Classical Music | Baritone

Franz Schubert

Fischerlied  Play

Thomas Meglioranza Baritone
Reiko Uchida Piano

Recorded on 10/12/2004, uploaded on 01/16/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Franz Schubert set Johann von Salis-Seewis's poem Das Fischergewerbe ("The Fisherman's Trade") three times—twice for solo voice and piano and once for men's chorus. Schubert's first setting dates from 1816 and sets all eight verses of Salis-Seewis's rather insipid poem. Yet, perhaps a mark of genius is the ability to bring art to the artless. Schubert's simple, folk-like melody effectively catches the air of a sailor song, even embellishing each stanza with a "tra-la-la" refrain. Underneath, the accompaniment is entirely chordal, with the sole exception being the piano's repetition of the aforementioned refrain.      Joseph DuBose

Das Fischergewerbe
Gibt rüstigem Mut!
Wir haben zum Erbe
Die Güter der Flut.

Wir graben nicht Schätze,
Wir pflügen kein Feldl
Wir ernten im Netze,
Wir angeln uns Geld.

Im Antlitz der Buben
Lacht mutiger Sinn,
Sie meiden die Stuben
Bei Tagesbeginn;

Sie tauchen und schwimmen
Im eisigen See,
Und barfuß erklimmen
Sie Klippen von Schnee. 

Oft rudern wir ferne
Im wiegenden Kahn;
Dann blinken die Sterne
So freundlich uns an;

Der Mond aus den Höhen,
Der Mond aus dem Bach.
So schnell wir entflöhen,
Sie gleiten uns nach.

Wir trotzen dem Wetter
Das finster uns droht.
Wann schöpfende Bretter
Kaum hemmen den Tod.

Wir trotzen auch Wogen
Auf krachendem Schiff,
In Tiefen gezogen,
Geschleudert ans Riff!

--Johann Gaudenz von Salis-Seewis

Fisherman's Song

The fisherman's trade
Gives us a cheerful heart.
Our inheritance
Is the wealth of the waters.

We dig for no treasure,
We plow no fields;
We harvest with our nets,
We fish for money.

On the boys' faces
A bold spirit laughs;
They slip from their rooms
At break of day.

They dive and swim
In the icy sea,
And climb barefoot
Upon cliffs of snow.

Often we row far
In the rocking boat;
Then the stars shine
So kindly upon us;

The moon from the heights,
The moon from the brook,
No sooner have we escaped
Than they glide after us.

We defy the storm
That darkly threatens us
When heaving timbers
Barely fend off death.

We defy the waves too
On the groaning ship,
Drawn into the depths,
Hurled against the reef!

--Johann Gaudenz von Salis-Seewis