Fischer-Dieskau and Demus perform Busoni

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Jörg Demus perform two songs by Busoni, 'Zigeunerlied' and 'Lied des Mephistopheles'. The recording was made in 1964.

The German texts by Goethe, roughly translate as follows:

Zigeunerlied

In the misty drizzle, in the deep snow,
In the wild forest, in the winter night,
I heard the wolves howling hungrily,
I heard the owl cry
Wille wau wau wau!
Wille wo wo wo!
Wito hu!

I shot a cat once from near the fence,
The black cat of Anne, the witch.
At night came seven werewolves to me;
They were seven women from the village.
Wille wau wau wau!
Wille wo wo wo!
Wito hu!

I knew them all; I knew them well
They were Anne, Ursula, and Kate,
Liese, Barbe, Eva and Beth.
They howled at me in a circle.
Wille wau wau wau!
Wille wo wo wo!
Wito hu!

I called out all their names loudly.
"What do you want Anne? Beth what do you want?"
They shook themselves and shivered
And ran away screaming.
Wille wau wau wau!
Wille wo wo wo!
Wito hu!


Lied des Mephistopheles

Once there was a king who had a large flea
Which he loved as much as his own son.

He summoned his tailor who came to his side:
"Measure the squire for clothing and measure him for breeches!"

In silk and in satin the flea was now dressed
With ribbons on his clothing and a cross pinned on too.

He was at once a minister and had a large star.
His brothers also came to be great men at court.

At court the gentlemen and ladies were all sorely plagued.
The queen and her lady-in-waiting were bitten and were gnawed

And they dared not swipe the fleas nor scratch them off.
Yet we crush them as soon as one of them bites!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Busoni
• Fischer-Dieskau
• Jörg Demus
• paulprocopolis

[gsherlock]

Ah Fisher-Dieskau and Busoni, I'm afraid my musical tastes have not developed too much to have changed.

[paulprocopolis]

@gsherlock Thank goodness for that!

[pianopera]

These Goethe-Lieder are most interesting and original, thanks for introducing me to them!