Alitisa Records

SING-ALONG WITH SCHUBERT'S "WINTERREISE" ON YOUTUBE
February 04, 2010, 01:50 PM posted by Maria Choban

I posted on youtube the "music-minus-one" version of "Gute Nacht" - the first song in Schubert's warhorse, "Winterreise". Wilhelm Muller's lyrics as translated by Celia Sgori follow. My own updated, modernized interpretation follows her translation. (this is the NOT family friendly version)

Kenneth Beare and I will be debuting the Winterreise song cycle on April 18th. And I mean it when I say debut. This is a warhorse and it has been owned by Dieter Fischer Dieskau for forever. Beare is a heldentenor (huge Wagnerian voice) whereas Dieskau was a baritone with a sweet voice. Needless to say, ours is a much more dramatic reading and much angrier to boot.

Schubert is generally regarded as a sweet schmuck. While living his song cycle and then following it with whatever translated (to English) materials I could find written by him (excerpts of letters and diary entries) I've concluded that he has a martyr complex, he's probably passive aggressive as hell, and all the sweetness he or others impute to the lyrics and music is bullshit. The man is seething with anger. The piece is about being dumped by a lover the protagonist was going to marry (not just an inconsequential dalliance). Wouldn't you seethe?

The piano-only posts on youtube are different than the magic Ken and I weave in tandem. These "music-minus-one" parts are my take only. Use them to sing along with at your own risk. Your vocal coach will probably disown you. But I think this is the the real Schubert: raw, angry, confused, bi-polar.

Standard Translation of lyrics to Gute Nacht:

1.Good Night

I came here a stranger,
As a stranger I depart.
May favored me
With many a bunch of flowers.
The girl spoke of love,
Her mother even of marriage.
Now the world is so gloomy,
The road shrouded in snow.

I cannot choose the time
To begin my journey,
Must find my own way
In this darkness.
A shadow of the moon travels
With me as my companion,
And upon the white field.
I seek the deer's track.

Why should I stay here any longer
So that people can drive me away?
Let stray dogs howl
In front of their master's house;
Love loves to wander.
God made it that way.
From one to the other,
My dearest, good night!

I don't want to disturb your dreaming,
It would be a shame to wake you.
You won't hear my step,
Softly, softly the door closes!
I write in passing,
On your gate: Good night,
So that you may see
That I thought of you.

BELOW is my interpretation.

1 Good Night:

A stranger I came.
A stranger I go.
May bloomed all over me with bunches of flowers: She spoke of love, her mother even intimated marriage.
No More! It's a dark world - snow covered with grey skies.

I didn't choose this.
But I have to find my way through this.
I am accompanied by the dark side of the moon,
and a single deer - who's only evidence is it's hoof prints in the snow.

It would be humiliating to hang around until someone drove me away.
Listen to your lovers - your stray dogs howling outside your door.
Love wanders, by necessity - as you did from me.
Goodnight, angel.

I don't want to disturb your dreams (HA!)
I don't want to wake you (HA!)
You won't hear me leave (bitch!)
Softly, softly - I close the door,
and on your gate I write "Good Night" as I leave,
so that you might have some inkling of the pain you caused me, you Mother Fucking Cunt.

Posted By Kenneth Beare on February 14, 2010, 03:08 PM

I'm all riled up listening to this! I can't wait to get up and do this together. I love the warning you provide to singers on the YouTube intro. Damn straight, this isn't the way you do zeese zings ...

Posted By Jeff on March 26, 2010, 09:14 PM

Can't wait to hear your interpretation of "Gute Nacht" and the entire song cycle of "Winterreise." Will it be performed on YouTube or where? Looking forward to the performance.

Posted By Maria on April 03, 2010, 11:28 AM

Thanks, Jeff!

The live performance will take place April 18, 2pm in Portland, OR. on the Celebration Works! series at First Presbyterian on S.W. 12th and Alder.

However......Ken Beare is brewing a brilliant idea which would make this accessible to those not residing in Portland. And I will definitely include your idea, to put it on youtube. So, thanks for the idea too! (in addition to your supportive enthusiasm)

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