Suleika D. 720 (Op. 14/1)

Composer: Franz Peter Schubert 

Poet: Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

 Questions like "What is Suleika?"

or "What does Suleika mean?" might

comes into mind. Suleika is a poem which is taken from 

Goethe's collection ' Book of Suleika'. It is intersting

to found that Goethes has interest in the East, Persia

and Muslim. It is not hard to believe that Goethe writes 

about one character that is related to one of the follower of Muslim

--Joseph. 

Suleika might come from the name of 

a wife of the King during the time of Joseph, whom she 

admires for his charming appearance.  While Goethe was

working on the poem, he gets very close to Marianne von Willemer.

It inspires him to wrote the affection from Marianne just as 

how Suleika admires Joseph. 

In Schubert setting, it started off with few 

chromatic acsendings semiquavers, 

as if the rolling of  the wind or a motion and hence the first line goes-

wondering what does the motions means.

This lied is in a modified-strophic form 

rather than through composed,as 

there are repitions of the same tune at the 

begining and the end with different verses.  

Albeit there are changes of mode in between stanzas, 

first and third in minor,

second and fourth in major, the overall idea are

 all about sceneries, the wind 

playing with the dust up to the clouds, resulting 

the swaying of leaves, and cooling 

the earth and hot cheeks. 

In each stanza, the melody interchanges with 

agitated and stillness although the 

piano accompanient are still the same, rolling 

of broken chords in semiquaver. The vocal 

line goes smooth and still in longer value in the 

middle of the songs, where she heard the wishper

of wind who carries the greetings from friends, 

as though she is receiving the thousand 

of kisses. 

Music changes into totally different pace after

 a long passage and a climax when 

she finally found her beloved. The longing of

 love is shown by the dominant pedal

point and chromatic chords, moving away 

from tonic, as though the love is eternal. It shows 

continuity, not until the last chord at the end, 

depicting the satisfaction and contentment 

of the love sweet breath that could only be 

learnt by the mouth of his beloved. 

Was bedeutet die Bewegung?

what means   the movement 

Bringt der Ost mir frohe Kunde? 

bring  the east me merry  news

Seiner Schwingen frische Regung 

his     swing    fresh   movement  

Kühlt des Herzens tiefe Wunde.  

cools  of  heart depth wound 

Kosend      spielt er mit dem  Staube, 

carresingly plays her with the dust

Jagt ihn auf in leichten Wölkchen, 

chase it on  in light    clouds

Treibt zur sichern Rebenlaube 

drives to   secure vine leaves

Der Insekten frohes Völkchen. 

the insect    merry folk

Lindert sanft der Sonne Glühen,  

ease    gently the sun  glow

Kühlt auch mir die heißen Wangen, 

cool  also me the  hot cheeks

Küßt die Reben noch im Fliehen, 

Kiss the vine more  in escape

Die auf Feld  und Hügel prangen. 

the of  field and hills resplendent 

Und mir bringt sein leises Flüstern 

and me  bring  them faint  whisper 

Von dem Freunde tausend Grüße; 

from the friend thousand greets 

Eh' noch diese Hügel düstern, 

eh  more  this hills gloomy 

Grüßen mich wohl    tausend Küsse. 

Greets my  probably thousand kiss 

Und so kannst du weiter ziehen! 

and so can   you further move 

Diene Freunden und  Betrübten. 

the   friend  and    afflicted

Dort   wo   hohe Mauern glühen, 

there where high build  glow 

Dort find' ich bald den Vielgeliebten. 

there find me  soon the belove

Ach, die wahre Herzenskunde, 

Ah   the  true   heart 

Liebeshauch, erfrischtes Leben 

Love breath   refreshing  life

Wird mir nur aus seinem Munde, 

is   me only from his    mouth 

Kann mir nur sein Athem geben.

can  me  only his breath give 

(English translation by Richard Morris)

What does the motion mean?
Does the East wind bring glad tidings?
The refreshing movement of its wings
Chills the heart's deep wound.

It plays gently with the dust,
Chasing it into light clouds.
And drives the happy insect people
to the security of the vine-leaves.

It softly tempers the sun's incandescence,
and chills my hot cheeks,
As it flees it kisses the vines
which are prominent on the fields and hills

And its soft whispering brings me
A thousand greetings from my friend
Before these hills dim,
I will be greeted by a thousand kisses.

So as you go on your way
And serve friends and the saddened.
There where high walls glow,
I shall soon find my dearly beloved.

Oh, the true message of his heart,
Loves-breath, refreshing life
Comes only from his mouth,
Can be given to me only by his breath.

Resplendant -

 having a very bright or splendid appearance

Glow-
to produce a continuous light and sometimes heat

Afflicted-
If a problem or illness afflicts a person or thing, they suffer from it

Vine-

any type of plant which climbs or grows along the ground and 

which has woody twisting stems 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poems of Goethe

SULEIKA.
WHAT is by this stir reveal'd?
Doth the East glad tidings bring?
For my heart's deep wounds are heal'd
By his mild and cooling wing.

He the dust with sports doth meet,
And in gentle cloudlets chase;
To the vineleaf's safe retreat
Drives the insects' happy race,

Cools these burning cheeks of mine,
Checks the sun's fierce glow Adam,
Kisses, as he flies, the vine,
Flaunting over hill and plain.

And his whispers soft convey
Thousand greetings from my friend;
Ere these hills own night's dark sway,
Kisses greet me, without end.

Thus canst thou still onward go,
Serving friend and mourner too!
 
There, where lofty ramparts glow,
Soon the loved one shall I view.

Ah, what makes the heart's truth known,--
Love's sweet breath,--a newborn life,--
Learn I from his mouth alone,
In his breath alone is rife!
                                1815. 





Reference:
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/goethe

http://www.opera-britannia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=446:miah-persson-the-wigmore-hall-16th-february-2011&catid=10&Itemid=16 

Bonjour Suzon! (Goodmorning, Sussie!)

Composer:Léo Delibes (1836-1891)

Poet:  Louis Charles Alfred de Musset (1810-1857) ,
 "Chanson: Bonjour Suzon", from Poésies posthumes

Date of composition:1861-1863

Recommended Recording by Victoria de Los Angeles

 

A playful song with simple poem, "Bonjour Suzon!" portrays the simple love

of a lover coming back  to see his beloved Sussie. A great trip he had where

he writes, loves and enjoys the tour to Italy, but what matter most is the

reunion of him and Sussie after all.

Modulations occurs in the songs to depict the changes of

emotions, making it a contrast upon the simple melody. It shows

the transformation of narrator's emotions while he was singing and awaiting

to see his love, pleading, asking, wondering, questioning etc.

As Sussie replied " I wish not yet"

whether or not they meet each other at the end,

is not been told. The music still ended

as cheerful as the beginning, neither upset, nor satisfaction of relieve. 

 

Bonjour     Suzon, ma fleur des bois!

Goodmorning Sussie my flower the wood

Es-tu toujours la plus  jolie?  

are you always the more pretty 

Je reviens, tel que  tu me vois,  

I  back    such that you me look 

D'un grand voyage en Italie,  

a     big trip    from itlay

Du paradis j'ai fait le tour; 

of paradise i   been the tour  

J'ai fait des vers, j'ai fait l'amour. 

i    been  the to   i    been  love

Mais que t'importe? 

but  the important

Je passe devant ta  maison; 

i  pass  before your house

Ouvre ta  porte. 

open  your door

Bonjour, Suzon! 

goodmorning   Sussie 

Je t'ai vue au temps des lilas. 

I  've  view of time the lilac

Ton coeur joyeux venait d'éclore. 

your hear joy    had    hatching

Et tu disais: "je ne veux pas, 

and you said   i  not want not

Je ne veux pas qu'on m'aime encore." 

i  not want not that love   yet 

Qu'as-tu fait depuis mon départ? 

that you  been  since  my departure

Qui part  trop tôt   tard revient trop tard. 

thatleave too early late back    too late. 

Mais que m'importe? 

but the important

Je passe devant ta maison; 

i   pass before  your house

Ouvre ta porte. 

open your door

Bonjour, Suzon! 

goodmorning sussie 

(Translated by Hyperion Records)

 Good morning, Susie, my flower of the woods!
 Are you still the prettiest?
 I return to see you
 from a great journey to Italy,
 Through paradise I have made a tour;
 I have made some verses and made love too.
 What's it to you?
 I pass before your house,
 open your door!
 Good morning, Susie!
 
 When I saw you in the time of lilacs,
 your heart was full of new found joy
 and you said, "I do not wish,
 I do not wish to be loved yet."
 What have you done since I left?
 He who leaves too soon, comes back too late;
 but what's it to me?
 I pass before your house;
 open your door!
 Good morning, Susie! 

Lilac-

a bush or small tree with sweet-smelling purple or white flowers

Der Blumenstrauss( The Bouquet)

Composer :Felix Mendelssohn (1809- 1847)

Poet: Karl Klingemann (1798-1862)

Op. 47 (Sechs Lieder) no. 5. 

Sie wandelt im Blumengarten 

she wanders   in  flower garden  

Und mustert den bunten   Flor, 

and  eyes  in  colourful flower 

Und alle die Kleinen warten 

and all  the small    wait

Und schauen zu  ihr empor. 

and look     to her up

Und seid ihr denn Frühlingsboten, 

and  are her because Harbingers spring 

Verkündend was  stets    so neu, 

announcing what always  so new

So werdet auch meine Boten 

so  will  also  my   messenger

An ihn, der mich liebt so treu.« 

to  it  that my love so true 

So überschaut   sie die  Habe 

so over looking they the have

Und ordnet den lieblichen Strauß, 

and  assigns the  lovely strauss  

Und reicht dem Freunde die Gabe, 

and  enough the friend the gift

Und weicht seinem Blicke aus. 

and   differs his glances off 

Was Blumen und Farben meinen, 

what flower and colours  mean

O deutet, o fragt das nicht, 

o indicate oh ask that not

Wenn aus den Augen der Einen 

that from the   eye of one 

Der süßeste Frühling spricht.

the  sweet spring    speech 

(English translation by Yik Ling)

She wanders in the flower garden
And examines the colorful pile,
And all the flowers waiting
And look up at her.

"And because ye are harbingers of spring,
Announcing what always so new
So shall also my messenger
To tell him that my love is so true. "

So she has looks over 
And assigns the lovely bouquet
And friends the gift ranges,
And deviates from her eyes.

What flowers and colors mean
Oh indicate, o do not ask that,
If it is the sight of one

sweetest spring speech.

Harbingers- 

someone or a thing that shows that something is going to happen soon, especially something bad 

Minnelied (Love Song)

Composer: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)
Poem: Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773-1853) 

"Minnelied", op. 47 (Sechs Lieder) no. 1 

Composed in 1840.

This is a very simple songs composed by Mendelssohn during his

later years, seven years before he passed away.

 It appears like some other standard lieder, strophic,

which two stanzas has the same melody with slight difference at 

the end, an extra repetition of the last melody line.   

There is a very simple introduction with some chromatic notes over 

the left hand while the right hand is always in alberti-like semiquaver

Unlike Schumann's composition, Mendelssohn always composed 

the piano part in an accompanimnet form rather than going on with 

the vocal line. 

There is a little modulation in the middle of each stanza, hence changing 

of tone colour and mood is always expected. More lyrical line is demanded , albeit 

the melody line is always simple. The vocal line in the second stanza could 

appear lighter than the first, as well as softer in dynamics as it tells about 

the fragrant of the linden tree. The ending of the second might be stronger as 

compare to the ending of first stanza as the text goes " there nothing like her".

However the repition of the same text of both stanza on F on the second time 

should not be too loud or expolosive although it is on the high pitch. It has to be 

as sweet or gentle like the beautiful view and the sweet linden tree.                 

Wie der Quell   so lieblich klinget  

 as the source  so lovely   sounds

Und die zarten Blumen küßt, 

and the  tender flower kisses 

Wie der Fink im Schatten singet 

as the  finch in  shadow sing

Und das  nahe  Lienbchen grüßt! 

and the  nearby love    greets 

Wie die Lichter zitternd schweifen 

as the  light   tremble   wonder

Und das Gras sich     grün erfreut, 

and the grass itself green pleased

Wie die Tannen weithin greifen 

as the   firs   widely grab

Und die Linde  Blüten streut! 

and the linden flowers scatters 

In der Linde   süß Gedüfte, 

in the linden sweet fragrance

In der Tannen Riesellaut, 

in the firs   rustling loud

In dem Spiel der Sommerlüfte 

in the play the  summerbreeze 

Glänzet sie als Frühlingsbraut. 

sparkles as they   spring bride

Aber Waldton, Vogelsingen, 

but   forest   bird singing

Duft der Blüten, haltet ein, 

scent the flowers hold one 

Licht, verdunkle, nie gelingen 

 light  darken   never succeed

Kann es euch, ihr gleich zu sein! 

 can it you    her equal to be

(English Translation by Carl Johengen)  

How the fountain so lovely sounds
and kisses the tender flowers,
how the finch in the shade sings
and greets the nearby sweetheart!

How the lights curve trembling
and the grass rejoices in its green,
how the firs reach out far
and the lime tree strews its blooms!

In the lime tree's sweet fragrance,
in the firs loud rustling,
in the play of summer air
She appears as a spring bride.

But forest sounds, birdsong,
Fragance of blooms, cease,
light, die away, you can never
Be like unto her!
 

ceases

-to stop something  

Finch

-any of various types of small singing 
bird with a short wide pointed beak

firs

-a tall evergreen (= never losing its leaves) 

tree that grows in cold countries and has leaves that are like needles

Apparition

Composer: Claude Debussy (182-1918)

Author: Stephane Mallarme (1842-1898) 

Apparition was written in 1884, another early composition by Debussy.

 It was written for Madame Vasnier, a coloratura. Hence,

lighter tone colour might be expected to sing this song. Some how this songs is different from

 the previous. Instead of just pure light voice, it requires greater 

vocal technique with symbolic literature. 

Debussy first met Stephane Mallarme on 8th Feb 1884. 

He was likely influenced by the symbolic poems

as he almost spent most of the time with poets than musicians. He set a symbolic 

poem by Stephane Mallarme to a song.  The title "apparition"suggested 

a vague subject, hard to imagine or to see. It depicts a dead 

soul which often show the sadness and dark side of 

our emotions. This songs was rather full of sentiments, passionate and 

longing, which leads the songs to the climax where the text repeats the title twice

on a high C.

The vocal line joins in in the second bar not 

long after a brief introduction by the piano accompaniment. It creates

subtle ringing atmosphere where the vocal lines almost repeating same note

without leaping widely until few bars later. It suggests a stillness 

night with sad atmosphere, pictures of vague dream-like view which is 

almost untrue in reality-- the sad moon, crying seraphims around the petals 

with their bows in their fingers, vapours...

Abruptly, music changes into rich texture in G flat Major where the vocal

line appears in high register. It was indeed emotional that it was the

day when they first kissed, a very memorable day and moment which she long and 

dream for. Her dream was almost torturing, affecting the tonality- a minor

mode in the next phrase, leading to a first- wave-climax, protraying some kind of dramatic 

emotion-- "drowning in the sad perfume without regret and disappointment". 

It changes again unexpectedly into  Major mode in C with leaping melodies but calm, 

still and soft in dynamics. It gradually builds to the climax as her eyes was revited 

while she was walking on the path on that evening, the sun shines through a vague object -- 

 the apparition, an object likely as the feature and figure of her beloved that appears

in front of her own eyes. It depicts a mixtures of excitement, touch and painful emotions. Alas

the main tune comes back again in same key- G flat when she finally saw fairy-like with a 

hat of light which once appeared in her dream. 

A sudden PP in the dynamic suggest a quick change when she realized it was all over-

"passed" with the word "Passait" on a leaping A, passed through her careless hand

and the music goes tenderly calm again with few smooth modulations, suggesting the 

scenes of disappearing perfume and starry vapours all around.  

Word-by-word English Translation 

La lune s'attristait. Des séraphins en pleurs

The moon  sad        of seraphim    in cry

Rêvant, l'archet aux doigts, dans le calme des fleurs

dreamin  bow     of   finger  on the clam  of   flowers           

Vaporeuses, tiraient de mourantes violes 

vapour       drew        dying    viols

De blancs sanglots glissant sur l'azur des  corolles. 

the white  sobs     slide   on    azur  of   corolla  

C'était le jour béni   de ton premier baiser. 

it was the day blessed of your  first kiss 

Ma songerie aimant à me martyriser 

my  dream   magnet to my  martyr 

S'enivrait savamment du parfum de tristesse 

intoxicate carefully of perfume the sad  

Que même sans    regret et sans     déboire laisse 

the same without regret and without disappointment leash

La cueillaison d'un Rêve au coeur qui l'accueille. 

the     ?        a dream of heart that hosts

J'errais donc, l'oeil rivé    sur le pavé     vieilli 

I wandered so    eye revited  on the pavement age

Quand avec du soleil aux cheveux, dans la rue 

when with  of sun   of    hair    on the street 

Et dans le soir, tu m'es en riant apparue 

and in the evening you me  laughter appeared

Et j'ai  cru voir la  fée  au chapeau de clarté 

and i am row  see the fairy to  hat  of clarity

Qui jadis sur mes beaux sommeils d'enfant gâté 

that  one on  my  beauty sleeps  childhood spoiled

Passait, laissant toujours de ses mains mal fermées 

passed    leaving always   of its hand  bad closed

Neiger de blancs bouquets d'étoiles parfumées.

snow   of  white   bouquet  starry perfume 

(English Translation) 

The moon was saddened. Seraphims in tears
dreaming, bows at their fingers, in the calm of filmy flowers
Threw dying violas of white sobs 
sliding over the blue of corollas.
It was the blessed day of your first kiss;
My reverie, loving to torture me, 
wisely imbibed its perfume of sadness
That even without regret and without setback
leaves the gathering of a dream within the heart that gathered it.
I wandered then, my eye riveted on the aged cobblestones.
When, with light in your hair, in the street
and in the evening, you appeared to me smiling
and I thought I had seen the fairy with a hat of light
who passed in my sweet dreams as a spoiled child,
always dropping from her carelessly closed hand
a snow of white bouquets of perfumed stars. 

(Translated by Laura Claycomb, Peter Grunberg)

---------------------------------------------

Viols:

-16th/ 17th centuries instruments.(viol da gamba)

Corolla:

-all of the petals of a flower as a group

Martyr: 

-a person who suffers very much or is killed 

because of their political or religious beliefs,

and is often admired because of it 

Leash:
-a piece of rope, chain, etc. tied to an animal, 

especially to a dog at its collar when taking it for a walk

Apparition

- A soul of a dead person appearing in a form which can be seen 

Revited

-not be able to be stop looking at something because it is so

interesting or frightening

Reverie

- Dream-like thought