Franz Schubert (1797-1828):
Auf dem Flusse, D. 911, No. 7
(from Die Winterreise)
(composed in 1827; first published in 1828)
Text: Wilhelm Müller
Original Key/Recorded Key: E Minor
Teach-Track begins: m. 1
Accompaniment Track begins: m. 1
Pianist: Steven Spooner
Franz Schubert?s ?Winterreise? is a collection of 24 songs set to poems by Wilhelm Muller. ?Winterreise? was composed in two parts with twelve songs each, mostly in minor keys. The cycle follows no narrative, and remains introverted, dark, and cold throughout. The main themes are of anguish, desperation, and journeying, coupled with images of ice, snow, death, and tears. As one could guess from the somber text and accompanying music, Schubert wrote the cycle when he was dying of syphilis and the last thing he did on this earth was correct the proofs for part 2. Musically, the work is among Schubert?s finest and through it he elevates the pianist to the level of the singer as the piano supplies rhythmic variation and intense imagery such as birds crowing, winter elements, and the posthorn calling.
Auf dem Fluße
On the Stream
Der du so lustig rauschtest,
You, who so merrily rushed,
Du heller, wilder Fluß,
You bright, wild river,
Wie still bist du geworden,
How quiet have you become,
Gibst keinen Scheidegruß.
You give no farewell greeting.
Mit harter, starrer Rinde
With hard, unyielding crust
Hast du dich überdeckt,
Have you covered yourself,
Liegst kalt und unbeweglich
Lie cold and immovable
Im Sande ausgestreckt.
In the sand stretched out.
In deine Decke grab ich
Into your cover engrave I
Mit einem spitzen Stein
With a pointed stone
Den Namen meiner Liebsten
The name of my beloved
Und Stund und Tag hinein:
And hour and day (into):
Den Tag des ersten Grußes,
The day of the first greeting,
Den Tag, an dem ich ging;
The day in which I left;
Um Nam und Zahlen windet
Around name and number wind
Sich ein zerbrochner Ring.
Itself (in form of) a broken ring.
Mein Herz, in diesem Bache
My heart in this brook
Erkennst du nun dein Bild?
Recognize you your own image?
Ob?s unter seine Rinde
Whether under its crust
Wohl auch so reißend schwillt?
It also so furiously swells?