Nouvelle publication de la chaîne YouTube de Carnets sur sol

With German & French subtitles (translation free of right, as I did it).

German text, French translation and French comments :
http://operacritiques.free.fr/css/index.php?2009/05/29/1267 .

One of the most beautiful Clara-Lieder, on a famous poem by Heinrich Heine, "Es fiel ein Reif in der Frühlingsnacht" (also set by Robert Schumann - "Tragödie II").
She chose to interpolate the two last words, which makes the meaning more moral, deeper perhaps.

Musically, Clara is far more sophisticated than the popular tone of Heine's poem. The ternary rythm in the medium bass (C under the central C on the piano) creates an anxious waiting, while the vocal line, softly sung in a low range, raises spectacularly when the lovers flee their families.
Very frequently, chords are anticipated (appoggiaturas) in order to maintain a tension. Moreover, there is a sort of slow dance...
Finally, the music goes back to silence, towards aphasia and death. Thirds in triplets go out, as a postludium, without theatrical emphasis on the sadness, on a kept bass ; before a final appoggiatura.

It may be noticed that this poem was also set in music by Mendelssohn, Nicolai, Rubinstein, Fibich, Mahler, Griffes, Stanford, Busoni, Rangström... and even Bruno Walter. Among others.

Disclaimer : Amateur recording (interpretation and sound). Moreover, I am playing and singing at the same time, which is not very helpful to do this correctly. It does not pretend to be an honest version of the score : it is only made to give some idea of rare repertoire. Not to propose a reference.