An Die Musik (Schubert)

Schubert's famous ode to the wonders of music, on a poem by Franz von Schober.

This lied, D. 547 (Op. 88, No. 4), dates from 1817. Schubert's famous ode to the wonders of music, on a poem by Franz von Schober. This lied, D. 547 (Op. 88, No. 4), dates from 1817. Von Schober, while a law student in 1816, heard a few of Schubert's songs and found out he was still barely surviving the drudgery of school and looking for work. Von Schober proposed to install him in his own household, so Schubert could concentrate on just composing. Schubert agreed to this after his father's consent was given. Incidentally, Franz (Adolf Friedrich) von Schober was half Austrian half Swede. He grew up in a German and Swedish-speaking household. He was born at Torup Castle near Malmö, Sweden of an Austrian mother.

(GIVING) LIBERALITY Generosity is the key to a life of abundance. Seeking gratification in dead objects indicates a dead soul.
Sharing what’s valuable in life means not just giving away material goods, but also time, attention, wisdom and energy — the things that create a strong, rich and diverse community. This song just overflows with beauty, joy and thankfullness!









AN DIE MUSIK BY Franz von Schober

Du holde Kunst, in wieviel grauen Stunden,
Wo mich des Lebens wilder Kreis umstrickt,
Hast du mein Herz zu warmer Lieb entzunden,
Hast mich in eine beßre Welt entrückt!

Oft hat ein Seufzer, deiner Harf' entflossen,
Ein süßer, heiliger Akkord von dir
Den Himmel beßrer Zeiten mir erschlossen,
Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir dafür!
TO MUSIC

Oh 'tis THEE SACRED ART, in those many black-dog hours,
When the wild net of life takes hold of me,
'Tis thee who have fired my heart with joy!
'Tis thee who have carried me ahead to glimpse of yon better world,

Oft have I heard the soft sigh from thy harp,
Chords so sweet! Chords so blissful!
Thou openest my eyes to a heaven of better times!
'Tis thee I thank for all this, SACRED ART!
(translation R.K. MUNRO)

A la música
SPANISH

Oh, Tú arte benévolo, en cuántas horas sombrías,
cuando me agarra la red traidora de la vida,
Tú has inflamado mi corazón con un cálido amor,
Tú me has conducido hacia un mundo mejor!

Con frecuencia se ha escapado un suspiro de tu arpa,
un dulce y sagrado acorde tuyo
me has abierto el cielo de tiempos mejores.
¡Oh,Tú arte benévolo, te doy mil gracias por ello!
(TRANSLATION R.K.MUNRO)

À la musique
FRENCH

O toi, art tout de noblesse,
que de fois, en ces tristes heures
où la vie resserrait son étau,
m'as-tu réchauffé le coeur,
m'as-tu transporté dans un monde plus clément!

Souvent, un soupir échappé de ta harpe,
un doux accord céleste
m'a ouvert d'autres cieux.
O toi, art tout de noblesse, sois en remercié!


KATHLEEN FARRIER



VICTORIA DE LOS ANGELES (I was blessed to see her in person several times in New York and Madrid)



GEORGE LONDON




PLACIDO DOMINGO La Marseillaise ; I can never forget my uncles, my grandfather and many of my kinsmen fought and some died for the freedom of Belgium and France 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. NE OBLIVISCARIS







THE ROADSIDE FIRE

Robert Louis Stevenson (Set to music by VAUGHN WILLIAMS)

WILL make you brooches and toys for your delight
Of bird-song at morning and star-shine at night.
I will make a palace fit for you and me,
Of green days in forests and blue days at sea.

I will make my kitchen, and you shall keep your room, 5
Where white flows the river and bright blows the broom,
And you shall wash your linen and keep your body white
In rainfall at morning and dewfall at night.

And this shall be for music when no one else is near,
The fine song for singing, the rare song to hear! 10
That only I remember, that only you admire,
Of the broad road that stretches and the roadside fire.






Lawrence Tibbett - Myself When Young

Omar Khayyam/FITZGERALD TRANSLATION

Myself when young did eagerly frequent
Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument
About it and about; but evermore
Came out by the same Door as in I went.

With them the Seed of Wisdom did I sow,
And with my own hand labour'd it to grow:
And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd --
"I came like Water and like Wind I go."







Omar Khayyam/FITZGERALD TRANSLATION
MUSIC BY Liza Lehmann (1862-1918)

Ah, moon of my delight, [that knows]1 no wane,
The moon of Heav'n is rising once again:
How oft hereafter rising shall she look
Through this same garden after me - in vain!

And when thyself with shining foot shall pass
Among the guests star-scatter'd on the grass,
And in thy joyous errand reach the spot
Where I made one - turn down an empty glass!

THE GREAT JOHN MCCORMACK (My father and grandfather saw him perform in person!)



RARE RECORDINGS OF JAN PEERCE



ROBERT MERRIL and JAN PEERCE LIVE TV RECORDING La forza del destino
Based on the great Spanish play DON ALVARO by El Duque de Rivas





MARIO LANZA a splendid version from DEC 26 1945





SNOWY BREASTED PEARL (Translated from the GAELIC)
WEBSTER BOOTH





NOT AS FINE A SINGER BUT THIS ONE SINGS IT IN THE ORIGINAL IRISH GAELIC



JOHN MACCORMACK SINGING ANOTHER ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION




SOUND AN ALARM

Webster Booth (tenor) sings "Sound an Alarm" from Handel's oratorio, "Judas Maccabeus".




YOUNGER THAN SPRINGTIME. BILL TABBERT was the orignial Lt. Joe Cable and he was a friend of my parents. He sang this song at our home and that was the first time I ever heard this song and others like NESSUM DORMA.

HERE Is a modern version




AND ANOTHER




EZIO PINZA was BIll Tabbert's great friend; when he died they say Bill's career died too
SOME ENCHANTED EVENING