The soldiers sleep around a campfire. All but one, he can't because of the anxiety before the battle next day. And he's homesick, and remembers happy moments with the woman he loves, and fears, and tries to calm down and get to sleep. He could be any man in any war at any time.
Ludwig Rellstab wrote the poem and Franz Schubert the music of Kriegers Ahnung (Warrior's foreboding), the second song of Schwanengesang. I don't know whose the title is, Rellstab or Schubert; the words of the soldier make me think about the natural anxiety considering the situation, but the music tells us about a premonition since the first measures, that are clearly reminiscent of a funeral march. The first stanza of the poem shares this heavy atmosphere, but suddenly the music of the second one becomes warm like the hearth and the hug of the beloved; it is only a mirage before returning to the sadness and loneliness of the third part. In the fourth and last stanza, the soldier tries to ease his tension and sleep. This stanza is repeated, giving the artists the opportunity to say different things with the same words; references to sleep and rest can be ambiguous and Schubert reintroduces, in the last verse of the song, the funeral march that we heard at the beginning.
Our performers are Florian Boesch and Malcolm Martineau, who will perform Kriegers Ahnung also in Vilabertran; with this post we begin the usual series dedicated to the Schubertíada's Lied recitals, some brief (I hope) articles that will serve us to go through the works that will be performed.
We begin with Schubert's three major cycles, which will be sang by three baritones (that's great!). I'm really excited about Die schöne Müllerin with Konstantin Krimmel; a few days ago his pianist Daniel Heide referred to him on Instagram as "Mr. Poetry", a good description. And what can I tell about Florian Boesch that I haven't said before? He cames back to Vilabertran to sing Schwanengesang. Finally, Andrè Schuen sings Winterreise, one of the most expected concerts this year; we know him well!
As always, you'll find the links to the songs from the three cycles we heard so far in Liederabend after Kriegers Ahnung.
In tiefer Ruh liegt um mich her
Der Waffenbrüder Kreis;
Mir ist das Herz so bang und schwer,
Von Sehnsucht mir so heiß.
Wie hab’ ich oft so süß geträumt
An ihrem Busen warm!
Wie freundlich schien des Herdes Glut,
Lag sie in meinem Arm!
Hier, wo der Flammen düstrer Schein
Ach! nur auf Waffen spielt,
Hier fühlt die Brust sich ganz allein,
Der Wehmut Träne quillt.
Herz! Daß der Trost Dich nicht verläßt!
Es ruft noch manche Schlacht.
Bald ruh’ ich wohl und schlafe fest,
Herzliebste—Gute Nacht!
Please follow this link if you need an English translation
Friday 13 August: Winterreise, with Andrè Schuen and Daniel Heide
- n. 1 Gute Nacht
- n. 2 Die Wetterfahne
- n. 4 Erstarrung
- n. 5 Der Lindenbaum
- n. 7 Auf dem Flusse
- n. 10 Rast
- n. 15 Die Krähe
- n. 19 Täuschung
- n. 23 Die Nebensonnen
- n. 24 Der Leiermann
Friday 20 August: Die schöne Müllerin, with Konstantin Krimmel and Daniel Heide
- n 1 Das Wandern
- n. 2 Wohin?
- n. 3 Halt!
- n.4 Danksagung an den Bach
- n. 8 Morgengruß
- n. 10 Tränenregen
- n. 12 Pause
- n. 17 Die böse Farbe
Saturday 21 August: Schwanengesang, with Florian Boesch and Malcolm Martineau
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