Castalia 370
In the Forest
Dear Friends,
For many members of the church where I used to teach in Harlem, the events described in the Bible were taking place now. They were right about this, of course; I feel the same way about Schumann’s Liederkreis op. 39, to texts by Eichendorff. Today, it’s a joy to share with you the 11th of the cycle, the penultimate song:
Im Walde [In the Forest]
a setting by Robert Schumann (1810 — 1856)
of the poem by Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 — 1857)
performed by Ishmael Wallace, tenor and pianist
The original German (my translation is below):
Es zog eine Hochzeit den Berg entlang,
ich hörte die Vögel schlagen,
da blitzten viel Reiter, das Waldhorn klang,
das war ein lustiges Jagen!
Und eh ichs gedacht, war alles verhallt,
die Nacht bedecket die Runde,
nur von den Bergen noch rauschet der Wald
und mich schauert im Herzensgrunde.
1836
A wedding party passes by
I hear the little birds
Riders burst forth and sound their horns
A lively hunt it is
And before I can think, it’s died away
The horizon swathed in Night
Only a rustling from the hills
And a deep fear in the heart
The young man has spent all day on the mountain. Marriage, which would bring him down from the mountain, unite mountain and valley, bring idea into realization — this, he longs for, but fears may never happen. Down below, merry-makers pass, a wedding party — the world which seems so far away; they disturb the birds — how the birds chatter! I think of aunts in the drawing room — for the mountain is not only a mountain, the forest not only a forest.
And then, like lightning, the hunters burst forth. Hunters, who feel something is lacking, who seek completion; hunters, who prey on innocent deer. One might of think of Don Juan, always seeking to add to his list (and to “wear the horns”, of course, is to be a cuckold). A lively scene indeed — but suddenly, all is gone, and the boy must face his fear.
Thank you so much.
With every good wish,
Ishmael
The remainder of the cycle (excepting the last song, still yet to appear):
#1, In der Fremde [In a Foreign Land]
#2, Intermezzo
#3, Waldesgespräch [Forest Conversation]
#4, Die Stille [The Quiet Woman]
#5, Mondnacht [Moon Night]
#6, Schöne Fremde [A Lovely Spot in Foreign Country]
#7, Auf einer Burg [On a Castle Wall]
#8, In der Fremde [In a Foreign Land]
#9, Wehmut [Sorrow]
#10, Zwielicht [Twilight]
Music as a Path:
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