Johnny Rabe- Der Soldat (Schumann)

Johnny Rabe's Elective Senior Recital
Hockett Recital Hall
Ithaca, NY
September 30th, 2010

This piece was the first in a set of 2 German songs by Schumann. It is the story of a soldier who is one of nine gunners on a firing squad. He and his men know that the man in front of them is innocent. His heart is wrenched with grief for the innocent man. When the nine take aim, 8 bullets miss, and one shoots him right through heart.

See a translation below:
Der Soldat
Es geht bei gedämpfter Trommel Klang;
Wie weit noch die Stätte! der Weg wie lang!
O wär er zur Ruh und alles vorbei!
Ich glaub', es bricht mir das Herz entzwei!
Ich hab' in der Welt nur ihn geliebt,
Nur ihn, dem jetzt man den Tod doch gibt!
Bei klingendem Spiele wird paradirt;
Dazu bin auch ich kommandiert.
Nun schaut er auf zum letzten Mal
In Gottes Sonne freudigen Strahl;
Nun binden sie ihm die Augen zu -
Dir schenke Gott die ewige Ruh!
Es haben dahn Neun wohl angelegt;
Acht Kugeln haben vorbeigefegt.
Sie zittern alle vor Jammer und Schmerz
Ich aber, ich traf ihn mitten in das Herz.

The Soldier
He walks to the sound of a muffled drum
How far the place! - how long the way!

Oh if only he were at rest and everything past already!
I think it will break my heart in two!

I loved only him in the world -
Only him, whom they are now putting to death!
To the band they parade;
For this task I am also ordered.
Now he gazes for the last time
Up at the joyous sunbeams of God's sun;
Now they blindfold his eyes -
May God grant you eternal peace!
The nine then took aim:
Eight bullets shot wide.
They trembled, all full of misery and pain -
But I - I shot him right through the heart.

Poet: H. Andersen

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Johnny
• Rabe
• Elective
• Senior
• Recital
• Baritone
• Singing
• Live
• Music
• Hockett
• Ithaca
• College
• School
• of
• Der
• Soldat
• Schumann
• German
• H.
• Andersen

[mariusfelix]

By the way, how do you know, that the soldier was innocent? Some severe "Lesefehler" in the piano part also...

[mariusfelix]

Ask someone, who speaks german, how to pronounce the words, there are big mistakes in your german, in fact, it sounds a bit like a parody.

[TheOnlyBaggawah]

Is this performed lower than the written music?

[daki66677]

very bad...articulation, expression and all...

but i love this song!!