Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Der Abschied (the Farewell)

Gustav Mahler - 1860 - May 18th 1911

Er stieg vom Pferd und reichte ihm den Trunk
Des Abschieds dar. Er fragte ihn, wohin
Er führe und auch warum es müßte sein.
Er sprach, seine Stimme war umflort: Du, mein Freund,
Mir war auf dieser Welt das Glück nicht hold!
Wohin ich geh? Ich geh, ich wandre in die Berge.
Ich suche Ruhe für mein einsam Herz.

The orchestration of the opening for flute, double basses and tamtam always sends a shiver down my spine. You'll find an English translation of the above - taken from the centre of this movement - here.
One of the mightiest energies, one of the most inconsiderate despotic natures, one of the most powerful spiritual potencies in our public life has departed with him. A will of unbending strength, of immovable resistance, a temperament of demonic power has destroyed the unprepossessingly weak shell.
from the Frankfurter Zeitung Obituary. Gavin Plumley has been recalling the last week of Mahler's life on his weblog.

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