Composed in 1825, Franz Schubert's setting of Ernst
Schulze's poem Der liebliche Stern ("The Lovely Star") captures the
biting irony and mocking tone of the poem. The narrator, heartbroken and alone,
sits in his boat at sea staring at the stars. Among them he looks futilely for
the "fairest" star that once represented his love. At last, he looks no longer
to the sky for his star but instead into the depths of the sea around him.
There he imagines he will ultimately find his star and be at peace, and
implores the gentle breezes to drive him into the depths of the maelstrom.
Mocking the sadness of the poem and perhaps subtly
giving voice to the insanity that is slowing growing in the narrator's mind,
Schubert's setting begins gently in the key of G major. The accompaniment,
consisting entirely of a sixteenth note figure in the right hand against a lazy
syncopated figure in the left, depicts the gentle waves surrounding the
narrator's boat. During the final lines of the first and second stanzas, when
the narrator speaks of his troubled heart and inability to find the "fairest"
star, the music falls into the more anguished key of G minor, yet returns to G
major at the final cadence. The major tonality remains throughout the song but
a subtle mixing of the minor mode effectively conveys the madness of the poet.
After the final words of the vocal line, the accompaniment slowly dies away as
if to suggest the narrator's slow descent, not into the depths of the sea, but
of despair.Joseph DuBose
Classical Music | Baritone
Franz Schubert
Der Liebliche Stern Play
Recorded on 10/12/2004, uploaded on 01/27/2009
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Composed in 1825, Franz Schubert's setting of Ernst Schulze's poem Der liebliche Stern ("The Lovely Star") captures the biting irony and mocking tone of the poem. The narrator, heartbroken and alone, sits in his boat at sea staring at the stars. Among them he looks futilely for the "fairest" star that once represented his love. At last, he looks no longer to the sky for his star but instead into the depths of the sea around him. There he imagines he will ultimately find his star and be at peace, and implores the gentle breezes to drive him into the depths of the maelstrom.
Mocking the sadness of the poem and perhaps subtly giving voice to the insanity that is slowing growing in the narrator's mind, Schubert's setting begins gently in the key of G major. The accompaniment, consisting entirely of a sixteenth note figure in the right hand against a lazy syncopated figure in the left, depicts the gentle waves surrounding the narrator's boat. During the final lines of the first and second stanzas, when the narrator speaks of his troubled heart and inability to find the "fairest" star, the music falls into the more anguished key of G minor, yet returns to G major at the final cadence. The major tonality remains throughout the song but a subtle mixing of the minor mode effectively conveys the madness of the poet. After the final words of the vocal line, the accompaniment slowly dies away as if to suggest the narrator's slow descent, not into the depths of the sea, but of despair. Joseph DuBoseIhr Sternlein, still in der Höhe,
Ihr Sternlein, spielend im Meer,
wenn ich von ferne daher
so freundlich euch leuchten sehe,
so wird mir von Wohl und von Wehe
der Busen so bang und so schwer.
Es zittert von Frühlingswinden
der Himmel im flüssigen Grüne
manch' Sternlein sah ich ent blühn,
manch' Sternlein sah ich entschwinden;
doch kann ich das schönste nicht finden
das früher dem Liebenden schien.
Nicht kann ich zum Himmel mich schwingen,
zu suchen den freundlichen Stern;
stets halt ihn die Wolke mir fern.
Tief unten da möcht' es gelingen,
das friedliche Ziel zu erringen,
tief unten, da ruht' uch so gern!
Was wiegt ihr im laulichen Spiele,
ihr Lüftchen, den schwankenden Kahn?
O treibt ihn auf rauherer Bahn
hernieder ins Wogengewühle!
Lasst tief in der wallenden Kühle
dem lieblichen Sterne mich nah'n!
--Ernst Schulze
The Lovely Star
Little stars, so lovely in the heavens,
little stars, playing upon the sea,
when from afar,
I see you sparkling so delightfully,
then, for weal or woe,
my heart grows troubled and heavy.
The sky trembles in the spring breezes
above the watered meadows;
I saw many a star blossom,
I saw many a star vanish.
But I cannot find the fairest star,
that once shone for this lover.
I cannot soar to the heavens
to seek that kindly star;
clouds forever conceal it from me.
Deep below, there I might succeed
in reaching the peaceful refuge;
deep below I would gladly find rest.
Breezes, why do you lull the rocking boat
in gentle play?
Drive it along to a rougher course,
down into the whirlpool!
Deep in the cool turbulent waters
let me draw near that lovely star.
--Ernst Schulze
More music by Franz Schubert
Der Wanderer an den Mond
Tränenregen, from Die schöne Müllerin
Moment musicaux, D. 780 No. 4
Erlkönig
Piano Sonata D. 958, Finale: Allegro
Sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 30, D617
Impromptu Op. 90 No. 2 in E-flat Major, D. 899
Notturno
Standchen, Lieder for Flute and Piano
Impromptu No. 2 in E-flat, Op. Posth. D.946
Performances by same musician(s)
Der Wanderer an den Mond
Fischerweise
Das Fischermädchen
Der Einsame
Der Geistertanz
Am Flusse
An die Laute
Das Lied im Grünen
Fischerlied
Lied des gefangenen Jägers
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