The story that the song is telling is blood curdling. The music is fabulous, and Norman sings the spots off of it. It's one of the most difficult lieds ever written, and is not performed all that often. It's epic!!!
+butterflysuki - I agree with you about the greatness of this version. Whether or not Jessye Norma was really a mezzo is a matter of dispute to some extent. She sang Aida, excerpts of Tristan, and the Countess in Figaro early in her career, but then kind of gravitated into high range mezzo music later on in her career. A great singer for sure. I've heard her recordings of Fidelio and Salome, both high Dramatic Soprano roles, and she comes off fine. Also Seigliende in "Die Walkure". Not sure if her voice was pure mezzo or pure soprano. Whatever she was, she was fabulous.
Italian: Nella luce fioca scompaiono già i monti, galleggia la nave sul mare piatto, a bordo la regina e il suo nano. Ella guarda in alto verso la grande volta, in alto verso la lontananza azzurra intrisa di luce; striata [di azzurro] con il latte del cielo. "Mai, mai mi avete mentito, stelle," ella esclama, "presto io svanirò, questo mi dite, ma in verità io muoio volentieri." E il nano va dalla regina per legare al suo collo la corda di seta rossa, e piange quasi volesse diventar velocemente cieco per la pena.Egli dice: "Tu stessa hai colpa di questo dolore perché per il re mi hai lasciato, ora la tua morte riserba solo a me ancora gioia anche se odierò in eterno me stesso, colui che con questa mano ti ha inflitto la morte, ma ora devi impallidire per la prematura sepoltura." Ella pone la mano sul cuore ancor fresco di giovinezza, e grosse lacrime le scorrono dagli occhi che volge imploranti al cielo. "Che tu non debba soffrire per la mia morte!" gli dice; e il nano bacia le ceree guance, non appena le vengono meno i sensi. Il nano guarda la donna, catturata dalla morte, la affonda nel mare con le proprie mani, il suo cuore arde per lei pieno di desiderio, a nessuna costa egli approderà più.(Traduzione di Alessandro luise)
The mountains quickly disappear in the dim light The ship floats on smooth ocean waves, On which the queen is with her dwarfs.
She looks up at the high-vaulted arch, Up to the light-flooded blue distance; That is crossed with the milk of the sky [blue]1
"Never, never have you lied to me, you stars," So she yells, "Soon I will disappear, You tell me, but I will be truly happy to die."
Then the dwarf goes before the queen, pleased to bind The string of red silk around her neck, And cries as if he rapidly wanted to go blind with grief.
He says: "You are to blame for this suffering Because you left me for the king Now your dying only gives me joy.
"Indeed I will hate myself forever, Who will give you death with this hand But you must now turn pale to the early grave."
She puts her hand on her heart full of young life, And heavy tears run from her eyes That she in prayer wants to raise to Heaven.
"May you not gain pain from my death!" She says; then the dwarf kisses her pale cheeks, Whereupon she immediately loses her senses.
The dwarf looks at the woman, conscious of death, He lowers her deep into the sea with his own hands His heart burns so full of desire for her, It2 will never again land on any coast.
The story that the song is telling is blood curdling. The music is fabulous, and Norman sings the spots off of it. It's one of the most difficult lieds ever written, and is not performed all that often. It's epic!!!
Gorgeous! I've been looking for a good recording of a mezzo doing this in the low key and this is perfect! A HIGHLY underrated Schubert lied.
+butterflysuki - I agree with you about the greatness of this version. Whether or not Jessye Norma was really a mezzo is a matter of dispute to some extent. She sang Aida, excerpts of Tristan, and the Countess in Figaro early in her career, but then kind of gravitated into high range mezzo music later on in her career. A great singer for sure. I've heard her recordings of Fidelio and Salome, both high Dramatic Soprano roles, and she comes off fine. Also Seigliende in "Die Walkure". Not sure if her voice was pure mezzo or pure soprano. Whatever she was, she was fabulous.
Fantastic interpretation of a fantastic song
Italian:
Nella luce fioca scompaiono già i monti, galleggia la nave sul mare piatto, a bordo la regina e il suo nano.
Ella guarda in alto verso la grande volta, in alto verso la lontananza azzurra intrisa di luce; striata [di azzurro] con il latte del cielo.
"Mai, mai mi avete mentito, stelle,"
ella esclama, "presto io svanirò,
questo mi dite, ma in verità io muoio volentieri."
E il nano va dalla regina per legare
al suo collo la corda di seta rossa,
e piange quasi volesse diventar velocemente cieco per la pena.Egli dice: "Tu stessa hai colpa di questo dolore perché per il re mi hai lasciato,
ora la tua morte riserba solo a me ancora gioia anche se odierò in eterno me stesso,
colui che con questa mano ti ha inflitto la morte, ma ora devi impallidire per la prematura sepoltura." Ella pone la mano sul cuore ancor fresco di giovinezza,
e grosse lacrime le scorrono dagli occhi che volge imploranti al cielo.
"Che tu non debba soffrire per la mia morte!" gli dice; e il nano bacia le ceree guance, non appena le vengono meno i sensi. Il nano guarda la donna, catturata dalla morte,
la affonda nel mare con le proprie mani, il suo cuore arde per lei pieno di desiderio, a nessuna costa egli approderà più.(Traduzione di Alessandro luise)
Grazie mille
The mountains quickly disappear in the dim light
The ship floats on smooth ocean waves,
On which the queen is with her dwarfs.
She looks up at the high-vaulted arch,
Up to the light-flooded blue distance;
That is crossed with the milk of the sky [blue]1
"Never, never have you lied to me, you stars,"
So she yells, "Soon I will disappear,
You tell me, but I will be truly happy to die."
Then the dwarf goes before the queen, pleased to bind
The string of red silk around her neck,
And cries as if he rapidly wanted to go blind with grief.
He says: "You are to blame for this suffering
Because you left me for the king
Now your dying only gives me joy.
"Indeed I will hate myself forever,
Who will give you death with this hand
But you must now turn pale to the early grave."
She puts her hand on her heart full of young life,
And heavy tears run from her eyes
That she in prayer wants to raise to Heaven.
"May you not gain pain from my death!"
She says; then the dwarf kisses her pale cheeks,
Whereupon she immediately loses her senses.
The dwarf looks at the woman, conscious of death,
He lowers her deep into the sea with his own hands
His heart burns so full of desire for her,
It2 will never again land on any coast.
So thoughtful and kind to provide the translation. Thank you.
I'm not a fan of Jessye Norman doing Schubert, but this is majestic.
So Erlkönig like
gorgeous
:)) :))) :)) & Grazie :)))
Ouai Malachy
Les 404 on est là ou pas ?