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Franz P. Schubert

Gretchen am spinnrade, op.2, D.118

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (in part)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretchen_am_Spinnrade

Gretchen am Spinnrade is a selection of text from Goethe's Faust. It was set to music by Schubert in 1814, op.2, D.118. A challenging work for both pianist and singer, Schubert's setting for soprano voice has been transposed for mezzo-soprano voice as well. Notable recordings include those by Jörg Demus, Elly Ameling and Dalton Baldwin, Barbara Bonney, Geoffrey Parsons, Janet Baker and Gerald Moore. Other artists include Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Gundula Janowitz, and Jessye Norman.

Gretchen is singing at her spinning-wheel while thinking of Faust and all that he promises. The accompaniment mimics the spinning-wheel, speeding up and slowing down in response to the text, to show Gretchen's excitement or distraction.

Schubert ingeniously uses the piano to imiate the rhythmic repetition of of the spinning wheel, perhaps mirroring either the hypnotic effect of temptation and the devil and/or love.

The alliteration and rhyming are incomparable.

Full Text in original:

Meine Ruh' ist hin,
Mein Herz ist schwer,
Ich finde sie nimmer
Und nimmermehr.

Wo ich ihn nicht hab
Ist mir das Grab,
Die ganze Welt
Ist mir vergällt.

Mein armer Kopf
Ist mir verrückt,
Mein armer Sinn
Ist mir zerstückt.

Nach ihm nur schau ich
Zum Fenster hinaus,
Nach ihm nur geh ich
Aus dem Haus.

Sein hoher Gang,
Sein' edle Gestalt,
Seine Mundes Lächeln,
Seiner Augen Gewalt,

Und seiner Rede
Zauberfluß,
Sein Händedruck,
Und ach, sein Kuß!

Meine Ruh' ist hin,
Mein Herz ist schwer,
Ich finde sie nimmer
Und nimmermehr.

Mein Busen drängt sich
Nach ihm hin.
[Ach]1 dürft ich fassen
Und halten ihn,

Und küssen ihn,
So wie ich wollt,
An seinen Küssen
Vergehen sollt!

Translation:

My peace is gone,
My heart is heavy,
I will find it never
and never more.

Where I do not have him,
That is the grave,
The whole world
Is bitter to me.

My poor head
Is crazy to me,
My poor mind
Is torn apart.

For him only, I look
Out the window
Only for him do I go
Out of the house.

His tall walk,
His noble figure,
His mouth's smile,
His eyes' power,

And his mouth's
Magic flow,
His handclasp,
and ah! his kiss!

My peace is gone,
My heart is heavy,
I will find it never
and never more.

My bosom urges itself
toward him.
Ah, might I grasp
And hold him!

And kiss him,
As I would wish,
At his kisses
I should die!

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