Lyrie Symphony rn Seyen Songs, After Paems by Rabindranath

Lyrie Symphony rn Seyen
Songs, After Paems by
Rabindranath Tagore. Op. 18
prestigious condr-rcirng appointments, rncluding those at the Vienna Volksoper (where he
led ihe Vrennese premiere of Richard Strauss's
Sa/ome), the Hofoper (where he workeci along-
Alexander Zem!insky
tc 1922 the
Neues Deirtsches Theater in Prague {later renamed ihe Deutsches Landestheater).
side Mahler), and, fi'om 1911
Among lhe array of powerful talents popi;lat
ing iurn-o{-the-20ih-cen Lury Vienrra was
Alexander von Zemlinsky. (He wouid rirop the
Aparl irom nrs 16-year tenure in Prague,
Zemlinsky rended to mo're frequently {rcm one
arisiocratic "von" after World War l.) He
post to anotheq and he sometimes became
swept up in aesthetic disagr-eements and per-
rnstructed and charnpioned a heady roster oI
conrposers, whose works would become better
rernembered than his own. He took a young
sonal rivalries. lnevitably he ran afoul of the Nazis,
Arnold Schoenberg under his wtng, laught him
signed to the list of forbidden "degenerate musici'
personaily, and ernplo;,red him as a nrusjcal assistant. (Schoenberg's Op. 1, a set o{ songs, is
His mother was ihe issue of a mixecl Sephardic-
anci during those dark years his oeuvre was con*
Turkish Muslim man-iage and his father, born a
dedicateci to his "teache r-and friend Alexander
von Zernlinsky";
in
.1901
Catholic, had converled to Judaism. lf such a
pedigree hadn't done Zemlinsky in after the
the two became
brothers-in-lav; when Schoenberg nrarried
rise o{ ihe Nazis, his promoting of co,'nposers
whose works were moi'e braslrly mi:dernist
than his own would ha're proveci insuoerable,
A few months after the Anschluss, Zenrlinsky
and hrs rvife fled from Vienna, vra Prague, to
Zemlinsky's sister L4athiide.) Alban Berg and
Anton Webern were amcng his srudents in the
ari of oi'chestration, and in 1900 his friend
Gustav l"4ahier conducted the premiere of
Zemlinsky's Es war einnal ,.. (Once {Jpon a
Tine
..
New York, where he found little success before
.), Lhe second c{ his eight operas, ai ihe
he was djsabled by a stroke, in 1939. His death
Vienna Hofoper
three years later r,vent iargeiy unnoticed,
Zemlinsky aiso promelted his conrposercoileaques {rom the codrum, and by ali
ln Sepiember I922 Zemiinsky ad'"'ised his
publisher, Emil Hertzka:
accounis
v,",as
a refined
concjuctor of not clnl;,,
the classics but also of
mr-rsrc i:y
the a{oremen-
tionec Schoenberg (includrng the 1924
prerniere of his Erwar
iung), Berg. and Webern,
as well as
Schuihof{,
Kornqold, Wetli, KreneN,
Hindemiih, Jandiek,
6nqj rnarry oth-^r nota-
bles
of Central Furo-
pean mcderntsm. He
held a succession of
30
New Yark Philharmonic
ln Short
Born: Oci.r[ef 4, ] 871, in Venra, Ausiria
Died:
l\4af
ch 1 5, 194?, in Larchmoni, N,-v; York
Work cornposed: Apnl 2, 1 922-Augusl 29, 1923: rire texis are {rcir ,rhe Garciener, by Rabrnd ranaih lbgore ( 1 86 1 - I 94 I ), in Hans Ffien berger's Geiman transationsoi 1914
World premiere: June
21.
I924,
rn Prague. the coiri:oser conduci
rg lhe iSC\l
Fesi va orchestra
New York Philharmonic prerniere and most recent performanc€: The
Uichestia's oirli; prev ous perfcrmances of th s wc'rk were December I 3-1 E. j g7g,
James Levre, ccndrctoi Johanna lr4eier, soprano, Da e Dlesirrq, bar irone;
Estimated duration: ca. 45
mrnLrles;
This summer l've written something along
the lines of the li-.d v.d. Erde.l haven't yei
found a title ior it. There are seven completely interreiated songs for baritone, soprano, and orchestra, which run without
a break.
Some might view it as foolhardy, or even an
aci of hubris, to place before ihe public a work
so obviously descended from Mahler's Das
Lied van der Erde, which had been unveiied in
November i 91 1, six months after the death
of its composer" The resembiance cannot be
missed. Both are imposing examples of the
About the Poet
symphony-as-song-cycle, Mahieis cast in six
a.k.a. Calcutta, in 1861; died there in
discrete movements, Temlinsky's in seven
towering figure of lndian cultural history even if his
stock has fallen somewhat in the Western world. The
son of a Maharashi ("great sage"), he began winning
acclaim in his twenties for his poetry, some of which
was radical in embracing verse forms not previously
espoused by Bengali poetic traditions.
While managing his father's estates, he lived in
close contact with impoverished laborers, an experience that fed his humanitarian instincts and the political potency of his future writings. Prolific to a fault
(his complete writings run to nearly 30 thick vol-
connected ones. Both use a large orchestra
with trryo alternating vocal soloists: contralto
(or baritone) and tenor for Mahler, soprano
and bariione for Zemlinsky. Both employ (at
least ostensibly) Asian iexts of a mystical bent,
in German transiation: presumed eighthcentury Chinese poems chosen by Mahler;
poems by ihe Bengali writer Rabindranath
Tagore chosen by Zemlinsky, Antony Beaumoni. in his biography of Zemlinksy, insists:
the similarities are skin deep. The form of
Mahle/s work is linear, Zemlinsky's is circuiar; Mahler divides his work into six
clearly separated movements, Zemlinsky
prefers a through-composed, operatic
stru ctu re.
Fair enough, and Beaumont notes differences of ethos, too, with Mahler bidding a
nostalgic adieu to the natural world while
Zemlinsky traces a sensual encounter beiween a man and a woman. Still, rnost of us
are iikely to remark on the works' similarities
raiher than their disparities, and we may iveil
The polymathic Rabindranath Tagore (born in Kolkata,
1
941) remains a
umes), Tagore was also a noted painter and musician;
he wrote more than 1,000 songs, one of which, "Amar
Shonar Bangla" ("My Golden Bengal"), has served
since 1 972 as the national anthem of Bangladesh.
ln .1913 Tagore became the first non-European
honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature, in recognition "of his profoundly sensitive, fresh, and beautiful
verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made
his poetic thought, expressed in his own English
words, a part of the literature of the WesU' ln 1915 he
was awarded a British knighthood, which he renounced four years later to protest British colonial
abuses in lndia. From 1 91 2 to 1 933 he traveled widely
throughout the world, hailed on five continents as a
celetrrity.
The composer Alexander Zemlinsky may have first
met Tagore during the poet's visit to Prague in '! 92'1.
Certainly they met in 1926, during a follow-up visit
there, when the festivities included Zemlinsky conducting the last mo\rement of his Lyric Symphany in
Tagore's presence.
November
2009
3!
agree that Zemlinsky's achievement in this
remarkable work is not lessened by its obvious genealogy,
clarinet) and bass clarinet, three bassoons
(one doubling contrabassoon), four horns,
three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, xyiophone, triangle, cymbals, tam-tam,
lnstrumentation: four flutes (two doubling
tambourine, snare drum, bass drum, harp, ce-
piccolo), three oboes (one doubling English
lesta, harmonium, and strings, in addition to
the soprano and bariione soloists,
horn), three clarinets (one doubling E-fiat
From the Premiere
Shortly after the premiere ot the Lyric Symphony, during the ISCM ilnternational Society for Contemporary
Music) Festival in Prague in 1924, Zemlinsky received an enthusiastic letter from his former pupil Alban Berg.
Berg had known Zemlinsky since 1 905, and in 1926 he would quote his teacher's Lyric Symphony in his own
Lyrrc Suife for String Ouartet. The letter itself is now missing, but Berg's preliminary draft of the letter survives:
lEven ifl now at last I believe that I really know your Lyric Symphony, in ten years'time il willl be forced
to admit that today I have only an inkling of the score's boundless beauties. But this can do nothing
whatsoever to diminish my love, which - as it affects me in a particularly persona! way - is that true
love which overcomes me only in the case of a small, select body of music'
[...] Freed from all the secondary considerations, limitations, and obstacles that have to be surmounted
in works of other genres [.."], with the Lyric Symphony (never before was a title so ambiguous & at once
so meaningful) a musical [child] is born
32
New York Philha.monic
-
one that contains not one note too many, nor indeed one too
few
Texi and Translaiion
Zemlinsky's Lyric Symphony in Seven Songs, Atter Poerns by Rabindranath
Tagore, Op. 18
I
lch bin
friedloq
I have no peace,
Dingen.
Meine Seele schweift in Sehnsucht,
ich bin durstig nach fernen
den Saum der dunklen Weite zu
O grosses
Jenseils,
beruhren.
thirst after far-off things.
["4y
soul roams in longing
to touch the henr of dark distance.
O vast beyond,
Flote.
immer,
o ungeslumes Rufen deiner
lch vergesse, ich vergesse
I
dass ich keine Schwingen zum Fliegen
Erde
gelesselt bin fiir alle Zeit.
habe,
dass ich an dieses Stilck
wachsan,
dein Odem kammt zu mir
und raunt mir unmogliche Hoffnungen zu.
Deine Sprache klingt metnem Herzen
vertraut wie seine eig'ne.
A Ziel in Fernen,
o ungestilmes Rufen deiner Flote.
lch vergesse immer, ich r/ergesse
dass ich nicht den Weg weiss,
dass ich das beschvtrngfe Ross nicht habe.
o untamed call of your fiuie,
I forget, i always forget,
that I have no wings to fly,
that I am chained to this piece of earth
for all iime.
fuil of longing and vigilant,
strange land
lch bin voll Verlangen und
I am
ich bin ein Fremder im frentden Land
I am a stranger in a
lch bin
ruh'los,
ich bin ein Wanderer in metnem
and whispers impossible hopes.
Your language is as famrliar to my heart
as rs its very own,
0 far-off goal,
o untamed call of your flute"
I always forget, I forget
that I do not know the way,
that I do not hai.,e the winged horse.
I am restless,
Herzen.
lm sonnigen f\ebel der zogernden
Stunden,
dir
wird Gestalt in der Bld:ue des Htmmels.
O fernstes Ende,
o ungesiumes Rufen deiner Flote.
lch vergesse, ich vergesse rmmer,
das-* die Tiiren iberall verschlossen srnd
in dem Hause, wo ich einsarn wohne,
a fernstes Ende,
o ungestumes Rufen deiner Flate.
welch gewaltiges Gesrcht von
-
your breath descends upon rne
I am a wanderer in my heart,
In the sunny haze of the languid hours.
how powerfuliy your visage
iakes shape in the blue of the sky,
O furthest end,
o untamed call of your flute.
I forget, I always forget,
that the doors are shut
everywhere in the house, where I dwell alone,
o furthest end,
o untamed call of your flute.
(Please turn the paoe quielly.)
November
2009
33
il
Muiter, clet junge Prinz rnuss an uns'rer
vorbe;kommen:
wie
kartn
acht
lch diesen Morgen auf meine
Tire
Arbeit
geben?
flechten;
anziehen?
Warum schausf clu mich so verwundert an,
Mutter?
lch weiss wohl, er wird nicht ein einz'ges Mal
zu neinent Fenster aufblicken.
lch weiss im Nu vtird er mir aus den Augen
sein.
nur das verhallende Flotenspiel
wird seufzend zu mir dringen von weitem.
Aber der junge Prinz wird hei uns
voruberkammen,
Zeig nir, wie sall mein Haar ich
zeig mir, was sall ich filr Kleider
unrl ich vtil! mein Bestes anziehen fitr
diesen
Augenblick.
Mutter,
der junge
Prinz
Mother. the young prince musi surely pass
by our door:
how am I to concenirate on my work this
morning?
Show me, how shall I braid my hair;
show me, how shall I clothe myself?
Why do you look at me so amazed,
mother?
I know weli
that not even once
will he glance up at my window
I know he will disappear in an instant from
mY view;
only the vanishrng sound of the firrte
will reach me, sighing from a distance.
Yet the young prince wili
Pass
bY,
and I wish io be arrayed in my finest for ihis
moment.
ist
an uns'rer
vorbeigekommen,
und cJie Morgensonne blitzte an
TAre
Mother, the young prince has passed by our
door,
seinem
Wagen.
and the morning sun flashed from his
chariot'
the veil from my faCe,
Gesicht,
tore off the chain of rubres frorn rny neck
riss clie Rubinenkette von meinem Hals
and flung it into his path.
und warf sie ihm in den Weg.
Why do you look at me so amazed,
Warum schausl du ntich so verwundert an,
mother?
Mutter?
I know well that he did not pick up
/ch r,veiss woh!, dass er meiner Kette nicht
mY chain.
aufhob.
I
know
it was crushed under the
zer
lch vteiss, sie ward unter den Radern
wheels,
malnt
undliess eine rote Spur in Siaube zuruck. leaving behind a red streak in the dust,
lJnd rtiemand weiss, was mein Geschenk And no one knows what my gift was and
who gave it.
war und wer es gab.
Yet the young prince did pass by
Aber der iunge Prinz kam an unsrer Ti)r
,toruber
OUr door
I did f ling ihe jewels fronr my breast
and
Btust
uncl ich hab' clen Schmuck van meiner
inio his path.
ihm in den Weg gevrorfen
lch
34
strich den Sch/eier aus nteinem
New York Philharmonic
I swept aside
ilr
Abendwolke,
hinzieht.
immer mii
dich
dich
Ich schmlicke
und kteide
den Wiinschen meiner Seele.
Du bist mein Eigen, mein Eigen,
You are the evening cloud,
Du, die in meinen endlosen Traumen
you, who dwell in my infinite dreams,
Du
bist die
die am Himmel meiner Traume
Deine Fisse sind rosigrot
von der Glut meines sehnslchtigen
wohnt.
floating in the sky of my dreams'
I bejewel and clothe you ever with the
longings of my soul.
You are my ownJ my own'
Your feet are rosy-red
Herzens,
erntet.
Deine Lippen sndbiiierstiss
vom Geschmack des Weins aus meinem
Leiden.
Du bist mein Eigen, mein Eigen.
Du, die meine Abendlieder
Du, die in meinen einsamen kaumen
wohnt.
with the glow of my yearning heart.
You, who gather my songs in the evening.
Your lips are bittersweet
with the taste of the wine of my
sufferings,
You are my own, my own'
You, who dwell in my solitary dreams.
Leidenschaft
geschwbrzt,
gewohnter Gast in meines Blickes Tiefe.
With the shadow of my passion
I have darkened your eyes,
dich
eingesponnen, Geliebte,
in das Netz meiner Musik.
Du bist mein Eigen, mein Eigen.
Du, die in meinen unsterblichen Traumen
wohnt"
I have captured and woven you,
Mit dem Schatten meiner
hab'ich deine Augen
Ich hab'dich gefangen und
intimate guest of my gaze's depth.
mY love,
in the net of my muslc.
You are my own' my own'
You, who dwell in my undying
dreams,
(Please iurn the page quietly.)
October
2009
35
IV
Geliebte1
sangesf.
Die llacht ist dunke!, die Sterne sind in
Wolken verloren.
Der Wind seufzt durch die Bltitter.
lch will mein Haar losen,
Sprich zu mir,
sag' mir mit Worten, was du
mein blauer Mantel wird dich
wie
Nacht.
umschmiegen
lch will deinen Kapf an meine
sch/lessen
clouds.
The wind sighs through the leaves,
want to untie my hair,
my blue cloak will enfold you
I
like night.
Brust
reden.
lch will meine Augen zumachen und
I
want to clasp your head to
my breast
und hier in der sussen Einsamkeit lass
Herz
Speak to me, my love,
tell me in words what you told me in song.
The night is dark, the stars are lost in the
dein
and have your heart speak in the sweet
loneliness.
lauschen,
schauen.
Wenn dein Worte zu Ende sind
wollen wir still und schweigend sitzen.
Nur die Baume werden im Dunkel flilstern,
ich will nicht in dein Antlitz
I
want to shut my eyes and listen,
I
do not want to glance at your face.
When your words are at an end
we want to sit still and silent.
Only the trees will whisper in the dark,
die Nacht wtd bleichen, der Tag wird ddmmern. the night wili pale, the day will dawn.
Wir werden einander in die Augen
und
ziehn.
Geliebter.
schauen
jeder seines Weges
Sprich zu mir,
We will look into each
othefs eyes
and each will go his way.
Speak to me, my love.
V
Susse, Free me from the bonds of your sweetness,
Lieb! Nichts mehr von diesem Wein der Kisse, my lovel No more of this wine of kisses,
dieser Nebel von schwerem Weihrauch this mist of heavy incense stifles
erstickt nein Herz.
my heart,
Offne die Tilre, mach Platz fur das
Open the doors, make place for the morning
Morgenlicht.
light.
lch bin in dich verloren, eingefangen
I am lost in you, captured
in die Umarmungen deiner Zdrtlichkeit. by the embraces of your tenderness.
Befrei'mich von deinem Zauber
Free me from your spell
und gib mir den Mut zur1ck,
and give me back the courage,
dir mein befreites Herz darzubieten.
to offer you my freed heart.
Bef rei' mich von den Banden derner
36
New York Philharmonic
vt
Lied
und lass uns auseinander gehn;
Vollende denn das letzte
rrergiss diese Nacht, wenn
ist.
zu
die Nacht um
Wen miih'ich mich mit meinen Armen
umfassen?
Who do I uneasily clasp in
my arms?
Traumeiassen sr'ch nicht einfangen,
meine gierigen Hdnde drilcken Leere an
mein
Complete the final song now
and let us part from one another;
forget this night, when the night is no more.
Herz
Dreams cannot be made captive,
my anxious hands press emptiness to my
heart
und es zermLirbt meine
Brust.
and it bruises rny breast.
vil
Friede, mein
l1erz,
Peace, my heart,
iass die Zeit,
ftr
let the time for parting be sweet,
sern,
/ass es nrchf einen Tod sein, sondern
Vollendung.
Lass Liebe in Erinn'rung schmelzen
und Schmerz in Lieder.
Lass die letzte Berilhrung deiner Hande
sanft sein,
wie die Blume der Nacht.
Steh'still, steh'still, o wundervolles Ende,
fir einen Augenblick
das Scheiden suss
und sage deine letzten Worte in
lch neige mich vor dir,
Schweigen.
H6he,
leuchten.
ich hatte meine Lampe in die
um dir auf deinen Weg zu
let it be not a death, but, rather,
comPletion.
Let love melt into memory
and pain into song.
Let the iast touch of your hands
be gentle,
like the locturnai {lower'
Stand still, stand still, oh wondrous end,
for a moment
and say your last words in silence.
I bow to You,
I hold up my lamp,
to light you on your
way.
English translatron by Steven R. Cerf
Translator's note: This English version is, by and large, a literal rendering of Hans Effenberger's German
translation of Tagore. The attempt has been made to capture Effenbergels own neo-Romantic tdiom, ta
which Zemlinsky obviously attuned his music with considerable care.
-
S R.C'
Translation .et 1979 by The Philharmontc-Symphony Society of New York, lrtc.
November
2009
37