"Solveig's Song," from Peer Gynt, by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (1843-1907):
[Read about Peer Gynt, which chronicles the journey of its titular character from the Norwegian mountains to the North African desert. According to Klaus Van Den Berg, "its origins are romantic, but the play also anticipates the fragmentations of emerging modernism" and the "cinematic script blends poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones." Peer Gynt has also been described as the story of a life based on procrastination and avoidance....]
ONE OF THE MOST POIGNANT ELEGIAC PIECES EVER WRITTEN. FOR THOSE WITH EARS TO HEAR SOLVEIG'S SONG EVOKES THE GREAT BEAUTY THAT CAN COME FROM DEEP UNFULFILLED LONGING, UNSWERVING LOYALTY, AND THE INFINITE SADNESS THAT ACCOMPANIES LONELINESS
ReplyDelete________ Solveig's Song ________
Perhaps there will go both winter and spring,
And next summer also and the whole year,
But onetime you will come, I know this for sure,
And I shall surely wait for I promised that last.
God strengthen you where you go in the world,
God give you joy if you before his footstool stand,
Here shall I wait until you come again,
And if you wait above, we'll meet there again, my friend!
[https://lyricstranslate.com/en/solvejgs-song-solveigs-song.html]
Franco,
DeleteThank you for that translation of the lyrics. I was going to post the Norwegian and its translation but didn't get around to it. I'm back to doing some tutoring on Saturdays.
We Friends of Great Musc need to stick together. I posted a note at my blog jus a few iments ago advising my readers to visit Always On Watch and LISTEN.
DeleteWe don't live by bread alone, and we SURELY can't sustain ourselves on a steady diet of POLITICS and expect to remain heathy either in mind or body.
Franco,
DeleteThank you for the note at your blog.
Here is Solveig's Song performed by the beautiful Norwegian Soprano MARITA SOLBERG. I've just listened to four different recordings of this original version, including an historic performance by te legendary Kirsten Flagstad, but THIS is the best I've ever heard so far. The ORCHESTRA accomanyng Ms. Solberg is absolutely superb –– INSPIRED, I have to say.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/R8AD75_sNJM
The instrumental version shared by AOW is very lovely, of course, but since Grieg, himself, meant this to be sung by a soprano voice, I thought we ought to have a chance to hear it as the composer intended it to be heard.
Thanks for this, AOW. It is a lovely way to begin a Sunday morning.
An earlier recorded version by the great Norwegian soprano, Kirsten Flagstad, is also available on YouTube, but frankly I liked Nerita Solberg's even better.
DeleteFlagstad was possbly the greatest WAGNERIAN soprano in history. She was made to sing larger-than-life roles like Isolde and Brunhilde, but she seemed less at home with the more intimate, highly expressive style required by "LIEDER" (Art Songs) of which Solveig's Song is a great example.
Beautiful selection. Believe it or not, we covered this in high school and I had completely forgotten the story... we lived in a VERY rural community that one would think music would not be emphasized but it was and I am forever grateful. Thanks for the notes..
ReplyDeleteGood for you –– and for the school you attended.
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ReplyDelete"Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast."
ReplyDeleteThe trouble is most savages don't WANT to be soothed.
If they did, they would't BE savages. n]est-ce-pas?
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