Masterpieces of Western Music

Humanities W1123 · Prof. Michael Thaddeus

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Schumann on Schubert: "What a diary is to others, in which they set down their momentary feelings, etc., music paper really was to Schubert, to which he entrusted his every mood, and his whole soul, musical through-and-through, wrote notes where others use words."

Schiller: "The real and express content that the poet puts in his work remains always finite; the possible content that he allows us to contribute is an infinite quality."

From Dichterliebe (A Poet's Love), Op. 48 (2'56)
sung by Ian Bostridge, accompanied by Julius Drake

Im wunderschönen Monat Mai,		In the marvelous month of May
Als alle Knospen sprangen,		when all the buds were bursting,
Da ist in meinem Herzen		then in my heart
Die Liebe aufgegangen.		did love arise.
Im wunderschönen Monat Mai,		In the marvelous month of May
Als alle Vögel sangen,		when all the birds were singing,
Da hab ich ihr gestanden		then did I reveal to her
Mein Sehnen und Verlangen.		my yearning and longing.
	***
Aus meinen Tränen spriessen		From my tears there spring up
Viel blühende Blumen hervor,		many blossoming flowers,
Und meine Seufzer werden		and my sighs become
Ein Nachtigallenchor.		a choir of nightingales.
Und wenn du mich Lieb hast, Kindchen,		And if you love me, child,
Schenk ich dir die Blumen all',		I will give you all the flowers,
Und vor deinem Fenster soll klingen		and at your window shall sound
Das Lied der Nachtigall.		the song of the nightingale.
	***
Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne,		The rose, the lily, the dove, the sun,
Die liebt' ich einst alle in Liebeswonne.		once, rapt with love, I loved them all.
Ich lieb sie nieht mehr, ich liebe alleine		I love them no more, I love only her
Die Kleine, die Feine, die Reine, die Eine;		who is small, exquisite, chaste, unique.
Sie selber, aller Liebe Wonne,		She, all loving rapture, herself
Ist Rose und Lilie und Taube und Sonne.		is rose and lily and dove and sun.
Heinrich Heine

Auf einer Burg (At a Castle) from Liederkreis, Op. 39 (2'26)
sung by Peter Pears, accompanied by Benjamin Britten

Eingeschlafen auf der Lauer		Deep in sleep lying in wait
Oben ist der alte Ritter;		is the ancient knight up there;
Drüber gehen Regenschauer,		rain showers pass overhead,
Und der Wald rauscht durch das Gitter.		and the woods whisper through the grating.
Eingewachsen Bart und Haare,		With beard and hair grown in,
Und versteinert Brust und Krause,		and breast and ruff turned to stone,
Sitzt er viele hundert Jahre		he has sat for many centuries
Oben in der stillen Klause.		up there in his silent cell.
Draußen ist es still und friedlich,		Outside it is quiet and peaceful,
Alle sind ins Tal gezogen,		all have gone to the valley;
Waldesvögel einsam singen		forest birds sing their lonely song
In den leeren Fensterbogen.		in the empty window arches.
Eine Hochzeit fährt da unten		Down below, a wedding passes
Auf dem Rhein im Sonnenscheine,		on the Rhine in the sunshine;
Musikanten spielen munter,		musicians gaily play their music,
Und die schöne Braut die weinet.		and the pretty bride, she weeps.
Joseph von Eichendorff

Papillons, Op. 2 (15'13)
played by Vladimir Ashkenazy

Carnaval, Op. 9
played by Claudio Arrau

Préambule ‐ Preface (2'24)
Pierrot (1'43)
Arlequin ‐ Harlequin (1'04)
Valse Noble ‐ Noble waltz (1'57)
Eusebius (1'54)
Florestan (1'01)
Coquette (1'37)
     Florestan and Coquette together
Réplique ‐ Answer (0'53)
Papillons ‐ Butterflies (0'46)
A.S.C.H.‐S.C.H.A. Lettres dansantes ‐ Dancing letters (1'07)
Chiarina ‐ Little Clara (1'22)
Chopin (1'26)
Estrella ‐ Star (0'43)
Reconnaissance ‐ Recognition (2'02)
Pantalon et Colombine ‐ Characters from the commedia dell'arte (0'58)
Valse Allemande ‐ Intermezzo: Paganini ‐ Valse Allemande ‐ German waltz (0'00-0'51) ‐ Intermezzo: Paganini (0'51-1'38) ‐ German waltz (1'38-2'12)
Aveu ‐ Avowal (1'12)
Promenade (2'35)
Pause ‐ Marche des "Davidsbündler" contre les Philistins ‐ Interlude (0'00-0'20) ‐ March of the League of David against the Philistines (0'20-4'27)