DAILY DOSE OF BEETHOVEN (October 8, 2020)
The second song changes key to G major, and the time signature to 6/8. The poet's imagination wishes his soul could be in those distant mountains, and valleys, in order to be closer to his love. Notice that each verse of the poem consists of six lines. In each verse (in the original German), the third and sixth lines have only four syllables, whereas the rest all have six (count them!) Those four syllable lines have special importance, and Beethoven often repeats them.
The meter consists of two anapests per line. (An anapest consists of two short syllables, followed by a long ss L.)
For example:
s s L / s s L
Wo die Berge so blau
Here is a short reading, to help make it clear.
In the second verse, Beethoven surprises us by having the vocalist sing the entire verse on just one note—G! How does that work? It is very effective. It captures the hushed, dream-like nature of the poet's thoughts, but how does a single tone not become boring, when repeated thirty-five times?
It shows us something about the nature of classical music. A tone's meaning is not defined in and of itself. Even a single tone is changed, is made to sound different, by polyphony: the other voices that surround it- by its context, or what is known in geometry as analysis situs (analysis of the situation). Notice that while the singer is on a single note, the piano is playing the same melody we just heard the vocalist sing in the first verse.
The idea of a single note is also carried over from the first verse. We don't notice it, but in the first verse, the piano's bass line features only two notes, G and D, mostly D.
As we approach the third verse, Beethoven marks "more and more quickly" and a crescendo. He wants the final verse to be in full voice. The poet vents his frustration, and pledges that he would rest eternally in that valley could he only be there with his love. Beethoven does not let this emotion stand, and he immedidtaely launches into the third song.
You might find it very uselul to follow the poetry as you listen.
SONG TWO
Wo die Berge so blau Where the mountains so blue
Aus dem nebligen Grau From the misty gray
Schauen herein, Peer out at us,
Wo die Sonne verglüht, Where the sun burns,
Wo die Wolkumzieht, And the clods move,
Möchte ich sein! I wish to be!
Dort im ruhigen Tal There in the quiet valley
Schweigen Schmerzen und Qual Silence pain and agony
Wo im Gestein Where in the rocks
Still die Primel dort sinnt, The Primrose stays still
Weht so leise der Wind, While the wind lightly blows
Möchte ich sein! I wish to be.
Hin zum sinnigen Wald Towards the shadowy forest
Drängt mich Liebesgewalt, The wounds of love draw me,
Innere Pein Inner pain
Ach, mich zög's nicht von hier, Ah, I would never leave here,
Könnt ich, Traute, bei dir Could I stay here with you
Ewiglich sein! Eternally!
It's a very short eternity, one quarter-note, to be precise. Beethoven launches directly into the next song, in which the poet reaches a sort of ecstatic state. It is in Ab major, a half-tone above G, and in 4/4/ time. After the second verse, he marks “a ritardando” (slowing down), and puts the music into the tonic minor (Ab minor) where it remains. The 'ritards' and 'a tempos' persist. Is Beethoven hinting at the somewhat manic-depressive quality of young lover?
SONG THREE
Leichte Segler in den Höhen, Light sailors of the heavens
Und du, Bächlein klein und schmal, And you, small and brook,
Könnt mein Liebchen ihr erspähen, If you should meet my lover,
Grüßt sie mir viel tausendmal. Greet her for me a thousand times
Seht ihr, Wolken, sie dann gehen Look here, cloudlets, if you go
Sinnend in dem stillen Tal, Searching in the still vale,
Laßt mein Bild vor ihr entstehen Let my image appear before her
In dem luft'gen Himmelssaal. In the airy halls of Heaven.
Wird sie an den Büschen stehen Will she appear by the bushes
Die nun herbstlich falb und kahl. Now autumnal; pale and bare,
Klagt ihr, wie mir ist geschehen, Cry to her of what befell me,
Klagt ihr, Vöglein, meine Qual. Cry to her,birdlings, of my torment
Stille Weste, bringt im Wehen You still West winds, blow
Hin zu meiner Herzenswahl My heart's choice towards me.
Meine Seufzer, die vergehen My own sighs, they fade
Wie der Sonne letzter Strahl. Like the last rays of sun.
Flüstr' ihr zu mein Liebesflehen, Whisper to her my pleas of love,
Laß sie, Bächlein klein und schmal, Small and narrow brook, let her
Treu in deinen Wogen sehen See faithfully in your waves
Meine Tränen ohne Zahl! My tears without number.
https://youtu.be/h7jgjzS66vw
Once again, Beethoven cannot let it end this way. We have provided this recording of Peter Schreier singing songs two and three separately, but the transitions are necessary to the work, so we also included a enitire performance, with the score, by the great Fritz Wunderlich. These two songs lie between 02:52 and 06:20. Listen to how captures the single repeated tone G beginning at 03:33. Without whispering, one must sing in a whisper.