Recording:
Juliane Banse, soprano (No. 2); Andreas Schmidt, baritone (Nos.
1, 3-4); Helmut Deutsch, piano [CPO 999 448-2]
Published 1886.
The
late songs are great songs, and of the seven groups from the
later 1880s, Op. 96 is arguably the greatest (perhaps rivaled by
Op. 105). The outer two reflect
the serious, ambitious tone of resignation and regret that also
characterizes Op. 94, and they are
among the most well-regarded of Brahms’s entire art song
output. The second is a magically exquisite love song, and
the third is a fleeting Schumann-like utterance whose piano part
could function as a standalone scherzo or etude. All
except No. 2 are to texts by Henrich Heine, the great romantic
poet whose most well-known setting is probably Robert Schumann’s
cycle Dichterliebe (Op. 48). Brahms apparently
planned a full set of Heine songs, but repressed one manuscript
after negative criticism from Elisabet von Herzogenberg (whose
opinions of his songs he valued highly). He substituted
his final setting of the poet he turned to most, Daumer (also
the source of the last song from Op. 95).
“Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht,” already one of Heine’s most
famous poems, is given a concise, but utterly profound treatment
that captures the images of death, night, and the nightingale’s
love song in vivid musical colors. The rich chromatic
harmonies in an extremely slow 6/8 tempo are like Wagner in
miniature. “Wir wandelten,” the Daumer love song, is given
sophistication by the imitative canon in the piano part, along
with the bell-like upper notes. The simple scene of lovers
walking together is imbued with loftiness, such that Daumer does
not suffer at all in Heine’s company. This is especially
true when it is juxtaposed with the interlude-like brevity of
“Es schauen die Blumen,” whose piano cross-rhythms give the
minute-long song a tense unrest throughout. The 6/8 meter
of “Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht” returns to close the set
with “Meerfahrt,” a grim, lugubrious barcarolle so distinctive
and amazing in effect that it is unlike any other Brahms
song. The long piano introduction, with its disturbing
foghorn blasts, sets the stage for a bitterly unfulfilled
journey. The transitory glimpse of the island of spirits
is marked by an intrusion of lilting waltz rhythms upon the
barcarolle, and the dissonant climax, with an unexpected high
vocal note, is breathtaking. The return of the foghorn
blasts against the word “trostlos” (“comfortless”) gives the
piece one last pang of agony before the unfortunate gondola
disappears on the horizon.
Note: Links to English translations of the
texts are from Emily Ezust’s site at http://www.lieder.net.
For the most part, the translations are line-by-line, except
where the difference between German and English syntax requires
slight alterations to the contents of certain lines. The
German texts (included here) are also visible in the translation
links.
IMSLP
WORK PAGE ONLINE
SCORE
FROM
IMSLP (First Edition from Brahms-Institut Lübeck--original
key edition and lower key edition [A-flat major, B-flat major, G
minor/major, F minor]) ONLINE
SCORE FROM IMSLP (From Breitkopf & Härtel Sämtliche Werke--original keys)
ONLINE SCORE FROM IMSLP (Edition Peters, edited by
Max Friedländer): No.
1: Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht (in original key, C
major) No.
1: Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht (in middle key, B-flat
major) No.
1: Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht (in low key, A-flat
major) No.
2: Wir wandelten (in original key, D-flat major) No.
2: Wir wandelten (in middle key, B-flat major) No.
2: Wir wandelten (in low key, A-flat major) No.
3: Es schauen die Blumen (in original key, B minor/major) No.
3: Es schauen die Blumen (in low key, G minor/major) No.
4: Meerfahrt (in original key, A minor) No.
4: Meerfahrt (in middle key, F minor) No.
4: Meerfahrt (in low key, E minor)
1. Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht (Death Is the Cool
Night). Text by Heinrich Heine. Sehr langsam
(Very slowly). Two-part through-composed form. C
MAJOR, 6/8 time (Middle key B-flat major, low key A-flat major).
German Text:
Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht,
Das Leben ist der schwüle Tag.
Es dunkelt schon, mich schläfert,
Der Tag hat mich müd gemacht.
Über mein Bett erhebt sich ein Baum,
Drin singt die junge Nachtigall;
Sie singt von lauter Liebe -
Ich hör es sogar im Traum. English
Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--Stanza 1,
lines 1-2. The piano sets up the halting short-long rhythm
in right hand chords. The voice mysteriously enters with
the left hand. It rises in the opposite rhythm of the
right-hand chords. Already on “ist,” the harmony moves to
an evocative “diminished seventh.” The left hand simply
plays long bass notes, leaping down measure by measure.
Before the second line, on “Nacht,” the pure major harmony is
restored. The piano changes under the second line, moving
to harmonized undulation in both hands. The vocal line
gently rises, then descends quietly but emphatically to a full
cadence on “Tag.” 0:33 [m. 7]--Stanza 1, lines 3-4. At the cadence,
the short-long chords have resumed. They now rise in
chromatic harmonies, the top notes moving by half-step.
When the voice enters, the words “Es dunkelt schon” are
hesitantly uttered in isolation, matching the top piano
pitches. After a brief pause, “mich schläfert” follows in
the same hesitant manner. Line 4 is marked with a sudden
but subdued accent on a high note as the harmony moves to the
“dominant” minor key (G minor). After the interjection of
“Der Tag” on the long high notes, the piano again moves to
undulation, and the voice presents the remainder of the line,
moving to a strong arrival on G. The arrival quickly
switches to major with the long-short chords. 1:13 [m. 14]--Stanza 2, lines 1-2. The piano sets
up a new accompaniment pattern with dream-like arpeggios in the
left hand and bell-like short-long nightingale calls with rolled
chords in the right. The piano bass remains firmly
anchored on G. The vocal line is generally set higher than
in Stanza 1. In the first line, it rises and remains in
major, despite chromatic harmonies in the piano. The
second line begins with the highest vocal note yet, and descends
while first turning to minor and then moving back toward
C. The volume and excitement levels slowly but steadily
increase against poignant, dissonant harmonies. 1:33 [m. 18]--Stanza 2, line 3. The piano bass
moves to the home keynote of C. The arpeggios and
nightingale calls continue, still using chromatic
harmonies. The vocal line reaches even higher, soaring to
a climactic note on “Liebe,” and then the singer drops out as
the piano takes over the melody. The voice then repeats
the words “von lauter Liebe” before again breaking off and
allowing the piano to continue the melodic line. At that
point, the piano bass moves back to the “dominant” note G. 1:58 [m. 23]--Stanza 2, line 4. The intensity
begins to settle down. The voice enters with a minor-key
inflection on the first words, “Ich hör es.” The piano now
doubles and harmonizes the melody, and the arpeggios
cease. Those words are immediately repeated, and the line
is completed with another arrival on G. The volume has
diminished, and the piano right hand moves down to the middle
register for a brief continuation, the bass moving back to
C. The final words “sogar im Traum” are repeated to end
the vocal presentation, the descent inflected toward minor and
even the “Phrygian” mode, but the arrival is in major. 2:24 [m. 27]--Piano postlude. The “pedal” bass on C
re-establishes the short-long pulse of the opening chords.
In the middle register, the right hand plays two
downward-turning figures, still using poignant chromatic
harmonies. Finally, like low tolling bells, a slow
two-chord descent is given twice before the last rolled chord,
which is indicated to be held as it fades. 3:03--END OF SONG [31 mm.]
2. Wir wandelten (We Wandered). Text by Georg
Friedrich Daumer from a Hungarian source. Andante
espressivo. Three-part through-composed form. D-FLAT
MAJOR, 4/4 time with one measure of 3/2 (Middle key B-flat
major, low key A-flat major).
German Text:
Wir wandelten, wir zwei zusammen,
Ich war so still und du so stille,
Ich gäbe viel, um zu erfahren,
was du gedacht in jenem Fall.
Was ich gedacht, unausgesprochen
Verbleibe das! Nur Eines sag’ ich:
So schön war alles, was ich dachte,
So himmlisch heiter war es all’.
In meinem Haupte die Gedanken,
Sie läuteten wie gold’ne Glöckchen:
So wundersüß, so wunderlieblich
Ist in der Welt kein and’rer Hall. English
Translation
Part 1 (Stanza 1 and Stanza 2, lines 1-2) 0:00 [m. 1]--Introduction. Beginning on an upbeat,
both hands alternate a dolce melody with “pedal” notes on
A-flat, above in the right and below in the left. The melody
itself, which the singer will take over, is presented by the inner
voices, with the left hand imitating the right two beats
behind. It consists of upward leaps followed by
descents. The left hand “pedal” notes briefly move to
E-flat. In the last two measures, the imitation breaks as
both hands play descending figures, the right hand decorated by
rolled chords. 0:21 [m. 7]--Stanza 1. The singer enters on an upbeat
and sings the first line to the melody just heard in the piano
introduction’s imitation. Under it, the piano right hand
begins an undulating pattern of thirds in alternation with lower
A-flats, continuing the “pedal” effect. The left hand begins
to imitate the voice, but then settles on a low open fifth.
The voice pauses, and as the piano connects the two lines, it
begins its pattern of inner-voice imitations between high and low
“pedal” notes, as in the introduction. The imitation
continues with the right hand doubling the voice, which continues
the original melody on the second line. 0:40 [m. 13]--As the voice completes the second line, the
piano plays its descending figures from the end of the
introduction, repeating the second one. Above it, the singer
presents the third line in halting figures with repeated short
notes beginning off the beat. The line is completed with the
voice doubling the piano’s “repeated” descent. The fourth
line follows immediately, descending to an arrival on the
“dominant” key (A-flat major) over mildly chromatic piano
harmonies and a syncopated left-hand pulse. The brief
echoing transition returns quickly to the home key with a fleeting
hint of the repeated “pedal” notes in the left hand. 0:55 [m. 18]--Stanza 2. The first line and the first
half of the second line, ending with the exclamation point after
“verbleibe das,” are set to a phrase that conflates the first two
lines of Stanza 1. The first line is set almost exactly as
it was before, but at the very end, merging into the second line
(which also represents a poetic line enjambment), it continues in
a descent resembling the second line of the first stanza (but the
piano continuing its line 1 pattern, without the imitation).
This includes the descending piano figure at the arrival
point. The last part of the line (“Nur eines sag’ ich”)
echoes that descending piano figure. 1:12 [m. 23]--In a stunning transition to Part 2, the
piano’s harmony shifts “outward” by a half-step and leads into the
harmonically remote key of E major, a minor third above the home
key. There, the last words, “eines sag’ ich,” are repeated
and stretched out in a disruptive 3/2 measure, leading into the
second half of Stanza 2 and the middle section of the song. Part 2 (Stanza 2, lines 3-4 and Stanza 3, lines
1-2) 1:18 [m. 24]--The 3/2 measure and the restatement of the
last words make a full arrival on E major. There, at once
back in 4/4, the piano leads into a gentle but straightforward
presentation of the stanza’s last two lines. The vocal line
consists of two straight descents with turning embellishments at
the end of each. The piano accompaniment is largely in block
chords. The last line introduces highly chromatic harmony,
moving toward A-flat (notated as G-sharp) and seeming to head back
home, but the piano’s bridge into Stanza 3, which echoes the
turning embellishments, quickly leads back to E major. 1:38 [m. 31]--Stanza 3. The vocal setting of these
two lines is like that of the previous two that ended Stanza 2,
but the accompaniment pattern is new and fresh. Beginning
with the upbeat, left-hand harmonies in the middle range are
followed by high right-hand octaves after the beat, gently leaping
up and down, representing the bells described in the text.
This time, the second line’s harmonic motion follows its
implications and leads back to the home key (D-flat major), still
using the after-beat figuration in the right hand, which will
continue into the last section. Part 3 (Stanza 3, lines 3-4) 1:55 [m. 37]--These last two lines initially resemble the
familiar melody from Part 1, but the right-hand notes, now with
added harmonies, continue to enter after the beat, thus musically
connecting all of Stanza 3. The left hand briefly imitates
the vocal line, but more subtly than before. At the last
line, the continuation deviates from the familiar melody. A
descent is embellished with sighing two-note figures on each
syllable, including note repetition connecting most of these
two-note groups. The after-beat pattern continues in the
piano right hand. At the end of the line, the piano moves to
the familiar descending figure from the end of the
introduction. The vocal line ends on a half-close. 2:10 [m. 42]--The last two lines are repeated and
varied. Brahms marks the repetition più dolce. The
after-beat pattern briefly breaks, with the left hand playing
descending arpeggios under right-hand chords. The word
“wunderlich” has a subtle, poignant dissonance. At the last
statement of the final line, the two-note figures return, as does
the after-beat pattern in the piano, but now these two-note
figures soar upward, gently arching back down before a longer note
leads into a sighing final cadence over a slower piano. 2:25 [m. 46]--The piano postlude, beginning with the vocal
cadence, consists of gently soaring and sighing motion in both
hands, with hints of imitation between the hands in both
directions. The final melodic descent in the right hand is
delayed, giving one last touch of intimacy to this exceptional
song. 2:46--END OF SONG [49 mm.]
3. Es schauen die Blumen (All the Flowers Gaze).
Text by Heinrich Heine. Unruhig bewegt (With restless
motion). Through-composed form. B MINOR/MAJOR, 3/2
time (Low key G minor/major).
German Text:
Es schauen die Blumen alle
Zur leuchtenden Sonne hinauf;
Es nehmen die Ströme alle
Zum leuchtenden Meere den Lauf.
Es flattern die Lieder alle
Zu meinem leuchtenden Lieb -
Nehmt mit meine Tränen und Seufzer,
Ihr Lieder, wehmütig und trüb!
0:00 [m. 1]--Introduction.
The unsettled effect is immediately established by a clash of
sixteenth-note triplets in the right hand against leaping
straight sixteenth notes in the left. This
two-against-three pattern remains in force for much of the
song. The right-hand triplets arch upward, obscuring
within them a melancholy descending melody on accented
double-stemmed notes. This is subtly harmonized by the top
voice of the leaping left hand, whose bottom notes mostly remain
fixed on a “pedal” B. After the first two measures, the
next two move down more steadily in both hands. The last
two measures settle even lower and introduce pauses in first the
left, then the right hand in preparation for the vocal entry. 0:13 [m. 7]--Stanza 1. The vocal entry on the first
line matches the concealed melody of the introduction, as does
the piano itself, but this only lasts for the first
measure. The piano is marked sotto voce,
continuing the two-against-three conflict. The second line
introduces a distinctive upward-rising figure in the voice,
which is immediately echoed in the piano bass bridging to the
third line. This is identical to the first. The
fourth line thwarts the expected repetition by turning quickly
to major and reaching higher. The echo of the
upward-rising figure in the piano bass also incorporates the
major inflection. 0:31 [m. 15]--Stanza 2. The music now deviates from
the pattern. The first line uses the distinctive
upward-rising figure as a starting point, but then stretches
things out by setting the word “alle” on a longer syncopated
line, then repeating the word a step higher. The piano
patterns are also different, with the left hand immediately
playing low syncopated octaves in the left hand, anticipating
this rhythm in the voice a measure earlier. The right hand
continues to play the triplet figuration. After the
repetition of “alle,” the voice continues with the second line,
all remaining in major and ending on a half-close. Both
lines become more animated and forceful. The piano bridge
to the last two lines is melodically active in both hands. 0:43 [m. 21]--The last two lines are set to music
reminiscent of the first stanza, but with important
changes. The third line of the stanza remains in
major. The fourth moves lower and introduces notes from
the minor. The right-hand triplets continue, but now the
left hand plays a thumping low B twelve times, all off the
beats, four to a measure. As the line ends, the low bass B
slows to two in the measure. Another measure, a piano
bridge, re-introduces the familiar upward-rising bass figure,
remaining surprisingly in major. The entire setting of
these lines slowly and steadily diminishes in volume. 0:54 [m. 26]--The last two lines are repeated and
stretched out in slower notes. Under them the
upward-rising bass figure is heard three more times. After
the last two of these, both hands of the piano briefly
break. The final word “trüb” is set to a rising figure,
soaring to and holding the upper note for two full measures, and
remaining strongly in major. The word is underpinned by
two brief piano gestures (the right hand still in
triplets). The last piano chords, also in major, are a
quiet but emphatic punctuation. 1:14--END OF SONG [31 mm.]
4. Meerfahrt (Ride on the Sea). Text by
Heinrich Heine. Andante sostenuto. Three-part
through-composed form. A MINOR, 6/8 time (Middle key F
minor, low key E minor).
German Text:
Mein Liebchen, wir sassen beisammen,
Traulich im leichten Kahn.
Die Nacht war still, und wir schwammen
Auf weiter Wasserbahn.
Die Geisterinsel, die schöne,
Lag dämm’rig im Mondenglanz;
Dort klangen liebe Töne,
Dort wogte der Nebeltanz.
Dort klang es lieb und lieber,
Und wogt’ es hin und her;
Wir aber schwammen vorüber,
Trostlos auf weitem Meer. English
Translation
Part 1 0:00 [m. 1]--Introduction. It is unusually
long. The persistent barcarolle rhythm (like the “Venetian
Gondola Songs” of Mendelssohn) is established with a stubborn
low bass. Against this rhythm, a melody enters, beginning
strikingly with an accented and powerful dissonance (a note from
the major key in the context of minor), having the effect of a
foghorn. After this blast, the melody settles into the
barcarolle rhythm, with the bass and melody moving toward an
initial cadence. The melody then continues to wind
downward, becoming more active and decorative. The last
four measures are a statement and a quieter repetition, with an
interrupted cadence, the repetition settling in preparation for
the vocal entry. 0:40 [m. 15]--Stanza 1. The first verse, unlike the
other two, matches the first section of the three-part
form. Its presentation is atmospheric and straightforward,
continuing the rocking barcarolle character and mostly remaining
in the home key. The second line is stretched out to twice
the length of the first, ending with a yearning
half-close. The setting of the next couplet, the third and
fourth lines, is similar, with the fourth line twice the length
of the third, but here there is a complete motion to the
“dominant” minor key (E minor), also ending with a yearning
half-close. 1:12 [m. 27]--The fourth line is repeated in a new
setting, almost angry in its effect, with an extra repetition of
the word “weiter.” This ends with a full close in E minor,
but coinciding with this cadence, the dissonant foghorn blast
once again appears in the piano. As a bridge to the second
stanza (and middle section), the first part of the melody from
the introduction is heard, but it does not complete its initial
cadence. Part 2 (Stanza 2 and Stanza 3, lines 1-2) 1:31 [m. 34]--Stanza 2. Beginning with a
half-measure upbeat, the first two lines are presented in an
awestruck manner as the isle of spirits appears to the couple on
the boat. The harmony is much more active, with the first
line moving toward D major and the second toward G. The
barcarolle pattern persists in the piano, but with some waltz
flavor. At this point, Brahms indicates a steady, but
powerful buildup in tempo and volume, using both German and
Italian directions. The third and fourth lines veer back
to the “dominant” key of E, but now it is major. The
fourth line is set to shorter notes, adding to the gradual
animation. Here, the piano deviates somewhat from its
pattern, adding richly colorful chromatic chords. 1:59 [m. 45]--Stanza 3. There is no real break for
the new poetic verse, as the increasingly animated music
continues, using these first two lines as a climax. The
harmony makes a radical detour to A-flat major, a half-step
above the home key. The piano adds highly unstable
“diminished seventh” chords. The vocal line marks the
climax with a rise to its highest pitch on “hin und her,”
finally holding out a note as the piano continues its forcefully
dissonant harmonies. The climax subsides, Brahms
indicating a gradual slowing, again in both German and Italian
directions. There is a quick and artful motion back to the
home key, accomplished by re-spelling the note A-flat as G-sharp
and converting it to a “leading note” in A minor. Part 3 (Stanza 3, lines 3-4) 2:12 [m. 51]--The character of the first part returns,
but there is no literal reprise. Line 3 of the final
stanza is sung to longer descending and despairing notes as the
boat passes by the glorious vision. With the final line,
Brahms does explicitly indicate “as at the beginning” (“Wie zu
Anfang”) and indeed, the dissonant foghorn blast returns,
underpinning the first setting of that final line with the
opening music from the introduction. The use of the
dissonance on the word “trostlos” (“comfortless”) emphasizes the
bleakness. The line is concluded, but the piano continues,
bridging to its extended repetition. 2:34 [m. 58]--The horn blast is heard again, but
this time it is not a dissonant intrusion, rather part of the
underlying harmony. The final line is repeated in its
entirety in a varied setting, still underpinned by the
introduction music. Then, settling to a ghostly quietness,
the last words “auf weitem Meer” are repeated once more, even
adding a fourth statement of “weitem” (mirroring the repetition
of the same adjective as “weiter” in the first stanza).
The energy is completely spent after the final vocal cadence,
and the piano simply puts the brakes on the boat, bringing the
quasi-tragic barcarolle to a close with a low open octave. 3:08--END OF SONG [66 mm.]