Though Hugo Wolf today is lauded as one of the most greatest composers of German Lied during the late 19th century (so much so that he is known almost exclusively for his songs), he struggled in vain during his lifetime to shed his reputation as a mere songwriter. His ultimate goal was to follow in the footsteps of his great idol, Richard Wagner, and become a successful opera composer. During his final days, before the ravaging effects of syphilis stripped away the last of his sanity, he worked frantically on an opera entitled Manuel Venegas, but managed only to complete fifty pages. Despite his failure at opera, Wolf did succeed at another type of large-scale composition, the Liederbuch, or songbook, of which he produced several during his career. Beginning in 1888, a violent outburst of creativity brought forth three of these collections before the end of the succeeding year. The Mörike-Lieder came first, followed by the Eichendorff-Lieder. On October 27, 1888, he began setting a collection of fifty-one poems by Goethe. Wolf composed at a breakneck pace, sometimes completing two songs a day. With the exception of “Die Spröde” which would be recomposed nearly a year later on October 21, 1889, the Goethe-Lieder was completed on February 12. It was published a year later in Vienna.
Answering “Die Spröde” is “Die Bekehrte.” Whereas in the former song, the shepherdess carries on blithely, playing with the affections of many a suitor, yet spurning them all, she now has become enraptured with one. His flute-playing has tamed her unruliness, and she cherishes his sweet kisses. However, the final stanza of the poem betrays a sense of melancholy. The shepherdess has “lost her piece of mind,” and her “joy has flown away.” All she hears now is faded tones of the refrain which she once sang so merrily. Wolf’s setting throws into relief the underlying melancholy of the shepherdess. In A minor, the piano provides a rustic accompaniment while the voice renders Goethe’s poem with an almost folk-like demeanor. The mood only briefly changes during the second and middle stanza, as the tonalities of C major, D major and F major briefly dispel the melancholy air of the outer stanzas.Joseph DuBose
Classical Music | Soprano
Hugo Wolf
Die Bekehrte Play
Recorded on 12/04/2013, uploaded on 06/25/2014
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Though Hugo Wolf today is lauded as one of the most greatest composers of German Lied during the late 19th century (so much so that he is known almost exclusively for his songs), he struggled in vain during his lifetime to shed his reputation as a mere songwriter. His ultimate goal was to follow in the footsteps of his great idol, Richard Wagner, and become a successful opera composer. During his final days, before the ravaging effects of syphilis stripped away the last of his sanity, he worked frantically on an opera entitled Manuel Venegas, but managed only to complete fifty pages. Despite his failure at opera, Wolf did succeed at another type of large-scale composition, the Liederbuch, or songbook, of which he produced several during his career. Beginning in 1888, a violent outburst of creativity brought forth three of these collections before the end of the succeeding year. The Mörike-Lieder came first, followed by the Eichendorff-Lieder. On October 27, 1888, he began setting a collection of fifty-one poems by Goethe. Wolf composed at a breakneck pace, sometimes completing two songs a day. With the exception of “Die Spröde” which would be recomposed nearly a year later on October 21, 1889, the Goethe-Lieder was completed on February 12. It was published a year later in Vienna.
Answering “Die Spröde” is “Die Bekehrte.” Whereas in the former song, the shepherdess carries on blithely, playing with the affections of many a suitor, yet spurning them all, she now has become enraptured with one. His flute-playing has tamed her unruliness, and she cherishes his sweet kisses. However, the final stanza of the poem betrays a sense of melancholy. The shepherdess has “lost her piece of mind,” and her “joy has flown away.” All she hears now is faded tones of the refrain which she once sang so merrily. Wolf’s setting throws into relief the underlying melancholy of the shepherdess. In A minor, the piano provides a rustic accompaniment while the voice renders Goethe’s poem with an almost folk-like demeanor. The mood only briefly changes during the second and middle stanza, as the tonalities of C major, D major and F major briefly dispel the melancholy air of the outer stanzas. Joseph DuBose
______________________
Die Bekehrte
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
By the glow of the red sunset
I walked quietly through the wood,
Damon sat and blew his flute,
That it resounded from the cliffs:
So la la!...
And he pulled me down to him,
Kissed me so gently, so sweetly.
And I said: blow on!
And the good young boy blew,
So la la!...
My peace is now lost
My happiness has flown away,
And I hear from my ears
Always only the old tune,
So la la, le ralla!
More music by Hugo Wolf
Elfenlied, from Gedichte von Eduard Morike
Das Köhlerweib ist trunken
Ein Ständchen Euch zu bringen kam ich her, from the Italienisches Liederbuch
Wohl denk ich oft, from Drei Gedichte von Michelangelo
Italian Serenade in G Major
Alles endet, was entstehet, from Drei Gedichte von Michelangelo
Neue Liebe
Fühlt meine Seele, from Drei Gedichte von Michelangelo
Lebe wohl
Als ich auf dem Euphrat schiffte
Performances by same musician(s)
Mandoline
It was a lover and his lass, from Let us garlands bring
Come away, death, Op. 6, No. 1
Winter, from Six Elizabethan Songs
Muza Op. 34 no. 1
Why Do They Shut Me Out of Heaven? from Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson
Heart, We Will Forget Him, from Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson
Dear March, come in!, from Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson
Sleep is supposed to be, from Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson
Fantoches, from Fêtes galantes
Classical Music for the Internet Era™
Courtesy of International Music Foundation.