Cause and Effect presents:
[Above: Janet Baker, a prominent Mahlerian singer; Below: Ländler, a popular Austrian folk dance.]
LIEDER EINES FAHRENDEN GESELLEN/SONGS OF A WAYFARER
(by GUSTAV MAHLER, trans. JEFFREY BENTON)
1.
On my sweetheart’s wedding day,
merry will the wedding be.
It will be my saddest day.
To my gloomy little room,
dark and gloomy little room,
weeping, weeping for my love,
for my dearest love.
Frail blue flower, Frail blue flower,
0 wither not, 0 wither not;
Little bird sing so sweet,
you sing on green heathland.
Ah, this is a world so fair.
Chirrah! Chirrah!
Sing no more, bloom no more,
Spring is over now,
Every song is over now.
When evening comes I try to sleep,
thinking of my sorrow,
of my sorrow.
2.
Walking in the fields today
dew still on the grasses hung,
spoke to me the merry finch:
“Hey you there!
Hey, good morning, hey you there,
is it not a lovely, lovely world?
lovely world?
Sing, sing lovely and bright.
Ah, how much I love the world.”
And the harebell in the field,
in her happy spirit sings
and her tiny bells will ring,
faintly ring.
Hear her morning greetings ring.
“Is it not a lovely, lovely world?
Lovely world?
Ding, ding, ding, ding,
lovely thing.
Ah, how much I love the world.
Heigh, ho!”
Now the sun is shining bright,
fills the world with sparkling light.
All then, all has gained its brightest hue,
in sunshine,
birds and flowers great and small.
“Lovely day, Lovely day,
is it not a lovely world?
Hey you there, hey you there,
lovely world!”
Will my joy return once more?
Will my joy return once more?
Oh no, I well know.
That it will never bloom again.
3.
I have a burning dagger,
a dagger deep in my heart,
Ah pain, such pain
it cuts so deep.
In every joy and pleasure deep,
so deep, so deep
it cuts with pain so deep.
Ah, why must I have this evil guest?
Ah, why must I have this evil guest?
never is he hushed,
never will he rest.
Not by day,
not by night when I sleep.
Ah pain, Ah pain.
Ah pain.
When I look into the sky,
there I can see the bluest eyes.
Ah pain, Ah pain.
When in the golden fields I roam,
there I can see her golden hair
on breezes blown. Ah pain, ah pain.
And when from my dream I start
then I hear laughter, her silver laughter,
Ah pain, Ah pain.
I wish I lay in the darkest grave.
Oh never, never to waken again.
4.
Those two bluest of eyes of my dear love.
They now have sent me away into the world.
So I must say farewell now, and leave this
dearest place.
O eyes of blue, why did you gaze at me with love?
Now all I ever know is pain and grieving.
I must leave this place now in still of night,
in stillest night,
In the darkness I go through the heathland.
Is there no one to say farewell, farewell,
farewell, farewell,
my companion is love, Is love and grief.
By the roadside stands a linden tree,
I rested at last within its shadow.
Under the linden tree,
it’s branches have showered me with blossoms white.
I then forgot what life can do,
and all was well, was well once more.
Ah, all was well once more.
All, all,
love and grief,
the world and dreams.
Uri Caine Ensemble, “Symphony No. 1 in D Major, "Titan": III. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen”
from Urlicht/Primal Light
Winter & Winter - 1997
arr. U. Caine for jazz ensemble
Janet Baker, with Sir John Barbirolli & Hallé Orchestra, “Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen”
from Mahler: Lieder
EMI - 1990
recorded 1967
James Judd & Florida Philarmonic Orchestra, “Blumine”
harmonia mundi - 2011
James Levine & Chicago Symphony Orchestra, “Symphony No. 3, III. Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast”
from James Levine Conducts Mahler
Sony - 2010
recorded 1975
Rodgers & Hammerstein, “Laendler”
from The Sound Of Music (50th Anniversary Edition)
Craft Recordings - 1965
Dame Janet Baker & Geoffrey Parsons, “Hans und Grete”
Hyperion - 1986
recorded 1983
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra & Rafael Kubelik, “Symphony No. 1 in D Major: II. Kräftig bewegt”
Deutsche Grammophon (DG) - 2000
Brigitte Fassbender, with Riccardo Chailly & Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, “Des Antonius von Padua Fischepredigt”
Decca - 1991
Bruno Walter & New York Philharmonic, “Symphony No. 2, III. Scherzo”
from Mahler: Symphonies No. 1 & No. 2
Columbia - 1994
recorded 1958
Otto Klemperer & Philharmonia Orchestra, “Symphony No. 4 in G major: III. Ruhevoll”
from Mahler: Symphonies 2, 4, 7 & 9; Das Lied von der Erde
Warner Classics - 2013
recorded 1961
Leonard Bernstein & Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam, “Symphony No. 1, III. Feierlich und gemessen”
Deutsche Grammophon - 1986
DJbob Cause and Effect March 4th, 2023
Posted In: Music Shows