Cheerful and idyllic, Das Lied im Grünen dates from
the summer of 1827. On either side stand the elegiac Winterreise cycle,
composed in February and October 1827 and the chilling songs of Schwanengesang
from the winter of 1828. Whereas the two song cycles are perhaps a striking
picture of Schubert's emotional state during the final years of his life, Das
Lied im Grünen is a carefree recollection of youthful days long gone by.
Johann Anton Friedrich Reil's poem, the only one to be
set by Schubert, recounts the youthful days of roaming the springtime
countryside, of idle musings, staring at the stars and reading the works of
history's literary geniuses. When Schubert composed his setting of Reil's poem,
it consisted of seven stanzas. Prior to the publication of the song in 1829, an
additional stanza was inserted before the last. It is unclear whether the
addition was by the poet or the publisher. Today, some editions include the
additional stanza while others hold to Schubert's original setting.
Nevertheless, Schubert's setting captures the whole essence of the poem. The
bright key of A major and the lively arpeggios of the accompaniment recall the
warmth and vitality of spring. The first two stanzas are set to a simple A major
melody with a prominent dactyl rhythm. The third and fourth stanzas move to the
key of D major and the active bass line becomes fixated on a tonic pedal. Both
stanzas waver between the keys of D major and B-flat major. Quite ingeniously,
Schubert uses a minor subdominant chord in B-flat major, thus retaining
enharmonically the third of the key of D. The opening A major melody returns
during the fifth stanza. The sixth stanza (and seventh if the additional stanza
is included) begins in like manner in the key of A major but soon ventures into
the relative minor. The final stanza returns to the bright tonic of A major
creating, in essence, a sort of rondo form. However, a brief moment of
melancholy, expressed in the key of D minor and a slowing of the Lied's rhythm,
occurs when the poet states that such carefree, dreamy days will not return.
The moment passes and the music dies away over a brilliant A major chord.Joseph DuBose
Das Lied im Grünen
Ins Grüne, ins Grüne,
Da lockt uns der Frühling, der liebliche Knabe,
Und führt uns am blumenumwundenen Stabe
Hinaus, wo die Lerchen und Amseln so wach,
In Wälder, auf Felder, auf Hügel zum Bach,
Ins Grüne, ins Grüne.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da lebt es sich wonnig, da wandeln wir gerne
Und heften die Augen dahin schon von ferne,
Und wie wir so wandeln mit heiterer Brust,
Umwallet uns immer die kindliche Lust,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da ruht man so wohl, empfindet so Schönes,
Und denket behaglich an dieses und jenes,
Und zaubert von hinnen, ach, was uns bedrückt,
Und alles herbei, was den Busen entzückt,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da werden die Sterne so klar wie die Weisen
Der Vorwelt zur Leitung des Lebens uns preisen,
Da streichen die Wölkchen so zart uns dahin,
Da heitern die Herzen, da klärt sich der Sinn
Im
Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da wurde manch Plänchen auf Flügeln getragen,
Die
Zukunft der grämlichen Ansicht entschlagen,
Da stärkt sich das Auge, da labt sich der Blick,
Sanft wiegen die Wünsche sich hin und zurück
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Am Morgen am Abend in traulicher Stille
Entkeimet manch Liedchen und manche Idylle,
Und Hymen oft kränzt den poetischen Scherz,
Denn leicht ist die Lockung, empfänglich das Herz
Im
Grünen, im Grünen.
O gerne im Grünen
Bin ich schon als Knabe und Jüngling gewesen
Und habe gelernt und geschrieben, gelesen
Im Horaz und Plato, dann Wieland und Kant,
Und glühenden Herzens mich selig genannt,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Ins Grüne, ins Grüne,
Laßt heiter uns folgen dem freundlichen Knaben.
Grünt eins uns das Leben nicht förder, so haben
Wir klüglich die grünende Zeit nicht versäumt,
Und wann es gegolten, doch glücklich geträumt,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
--Friedrich Reil
The
Song of the Greenwood
To the greenwood!
That darling youth, Spring, invites us,
leading us on with his flower-decked staff
to where the larks and thrushes sing,
to the woods, the fields, the hills, the brook-
to the greenwood!
In the greenwood
life is bliss, and we love to roam;
even from a distance our eyes are fixed on it.
As we wander there with merry hearts,
a childlike pleasure surrounds our hearts,
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood
where our rest is so sweet, and our feelings so
fine;
where we gently muse on this and that,
our cares are charmed away,
and the heart rejoices,
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood
how bright shine the stars,
those guiding lights of the wise men of old;
the little clouds drift gently by,
our hearts are light, our senses clear,
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood
our little plans and ideas take wing
and the future looks bright.
Our eyes are refreshed and our gaze serene,
we dally with our fancies,
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood,
in the intimate stillness of morning and evening,
how many songs and poems have been born,
and Hymen often crowns the poetic pleasure
for light is the spirit and the heart is willing
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood
I loved to be as a young boy
and I learned, and wrote, and read
Horace and Plato, later Wieland and Kant,
and with glowing heart counted myself blessed
in the greenwood.
To the greenwood
let us gladly follow the friendly lad.
Though one day life will no longer be green,
we will not have wasted the green years,
we at least will have enjoyed our dreams while they
lasted
Classical Music | Baritone
Franz Schubert
Das Lied im Grünen Play
Recorded on 10/12/2004, uploaded on 01/25/2009
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Cheerful and idyllic, Das Lied im Grünen dates from the summer of 1827. On either side stand the elegiac Winterreise cycle, composed in February and October 1827 and the chilling songs of Schwanengesang from the winter of 1828. Whereas the two song cycles are perhaps a striking picture of Schubert's emotional state during the final years of his life, Das Lied im Grünen is a carefree recollection of youthful days long gone by.
Johann Anton Friedrich Reil's poem, the only one to be set by Schubert, recounts the youthful days of roaming the springtime countryside, of idle musings, staring at the stars and reading the works of history's literary geniuses. When Schubert composed his setting of Reil's poem, it consisted of seven stanzas. Prior to the publication of the song in 1829, an additional stanza was inserted before the last. It is unclear whether the addition was by the poet or the publisher. Today, some editions include the additional stanza while others hold to Schubert's original setting. Nevertheless, Schubert's setting captures the whole essence of the poem. The bright key of A major and the lively arpeggios of the accompaniment recall the warmth and vitality of spring. The first two stanzas are set to a simple A major melody with a prominent dactyl rhythm. The third and fourth stanzas move to the key of D major and the active bass line becomes fixated on a tonic pedal. Both stanzas waver between the keys of D major and B-flat major. Quite ingeniously, Schubert uses a minor subdominant chord in B-flat major, thus retaining enharmonically the third of the key of D. The opening A major melody returns during the fifth stanza. The sixth stanza (and seventh if the additional stanza is included) begins in like manner in the key of A major but soon ventures into the relative minor. The final stanza returns to the bright tonic of A major creating, in essence, a sort of rondo form. However, a brief moment of melancholy, expressed in the key of D minor and a slowing of the Lied's rhythm, occurs when the poet states that such carefree, dreamy days will not return. The moment passes and the music dies away over a brilliant A major chord. Joseph DuBoseDas Lied im Grünen
Ins Grüne, ins Grüne,
Da lockt uns der Frühling, der liebliche Knabe,
Und führt uns am blumenumwundenen Stabe
Hinaus, wo die Lerchen und Amseln so wach,
In Wälder, auf Felder, auf Hügel zum Bach,
Ins Grüne, ins Grüne.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da lebt es sich wonnig, da wandeln wir gerne
Und heften die Augen dahin schon von ferne,
Und wie wir so wandeln mit heiterer Brust,
Umwallet uns immer die kindliche Lust,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da ruht man so wohl, empfindet so Schönes,
Und denket behaglich an dieses und jenes,
Und zaubert von hinnen, ach, was uns bedrückt,
Und alles herbei, was den Busen entzückt,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da werden die Sterne so klar wie die Weisen
Der Vorwelt zur Leitung des Lebens uns preisen,
Da streichen die Wölkchen so zart uns dahin,
Da heitern die Herzen, da klärt sich der Sinn
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da wurde manch Plänchen auf Flügeln getragen,
Die Zukunft der grämlichen Ansicht entschlagen,
Da stärkt sich das Auge, da labt sich der Blick,
Sanft wiegen die Wünsche sich hin und zurück
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Am Morgen am Abend in traulicher Stille
Entkeimet manch Liedchen und manche Idylle,
Und Hymen oft kränzt den poetischen Scherz,
Denn leicht ist die Lockung, empfänglich das Herz
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
O gerne im Grünen
Bin ich schon als Knabe und Jüngling gewesen
Und habe gelernt und geschrieben, gelesen
Im Horaz und Plato, dann Wieland und Kant,
Und glühenden Herzens mich selig genannt,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Ins Grüne, ins Grüne,
Laßt heiter uns folgen dem freundlichen Knaben.
Grünt eins uns das Leben nicht förder, so haben
Wir klüglich die grünende Zeit nicht versäumt,
Und wann es gegolten, doch glücklich geträumt,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
--Friedrich Reil
The Song of the Greenwood
To the greenwood!
That darling youth, Spring, invites us,
leading us on with his flower-decked staff
to where the larks and thrushes sing,
to the woods, the fields, the hills, the brook-
to the greenwood!
In the greenwood
life is bliss, and we love to roam;
even from a distance our eyes are fixed on it.
As we wander there with merry hearts,
a childlike pleasure surrounds our hearts,
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood
where our rest is so sweet, and our feelings so fine;
where we gently muse on this and that,
our cares are charmed away,
and the heart rejoices,
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood
how bright shine the stars,
those guiding lights of the wise men of old;
the little clouds drift gently by,
our hearts are light, our senses clear,
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood
our little plans and ideas take wing
and the future looks bright.
Our eyes are refreshed and our gaze serene,
we dally with our fancies,
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood,
in the intimate stillness of morning and evening,
how many songs and poems have been born,
and Hymen often crowns the poetic pleasure
for light is the spirit and the heart is willing
in the greenwood!
In the greenwood
I loved to be as a young boy
and I learned, and wrote, and read
Horace and Plato, later Wieland and Kant,
and with glowing heart counted myself blessed
in the greenwood.
To the greenwood
let us gladly follow the friendly lad.
Though one day life will no longer be green,
we will not have wasted the green years,
we at least will have enjoyed our dreams while they lasted
in the greenwood.
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
Impromptu Op 90 N° 3
Standchen, Lieder for Flute and Piano
Performances by same musician(s)
Der Wanderer an den Mond
Fischerweise
Das Fischermädchen
Der Einsame
Der Geistertanz
Am Flusse
An die Laute
Der Liebliche Stern
Fischerlied
Lied des gefangenen Jägers
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