On 12 December 1826, Franz Schubert composed what would turn out to be the last Lieder he wrote that year. All three are based on poems by Ernst Schulze, from his Poetisches Tagebuch [Poetic Diary].
One of them is Der liebliche Stern [The Lovable Star], dated 28 April 1814 in Schulze’s diary. It is a nocturne set at sea, and the poetic voice is that of a sailor speaking to the stars. He notices that one of them is missing –the enchanting star of the title– which once shone there but is now out of reach. The sorrow of not being able to draw near makes him long for another way to reach it, and he wishes the wind would overturn his boat. Throughout the song, the piano traces the twinkling of the stars, always cheerful and indifferent to the sailor’s feelings, while the vocal line addresses them, alternating two stanzas and repeating certain lines here and there to underline his emotions.
Der liebliche Stern is one of those quietly beautiful songs that can slip by unnoticed on a first hearing; that’s why I especially recommend listening to it if you’ll be at Matthias Goerne’s recital at the Canònica on Saturday, because it's included it in his programme.
This is the last entry devoted to the Schubertíada, written –like all the others– in one quick burst. Next week, as you can imagine, I’ll be here in full post-festival haze, my head full of music. For now, though, I leave you with Der liebliche Stern, performed by Matthias Goerne and Alexander Schmalcz; after the song you’ll find a look at the final Lieder we’ll hear in Vilabertran.
Ihr Sternlein, still in der Höhe,
Ihr Sternlein, spielend im Meer,
Wenn ich von ferne daher
So freundlich euch leuchten sehe,
So wird mir von Wohl und Wehe
Der Busen so bang und so schwer.
Es zittert von Frühlingswinden
Der Himmel im flüssigen Grün;
Manch Sternlein sah ich entblühn,
Manch Sternlein sah ich entschwinden;
Doch kann ich das schönste nicht finden,
Das früher dem Liebenden schien.
Nicht kann ich zum Himmel mich schwingen,
Zu suchen den freundlichen Stern;
Stets hält ihn die Wolke mir fern!
Tief unten da möcht' es gelingen,
Das friedliche Ziel zu erringen!
Tief unten da ruht' ich so gern!
Was wiegt ihr im laulichen Spiele,
Ihr Lüftchen, den wogenden Kahn?
O treibt ihn auf rauhere Bahn
Hernieder in's Wogengewühle!
Laßt tief in der wallenden Kühle
Dem lieblichen Sterne mich nahn!
You little stars, quiet up there in the heights,
You little stars, playing in the sea,
When I look at you there from such a distance,
When I see you shining in such a friendly way,
Then I become both well and ill,
This breast is so anxious and so heavy.
There is a trembling from the spring winds
In the sky, turning the greenery into liquid;
I have seen many a little star blossom,
I have seen many a little star disappear;
But I cannot find the most beautiful one,
The one which earlier shone on this person in love.
I cannot launch myself into the sky
To look for that friendly star;
The cloud is always holding it too far away from me!
Deep down there I might be able to manage it,
To reach the peaceful goal!
Deep down there is where I could so happily rest!
What is this rocking as you play gently,
You breezes, why are you rocking the swaying boat?
Oh, drive it on a rougher course
Down there into the whirlpool!
Let me go down deep into the swirling coolness
And let me approach that lovable star!
Saturday 29 August: Matthias Goerne & Markus Hinterhäuser
Among the Lieder to be performed in this recital, all composed by Franz Schubert, we have heard all of them here with the exception of An eine Quelle and Wie Ulfru fischt, if my memory serves me correctly, so the choice is yours.
Sunday 30 August: Quartet Casals & Juliane Banse
If I am not mistaken, it will mark the first time that the Quartet Casals collaborates with a vocalist. Juliane Banse and the Quartet will jointly perform Robert Schumann's Opus 107—arranged for soprano and quartet by Aribert Reimann—from which we have already heard two songs (the second, Abendlied, being in my view one of the composer's finest songs).
