Robert Schumann - Dichterliebe, Op. 48 Pt 2-4 Fischer-Dieskau Salzburg 1956

I received a kind request (thank you!) to upload some of this performance of Dichterliebe and decided that this would be a perfect presentation to honor Fischer-Dieskau's 84th birthday on May 28. This performance comes from Fischer-Dieskau's debut solo recital at the Salzburg Festival on August 13, 1956. His partner at the piano is Gerald Moore.

"Dichterliebe", 'The Poet's Love' (composed 1840), is the best-known song cycle of Robert Schumann (Op. 48). The texts for the 16 songs come from the "Lyrisches Intermezzo" of Heinrich Heine, composed 1822-1823, published as part of the poet's "Das Buch der Lieder".

The very natural, almost hyper-sensitive poetical affections of the poems are beautifully mirrored in Schumann's settings, with their miniaturist chromaticism and suspensions. The poet's love is a hothouse of nuanced responses to the delicate language of flowers, dreams and fairy-tales. Schumann adapts the words of the poems to his needs for the songs, sometimes repeating phrases and often rewording a line to supply the desired cadence.

Notes from Wikipedia.
English translations of the Heine poems by Paul Hindemith.


Dichterliebe, Op. 48
Part 2, Songs 7-11

Ich grolle nicht, und wenn das Herz auch bricht,
Ewig verlor'nes Lieb ! Ich grolle nicht.
Wie du auch strahlst in Diamantenpracht,
Es fällt kein Strahl in deines Herzens Nacht.
Das weiß ich längst.

Ich grolle nicht, und wenn das Herz auch bricht,
Ich sah dich ja im Traume,
Und sah die Nacht in deines Herzens Raume,
Und sah die Schlang', die dir am Herzen frißt,
Ich sah, mein Lieb, wie sehr du elend bist.


I bear no grudge, even when my heart is breaking!
Love lost forever! I bear no grudge.
Although you shine in diamond splendor,
No beam falls into the night of your heart.
I will know that for a long time.

I bear no grudge, and when my heart is breaking!
I truly saw you in my dreams
And saw the night in the room of your heart,
And saw the snake that bites your heart;
I saw, my dear, how truly miserable you are.


Und wüßten's die Blumen, die kleinen,
Wie tief verwundet mein Herz,
Sie würden mit mir weinen,
Zu heilen meinen Schmerz.

Und wüßten's die Nachtigallen,
Wie ich so traurig und krank,
Sie ließen fröhlich erschallen
Erquickenden Gesang.

Und wüßten sie mein Wehe,
Die goldenen Sternelein,
Sie kämen aus ihrer Höhe,
Und sprächen Trost mir ein.

Sie alle können's nicht wissen,
Nur eine kennt meinen Schmerz;
Sie hat ja selbst zerrissen,
Zerrissen mir das Herz.


And if the blooms - the small ones - knew
How deeply wounded is my heart,
They would weep with me
To heal my pain.

And if the nightingales knew
How sad and ill I am,
They would let forth merrily
A refreshing song.

And if they knew my woe -
The little golden stars -
They would come down from their heights
And speak their consolation to me.

But all of them could not know this,
Only one knows my pain;
She herself has indeed torn,
Torn my heart in two.


Das ist ein Flöten und Geigen,
Trompeten schmettern darein;
Da tanzt wohl den Hochzeitreigen
Die Herzallerliebste mein.

Das ist ein Klingen und Dröhnen,
Ein Pauken und ein Schalmei'n;
Dazwischen schluchzen und stöhnen
Die lieblichen Engelein.


There is a fluting and fiddling
With trumpets blaring in;
In a wedding dance dances
She who is my heart's whole love.

There is a ringing and roaring,
A drumming and sounding of shawms
In between which sob and moan
The lovely little angels.


Hör' ich das Liedchen klingen,
Das einst die Liebste sang,
So will mir die Brust zerspringen
Von wildem Schmerzendrang.

Es treibt mich ein dunkles Sehnen
Hinauf zur Waldeshöh',
Dort löst sich auf in Tränen
Mein übergroßes Weh'.


I hear the dear song sounding
That once my beloved sang.
And my heart wants to burst so strongly
From the savage pressure of pain.

A dark longing is driving me
Up into the heights of the woods
Where in my tears can be dissolved
My own colossal woe.


Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen,
Die hat einen andern erwählt;
Der andre liebt eine andre,
Und hat sich mit dieser vermählt.

Das Mädchen nimmt aus Ärger
Den ersten besten Mann,
Der ihr in den Weg gelaufen;
Der Jüngling ist übel dran.

Es ist eine alte Geschichte,
Doch bleibt sie immer neu;
Und wem sie just passieret,
Dem bricht das Herz entzwei.


A young man loved a girl
Who had chosen another man;
This other man loved yet another girl
And wed that one.

The first girl married out of spite
The first, best man
That happened into her path;
That young man is not well off.

It is an old story,
Yet it remains ever new;
And to he whom it has just happened,
It will break his heart in two.


Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone)
Gerald Moore (piano)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classical
• vocal
• Lieder
• Schumann
• Dichterliebe
• Heine
• Fischer-Dieskau
• Salzburg

[LordRandallFan]

Who is the artist who painted the paintings in the "Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen" segment? They're beautiful!

[FiDiTanzer528]

The artist is Georg Mühlberg (1863-1925), painter and illustrator. I ran across a website of his work quite by accident. I agree, they are wonderful.

[saiserieht]

I haven't yet had the time to listen to the complete cycle, I will do this as soon as possible. His 'Ich grolle nicht' is fantastic. Thanks so much for posting, the young Fischer-Dieskau is fabulous!

[FiDiTanzer528]

Yes, I LOVE this performance of "Ich grolle nicht". That high note made me jump out of my chair! haha! Sorry I don't have the complete cycle up yet, Martin. Sometime this weekend though, the last two videos will be done. I don't have much time during the week.

[oakroom48]

My personal favorites are the paintings of Schumann and then, is it Heine? Really, Karen. You have outdone even yourself! I could not take my eyes nor ears off this either. How did Schumann come up with these songs??!! Phenomenal. And the performances are, quite simply, unforgettable. Thanks yet again:)

[FiDiTanzer528]

The painting of Schumann is supposed to be him composing Dichterliebe. Yes, that was my favorite portrait of Heine that I used. What a face!

[Atlas24gh]

German sounds so threatening..but rather great music and excellent vocalist!!

[pautalux]

Great upload

[Glanur2]

so siehts nämlich aus...die Weisheiten die er hier weitergibt sind echt nicht neu, aber er erzählt sie gut

[Zaniah87]

@minasgekos I like Wunderlich's version, but it's so difficult singing that A at his tempo. With DFD's, I can at least stay up there for a second. ;)

[minasgekos]

@Zaniah87 Yes it's "not to fast" indeed. So apparently DFD is right in his performance. I still prefer Wunderlich's version though :)

[Zaniah87]

@minasgekos Looking at the music right now, it's: "Nicht zu schnell". Not too fast, by my reckoning.

[ekonvollm]

Das ist nahezu unglaubliche Kunst! Wunderschön, wie Du diese Interpretation bebilderst. Danke Karen!

[minasgekos]

Slow compared to Wunderlich's version ("ich grolle nicht). Does anyone know what is the tempo indicated on the sheet music? Thank you.