlkönig" (often called just "Erlkönig") is a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It depicts the death of a child assailed by a supernatural being, the "Erlkönig" (or "erlking", roughly translated as "evil spirit", but see the discussion of the legend below). It was originally composed by Goethe as part of a 1782 ballad opera entitled Die Fischerin.
(wikipedia)
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"The Erl King", by Albert Sterner, ca. 1910
Quote:
Who rides through the night o'er woodland wild?
It is a father with his young child;
The boy lies folded, close in his arm
He holds him steady and safe from harm.
"My son, thou hidest thy face as in fear.”
"The Erlking father, see he is near!
With Crown and Scepter and snow white shroud;"
"My son, 'tis but a passing cloud."
"My gentle boy, Oh come with me;
I'll sport and play the day long with thee;
And wondrous flowers shalt thou behold
And a garment shalt thou wear all of Gold."
"My father, my father, Oh dost thou not hear,
What Erlking whispers so soft in mine ear?"
"Nay, fear not, it is nothing my child,
The leaves but rustle sharp o'er the wild."
"Thou gentle boy wilt thou with me go?
My daughters all pretty pastimes know,
My daughters nightly their gay revels keep,
They'll dance and they'll sing and they'll rock thee to sleep.
“My father, my father, I feel sore afraid
See Erlking's daughters in yon dark shade?”
"My son, my son, I see it full well;
The grey knotted willows bend to the gale."
"I love thee, child, in vain wouldst thou now be perverse,
For if thou art not willing, I'll take thee by force;"
"My father! My father! His cold hand I feel!
Erlking has hurt me; With grasp of steel!"
The father shuddering; gives spur to his steed,
Holds his darling and groans in his need;
He reached his home in doubt and dread,
With-in his fond arms the child lay dead.
English Translation by Natalia MacFerren
(wikipedia)
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Admittedly Anne Sofie von Otter looks pretty crazy at times as well!
Last edited by Florestan; 10-07-08 at 10:28 PM.
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There's also a forum for rock/metal/punk/indie/pop/jazz/anything you like.
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