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Boris Godunov
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Portland, OR
Aug 2001 time: 00:22
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Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde.
Knowing his own death was imminent, Mahler composed his swan song, using the texts of several Chinese poems given to him by a friend. It's in six sections, the finale one being "Der Abschied" ("The Farewell"), which is itself a combination of three of the poems:
quote:
The earth is breathing, full of rest and sleep;
All desire now turns to dreaming
Weary mortals wend homewards,
So that, in sleep, forgotten joy
And youth they may learn anew.
I stand here and wait for my friend.
I wait for him, to take the last farewell.
I long, O my friend, to be by your side,
To enjoy the beauty of this evening.
He alighted from his horse and handed him the drink
Of farewell.
He asked him whither he was going,
And also why it had to be.
He spoke, his voice was veiled:
“You, my friend –
Fortune was not kind to me in this world!
Whither I go? I go, I wander in the mountains,
I seek rest for my lonely heart!
I journey to the homeland, to my resting-place;
I shall never again go seeking the far distance.
My heart is still and awaits its hour!
The dear earth everywhere
Blossoms in spring and grows green again!
Everywhere and eternally the distance shines bright
And blue!
Eternally…. eternally…..
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"Eternally" (or "Ewig" in the German) is repeated several times by the alto soloist as the music slowly fades away into oblivion, being perhaps the most effective musical representation of "eternity" ever written. Mahler, as the subsequent 9th symphony reinforced, was resigned to his fate.
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