Frauenliebe und -leben
Encyclopedia
Frauenliebe und -leben is a cycle of poems by Adelbert von Chamisso
, written in 1830. They describe the course of a woman's love for her man, from her point of view, from first meeting through marriage to his death, and after. Selections were set to music as a song-cycle by masters of German Lied, namely Carl Loewe, Franz Paul Lachner and Robert Schumann
. The setting by Schumann (his opus
42) is nowadays the most widely-known.
), that it is known as his "year of song". There are eight poems in his cycle, together telling a story from the protagonist first meeting her love, through their marriage, to his death. They are:
Schumann's choice of text was very probably inspired in part by events in his personal life. He had been courting Clara Wieck, but had failed to get her father's permission to marry her. In 1840, after a legal battle to make such permission unnecessary, he finally married her.
The songs in this cycle are notable in the fact that the piano has a remarkable independence from the voice. Breaking away from the Schubertian
ideal, Schumann has the piano contain the mood of the song in its totality. Another notable characteristic is the cycle's cyclic structure, in which the last movement repeats the theme of the first.
Possibly the first was that of
During the 1930s the principal versions were those of
Recordings by
are noticed in 1951.
These recordings are listed on CD in 1996:
In the 1949 Edinburgh Festival
, Kathleen Ferrier gave a recital with Bruno Walter at the piano. In the second half, "Frauenliebe und -leben" (A Woman's Love and Life) was exquisitely performed. It was broadcast by the BBC
. Later, the tapes were made available to Decca and released in 1986 on cassette 414-611-4.
Adelbert von Chamisso
Adelbert von Chamisso was a German poet and botanist.- Life :He was born Louis Charles Adélaïde de Chamissot at the château of Boncourt at Ante, in Champagne, France, the ancestral seat of his family...
, written in 1830. They describe the course of a woman's love for her man, from her point of view, from first meeting through marriage to his death, and after. Selections were set to music as a song-cycle by masters of German Lied, namely Carl Loewe, Franz Paul Lachner and Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
. The setting by Schumann (his opus
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
42) is nowadays the most widely-known.
Schumann's cycle
Schumann wrote his setting in 1840, a year in which he wrote so many lieder (including three other song cycles: Liederkreis Op. 24 and Op. 39, DichterliebeDichterliebe
Dichterliebe, 'The Poet's Love' , is the best-known song cycle of Robert Schumann . 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. Following the song-cycles of Franz Schubert , those of...
), that it is known as his "year of song". There are eight poems in his cycle, together telling a story from the protagonist first meeting her love, through their marriage, to his death. They are:
- "Seit ich ihn gesehen" ("Since I Saw Him")
- "Er, der Herrlichste von allen" ("He, the Noblest of All")
- "Ich kann's nicht fassen, nicht glauben" ("I Cannot Grasp or Believe It")
- "Du Ring an meinem Finger" ("You Ring Upon My Finger")
- "Helft mir, ihr Schwestern" ("Help Me, Sisters")
- "Süßer Freund, du blickest mich verwundert an" ("Sweet Friend, You Gaze")
- "An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust" ("At My Heart, At My Breast")
- "Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan" ("Now You Have Caused Me Pain for the First Time")
Schumann's choice of text was very probably inspired in part by events in his personal life. He had been courting Clara Wieck, but had failed to get her father's permission to marry her. In 1840, after a legal battle to make such permission unnecessary, he finally married her.
The songs in this cycle are notable in the fact that the piano has a remarkable independence from the voice. Breaking away from the Schubertian
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...
ideal, Schumann has the piano contain the mood of the song in its totality. Another notable characteristic is the cycle's cyclic structure, in which the last movement repeats the theme of the first.
Recordings
There have been many outstanding recordings of Schumann's setting.Possibly the first was that of
- Julia CulpJulia CulpJulia Bertha Culp , the "Dutch nightingale", was an internationally celebrated mezzo-soprano in the years 1901–1919....
, with Otto Bake at the piano, for Odeon RecordsOdeon RecordsOdeon Records was a record label founded in 1903 by Max Straus and Heinrich Zuntz of the International Talking Machine Company in Berlin, Germany. It was named after a famous theatre in Paris, whose classical dome appears on the Odeon record label....
in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1909: she later recorded it a second time.
During the 1930s the principal versions were those of
- Lotte LehmannLotte LehmannCharlotte "Lotte" Lehmann was a German soprano who was especially associated with German repertory. She gave memorable performances in the operas of Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Ludwig van Beethoven, Puccini, Mozart and Massenet. The Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier was considered her greatest...
(with salon orchestra accompaniment) (Parlophone-Odeon), - Germaine Martinelli accompanied by Jean Doyen in French, (Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
), and - Emmy Bettendorf made a Parlophone Records set omitting two titles.
- Lotte Lehmann made a later (wartime) recording with Bruno WalterBruno WalterBruno Walter was a German-born conductor. He is considered one of the best known conductors of the 20th century. Walter was born in Berlin, but is known to have lived in several countries between 1933 and 1939, before finally settling in the United States in 1939...
at the piano (issued on LP by Philips RecordsPhilips RecordsPhilips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
as Minigroove ABL 3166). - Elena GerhardtElena GerhardtElena Gerhardt was a German mezzo-soprano singer associated with the singing of German classical lieder, of which she was considered one of the great interpreters...
made a recording with Gerald MooreGerald MooreGerald Moore CBE was an English pianist best known for his career as one of the most in-demand accompanists of his day, accompanying many of the world's most famous musicians...
in 1947-1948, which was privately published on White Label HMVHMVHis Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
, six sides, 12", 78rpm.
Recordings by
- Astra DesmondAstra DesmondAstra Desmond CBE was a British contralto of the early and middle twentieth century.-Early years:Astra Desmond was born Gwendolyn Mary Thompson, in Torquay, England. She was educated at Notting Hill High School and Westfield College, where she was a classical scholar...
(DeccaDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
78rpm AK 1566-68) (with Phyllis Spurr, piano) and by - Elisabeth SchumannElisabeth SchumannElisabeth Schumann was a German lyric soprano who sang in opera, operetta, oratorio, and lieder. She left a substantial legacy of recordings.-Career:...
with Gerald MooreGerald MooreGerald Moore CBE was an English pianist best known for his career as one of the most in-demand accompanists of his day, accompanying many of the world's most famous musicians...
. (HMV)
are noticed in 1951.
- Kathleen FerrierKathleen FerrierKathleen Mary Ferrier CBE was an English contralto who achieved an international reputation as a stage, concert and recording artist, with a repertoire extending from folksong and popular ballads to the classical works of Bach, Brahms, Mahler and Elgar...
's version with John Newmark was issued on Decca Medium Play LW 5089. - Lillian 'Windsor' Winzig, recorded performance at Carnegie Hall, February 19, 1954.
- Kirsten FlagstadKirsten FlagstadKirsten Målfrid Flagstad was a Norwegian opera singer and a highly regarded Wagnerian soprano...
, accompanied by Edwin McArthurEdwin McArthurEdwin McArthur was a celebrated American classical music conductor, pianist and accompanist. From 1935 until her retirement in 1955 he was the usual accompanist of the Norwegian soprano Kirsten Flagstad....
appeared on HMV ALP 1191 by 1955. - Erna BergerErna BergerErna Berger , was a prominent German coloratura lyric soprano. She is most famous for her Queen of the Night and her Konstanze....
, accompanied by - Scherzer (HMV ALP 1587) Issued 1958. - Irmgard SeefriedIrmgard SeefriedIrmgard Seefried was a distinguished German soprano who sang opera and lieder.Maria Theresia Irmgard Seefried was born in Köngetried, near Mindelheim, Bavaria, Germany, the daughter of educated Austrian-born parents. She studied at Augsburg University before making her debut in Aachen as the...
, accompanied by Erik Werba (Deutsche-Grammophon LPEM 19112) rec. 1957. - Edith MathisEdith MathisEdith Mathis is a renowned Swiss soprano and a leading exponent of the works of Mozart. She studied in Lucerne and debuted there in 1956 in The Magic Flute...
, accompanied by Christoph EschenbachChristoph EschenbachChristoph Eschenbach , born February 20, 1940, Breslau, Germany is a German-born pianist and conductor. He currently holds positions in Washington, D.C. as music director of the National Symphony Orchestra and music director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.-Early...
, issued 1981, on DGG LP 2562 400 in set 2740 266.
These recordings are listed on CD in 1996:
- Janet BakerJanet BakerDame Janet Abbott Baker, CH, DBE, FRSA is an English mezzo-soprano best known as an opera, concert, and lieder singer.She was particularly closely associated with baroque and early Italian opera and the works of Benjamin Britten...
with Martin Isepp (Saga CD EC 3361-2), 1960s. - Janet Baker with Daniel BarenboimDaniel BarenboimDaniel Barenboim, KBE is an Argentinian-Israeli pianist and conductor. He has served as music director of several major symphonic and operatic orchestras and made numerous recordings....
(HMV LP ASD 3217), issued 1976. - Brigitte FassbaenderBrigitte FassbaenderBrigitte Fassbaender , is a mezzo-soprano opera singer, a stage director and since 1997 Intendant of the Tiroler Landestheater in Innsbruck, Austria...
accompanied by Irwin GageIrwin GageIrwin Gage is an American Collaborative Pianist.- Biography :Gage studied piano, musicology and literature at the University of Michigan and Yale, and later with Erik Werba at the Vienna Music Academy...
. (DG 439 417-2). - Anne Sofie von Otter with Bengt ForsbergBengt ForsbergBengt Forsberg is a Swedish concert pianist most famous for his numerous collaborations with the mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter. He participated in her project to record songs written in the concentration camp of Terezín. Forsberg has a reputation as a champion of neglected music and composers...
. (DG DIG 445 881-2).
In the 1949 Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
, Kathleen Ferrier gave a recital with Bruno Walter at the piano. In the second half, "Frauenliebe und -leben" (A Woman's Love and Life) was exquisitely performed. It was broadcast by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. Later, the tapes were made available to Decca and released in 1986 on cassette 414-611-4.
Loewe's setting
Loewe's Liederkranz Frauenliebe is his opus 60. He set all 9 poems, namely the eight used by Schumann (in the same order), but with the additional final song, 9. Traum der eignen Tage. However he originally published the cycle as only the first 7 songs.Recordings
- Brigitte FassbaenderBrigitte FassbaenderBrigitte Fassbaender , is a mezzo-soprano opera singer, a stage director and since 1997 Intendant of the Tiroler Landestheater in Innsbruck, Austria...
, mezzo-soprano; Cord Gaben, piano (DGG DG 423 680-2) - Callista Huffman, mezzo-soprano; Giorgi LatsabidzeGiorgi LatsabidzeGiorgi Latsabidze , ; is an international prize-winning Georgian concert pianist and composer. Latsabidze is one of the youngest pianists who has performed and recorded live 24 of the Chopin Etudes and the 24 Preludes as well as all 12 of the Transcendental Etudes of Franz Liszt and 12 Préludes ...
, piano (USC NCH 511-10)
Lachner's setting
Franz Paul Lachner (1803-1890) made a setting entitled Frauenliebe und -leben for soprano, horn and piano as his op. 59; it also exists (for soprano, horn, clarinet and piano) as his op. 82. Like Schubert's "Auf dem Strom", it is part of the small repertoire of solo vocal music ensemble with horn.Recordings
- Evelyn TubbEvelyn TubbSoprano Evelyn Tubb is a long-time member of The Consort of Musicke and one of the world's greatest early music specialists, known for her innovative and original performances. She originally comes from the Isle of Wight and studied piano, trumpet, violin and singing...
(soprano) Lesley Schatzberger (clarinet) Richard Burnett (fortepiano), Classicprint CPV005CD. - Aríon Trio (Andrea Weigt, soprano; Stefan Henke, horn; Rainer Gepp, piano), Antes Edition BM CD 31.9120.
External links
- Texts of the Schumann cycle http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/assemble_texts.html?SongCycleId=70