Before i begin i would like to mention that i spent my early Saturday afternoon having three 12-ounce Yaengling Black and Tan's out on my front portch. I had a birthday a couple of days ago and i went over to the new "brewery" to celebrate with a couple of 24 ouncers. It's really kind of a beautiful day hear today and just sitting out on the front porch seemed like a better scenery option than probably a football game on television. Oh well, that is the starting point.
------
Marked by its technical bravura, Widmung (or Dedication in English) has remained one of the most popular encore pieces in piano recital, allowing pianists to display their virtuosity. However, Widmung is much more than a mere showpiece – containing probably the most passionate music writing and most heartfelt feelings. Written by Robert Schumann in 1840 (this piece was from a set of Lieder called Myrthen, Op.25), this piece was later arranged for piano solo by Franz Liszt. Myrthen was dedicated to Clara Wieck as a wedding gift, as he finally married Clara in September, despite the opposition from Clara’s father (who was also Robert’s piano teacher).
Below is the text of Widmung, written by Friedrich Rückert, with English translation:
|
Original Text by Friedrich Rückert |
English Translation (by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)) |
|
Du meine Seele, du mein Herz, |
You my soul, you my heart, |
The work starts with a flowing sense of pulse, while the first phrase (“Du meine Seele, du mein Herz”) already captures Schumann’s love for Clara and devotion to the relationship. Here, Schumann sincerely confesses to Clara, declaring how important she is to him. For him, Clara is his angel, his spiritual support, and his entire world. Nevertheless, there is still a sense of fear and insecurity in the music, due to separation and uncertainty about their future. This complex mixture of feelings, as a true and full-bodied representation of love, certainly strengthens the emotional power of the music.
-------
Now, you must know that i did not write the above. Instead i copied and pasted it from a query had made earlier.
So, the question becomes--what made me query such a thing.
------
Because i have seen the youtube video with Yeol Eun Son playing Shumann-Liszt Widmung and it is the most beautiful thing that i have ever heard. I would link you to the video, but i just don't know how.
Anyway if you want probably the most beautiful five minutes of music, you should check it out. Yeol is a beautiful white dress in the video that i have been watching (probably about ten times a day).
