Der Hirt auf dem Felsen
Encyclopedia
"The Shepherd on the Rock" , D.
965, is a famous lied
for soprano
, clarinet
, and piano
by Franz Schubert
. It was composed in 1828
during the final months of his life. While officially classified as a lied, it could just as easily be described as a work of chamber music
.
, while verses five and six were written by Karl August Varnhagen von Ense
(and not by Helmina von Chézy
).
tic soprano
Pauline Anna Milder-Hauptmann
, a friend of Franz Schubert
. She had requested a showpiece that would allow her to express a wide range of feelings. It was published a year and a half after Schubert's death. Milder had sung it for the first time at the House of the Blackheads
in Riga
on 10 February 1830.
and the voice equally challenged. The first section is warm as the lonely shepherd, high on the mountain top, listens to the echoes rising from below. The second section becomes quite dark as the shepherd expresses his all encompassing grief and loneliness. The third and last section is a sign of hope as the shepherd anticipates the coming of Spring and with it rebirth.
Wenn auf dem höchsten Fels ich steh',
In's tiefe Tal hernieder seh',
Und singe.
Fern aus dem tiefen dunkeln Tal
Schwingt sich empor der Widerhall
Der Klüfte.
Je weiter meine Stimme dringt,
Je heller sie mir wieder klingt
Von unten.
Mein Liebchen wohnt so weit von mir,
Drum sehn' ich mich so heiß nach ihr
Hinüber.
Varnhagen – Nächtlicher Schall http://books.google.de/books?id=14gUAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA15&dq=nächtlicher+Schall.&cd=1#v=onepage&q=nächtlicher%20Schall.&f=false
In tiefem Gram verzehr ich mich,
Mir ist die Freude hin,
Auf Erden mir die Hoffnung wich,
Ich hier so einsam bin.
So sehnend klang im Wald das Lied,
So sehnend klang es durch die Nacht,
Die Herzen es zum Himmel zieht
Mit wunderbarer Macht.
Wilhelm Müller – Liebesgedanken http://books.google.de/books?id=po49AAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA122&dq=wilhelm+müller+liebesgedanken&lr=&cd=14#v=onepage&q&f=false
Der Frühling will kommen,
Der Frühling, meine Freud',
Nun mach' ich mich fertig
Zum Wandern bereit
Otto Erich Deutsch
Otto Erich Deutsch was an Austrian musicologist. He is known for compiling the first comprehensive catalogue of the works of Franz Schubert, first published in 1951 in English, new edition in 1978 in German...
965, is a famous lied
Lied
is a German word literally meaning "song", usually used to describe romantic songs setting German poems of reasonably high literary aspirations, especially during the nineteenth century, beginning with Carl Loewe, Heinrich Marschner, and Franz Schubert and culminating with Hugo Wolf...
for soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
by Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
. It was composed in 1828
1828 in music
-Events:*March 9 – The Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire gives its first concert, including music by Beethoven, Rossini, Meifreid, Rode and Cherubini.*November 3 – Composer Ferdinand Hérold is awarded the Légion d'honneur.-Popular music:...
during the final months of his life. While officially classified as a lied, it could just as easily be described as a work of chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
.
Lyrics
Of the seven verses, the first four and the last came from the poetry of Wilhelm MüllerWilhelm Müller
Wilhelm Müller was a German lyric poet.-Life:Wilhelm Müller was born at Dessau, the son of a tailor. He was educated at the gymnasium of his native town and at the university of Berlin, where he devoted himself to philological and historical studies...
, while verses five and six were written by Karl August Varnhagen von Ense
Karl August Varnhagen von Ense
Karl August Varnhagen von Ense was a German biographer, diplomat and soldier.-Biography:He was born at Düsseldorf, with siblings including Rosa Maria Varnhagen. He studied medicine in Berlin, but spent more time on philosophy and literature, which he later studied more thoroughly at Halle and...
(and not by Helmina von Chézy
Helmina von Chézy
Helmina von Chézy , born Wilhelmine von Klencke, was a German journalist, poet and playwright, most famous for writing the libretto for Carl Maria von Weber's opera Euryanthe and the play Rosamunde, for which Franz Schubert provided incidental music.This article uses material from the German...
).
Background
The lied was written as a belated response to a request from the operaOpera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Pauline Anna Milder-Hauptmann
Pauline Anna Milder-Hauptmann
Anna Milder-HauptmannShe was mostly called Anna Milder. Before her marriage, she was often referred to on playbills, reviews and correspondence as Mlle Milder, sometimes as Nanny Milder. After her marriage, many documents refer to her as Madame Milder...
, a friend of Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
. She had requested a showpiece that would allow her to express a wide range of feelings. It was published a year and a half after Schubert's death. Milder had sung it for the first time at the House of the Blackheads
House of the Blackheads
House of the Blackheads is a building situated in the old town of Riga, Latvia. The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried German merchants in Riga...
in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
on 10 February 1830.
Structure
The lied is multi-sectional with the clarinetClarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
and the voice equally challenged. The first section is warm as the lonely shepherd, high on the mountain top, listens to the echoes rising from below. The second section becomes quite dark as the shepherd expresses his all encompassing grief and loneliness. The third and last section is a sign of hope as the shepherd anticipates the coming of Spring and with it rebirth.
Complete text
Wilhelm Müller – Der Berghirt http://books.google.de/books?id=k-c6AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA111&dq=wilhelm+müller+Der+Berghirt&lr=&cd=8#v=onepage&q&f=falseIn's tiefe Tal hernieder seh',
Und singe.
Fern aus dem tiefen dunkeln Tal
Schwingt sich empor der Widerhall
Der Klüfte.
Je weiter meine Stimme dringt,
Je heller sie mir wieder klingt
Von unten.
Mein Liebchen wohnt so weit von mir,
Drum sehn' ich mich so heiß nach ihr
Hinüber.
Varnhagen – Nächtlicher Schall http://books.google.de/books?id=14gUAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA15&dq=nächtlicher+Schall.&cd=1#v=onepage&q=nächtlicher%20Schall.&f=false
Mir ist die Freude hin,
Auf Erden mir die Hoffnung wich,
Ich hier so einsam bin.
So sehnend klang im Wald das Lied,
So sehnend klang es durch die Nacht,
Die Herzen es zum Himmel zieht
Mit wunderbarer Macht.
Wilhelm Müller – Liebesgedanken http://books.google.de/books?id=po49AAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA122&dq=wilhelm+müller+liebesgedanken&lr=&cd=14#v=onepage&q&f=false
Der Frühling, meine Freud',
Nun mach' ich mich fertig
Zum Wandern bereit
External links
- First part of the German lyrics, with translations
- Third part of the German lyrics, with translations
- Complete Text, with translations
- Discography and Comments
- Performance of "Der Hirt auf dem Felsen" on modern instruments by Hyunah Yu (soprano), Alexander Fiterstein (clarinet), and Gilbert Kalish (piano), from the Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumIsabella Stewart Gardner MuseumThe Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum or Fenway Court, as the museum was known during Isabella Stewart Gardner's lifetime, is a museum in the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located within walking distance of the Museum of Fine Arts and near the Back Bay Fens...
in MP3MP3MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
format