Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone Gerald Moore, piano Filmed in London, May 14, 1959 "I am hard to please," Fischer-Dieskau admits. He thinks "much is being lost about the good ways of making music", and regrets the decline of "true legato singing" - a charge that critics occasionally made against his own performances. "When you have something to say in music the phrases must be clear - the beginning, the climax, and the ending." --from an interview with Martin Kettle on his 80th birthday, at Guardian Unlimited Arts Der Lindenbaum (The Linden Tree) from the song cycle Winterreise (Winter Journey) by Franz Schubert, on poems by Wilhelm Müller. The cycle was written in 1827. Der Lindenbaum Am Brunnen vor dem Tore Da steht ein Lindenbaum; Ich träumt' in seinem Schatten So manchen süßen Traum. Ich schnitt in seine Rinde So manches liebe Wort; Es zog in Freud' und Leide Zu ihm mich immer fort. Ich mußt' auch heute wandern Vorbei in tiefer Nacht, Da hab' ich noch im Dunkeln Die Augen zugemacht. Und seine Zweige rauschten, Als riefen sie mir zu: Komm her zu mir, Geselle, Hier find'st du deine Ruh' ! Die kalten Winde bliesen Mir grad' ins Angesicht; Der Hut flog mir vom Kopfe, Ich wendete mich nicht. Nun bin ich manche Stunde Entfernt von jenem Ort, Und immer hör' ich's rauschen: Du fändest Ruhe dort ! The Linden Tree At wellside, past the ramparts, there stands a linden tree. When sleeping in its shadow; sweet dreams it sent to me. And in its bark I chiseled my messages of love: My pleasures and my sorrows were welcomed from above. Today I had to pass it, well in the depth of night - and still, in all the darkness, my eyes closed to its sight. Its branches bent and rustled, like calling out to me: Come here, come here, companion, your haven I shall be! The icy winds were blowing, straight in my face they ground. The hat tore off my forehead. I did not turn around. Away I walked for hours whence stands the linden tree, and still I hear it whisp'ring: You'd find your peace with me! translated by Walter A. Aue, who writes: The Linden Tree, with Franz Schubert's melody from Die Winterreise (Winter Journey), is one of the few examples where a great classical composer - two other ones that come to mind are Mozart and Brahms - wrote a song that, perhaps in slightly simplified form, becomes a folk song (Volkslied). There is no greater honor in the German tradition. [More] [Less] |
