that feeling you get when you tell your father that the elf king is LITERALLY RIGHT BEHIND YOU but he insists that nothing is there and doesn't even speed up
@@myopia9032 they missprinted elfking as erlking but goethe liked that title much more than elfking becaude it adds a flair of unknown to the poem so he kept the name. The name Erlking has no own meaning except this one(in this context) and isn't a translation of elfking or something like that. The Erl instead of the Elf is intended and has a distknct function so it should be erlking.
Außergewöhnlich! Expressiv! Wenn es Vollkommenheit gibt, dann dies: Jedes Wort, jeder Ton, jeder Akzent sitzt und ordnet sich doch dem Lied, Franz Schuberts Musik unter: Hermann Prey: Meister des Kunstlieds, weil sich nicht scheut, Diener zu sein.
Bella composizione .Bravo Hermann Prey e .......fantastico il 1 Violoncello di Wiener Philharmoniker.
2 года назад
Herrgott, das ist die epischste und kraftvollste Version dieser Ballade, die ich nie gehört habe, und es ist vielleicht der beste lyrische Gesang, den ich je gehört habe
Even despite the fact that the performance has ended, the ending made me wanted more. I've watched and listened to so much performance of Erlking. But this remains d best. The orchestra and the voice rising and falling with the sense of uncertainty and certainty simply remains an epitome of performance masterpiece
@@oliverherfert2941so manche Damen und Herren Opernsängern und innen(oder umgekehrt) ziehen das in Zweifel und behauptet ihr Pizzaria- Italienisch wäre ein Kunstgenuss... hatschie🤧 war das jetzt böse? 🤔🙄
Of course with Hermann Prey and James Levine the result of this colaboration could only be marvelous. I had never heard Der Erlkonig with orchestra. I enjoyed listening to this presentation. The interpretation of Prey is moving, exciting together with the masterly directing of the orchestra. This gives a whole new sensation to me. Bravi.
Erlkönig Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind: Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm, Er fasst ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm. „Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?“ „Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht? Den Erlenkönig mit Kron’ und Schweif?“ „Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif.“ „Du liebes Kind, komm, geh mit mir! Gar schöne Spiele spiel’ ich mit dir; Manch’ bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand, Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand.“ „Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht, Was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht?“ „Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind: In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind.“ „Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn? Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön; Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Rein Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein.“ „Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort?“ „Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh es genau: Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau.“ „Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt; Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch ich Gewalt.“ „Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt fasst er mich an! Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan!“ Dem Vater grausets, er reitet geschwind, Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind, Erreicht den Hof mit Mühe und Not: In seinen Armen das Kind war tot. The Erlking Who rides so late through the night and wind? It is the father with his child. He has the boy in his arms; he holds him safely, he keeps him warm. ‘My son, why do you hide your face in fear?’ ‘Father, can you not see the Erlking? The Erlking with his crown and tail?’ ‘My son, it is a streak of mist.’ ‘Sweet child, come with me. I’ll play wonderful games with you. Many a pretty flower grows on the shore; my mother has many a golden robe.’ ‘Father, father, do you not hear what the Erlking softly promises me?’ ‘Calm, be calm, my child: the wind is rustling in the withered leaves.’ ‘Won’t you come with me, my fine lad? My daughters shall wait upon you; my daughters lead the nightly dance, and will rock you, and dance, and sing you to sleep.’ ‘Father, father, can you not see Erlking’s daughters there in the darkness?’ ‘My son, my son, I can see clearly: it is the old grey willows gleaming.’ ‘I love you, your fair form allures me, and if you don’t come willingly, I’ll use force.’ ‘Father, father, now he’s seizing me! The Erlking has hurt me!’ The father shudders, he rides swiftly, he holds the moaning child in his arms; with one last effort he reaches home; the child lay dead in his arms.
I studied that poem 40 years ago in German literature appreciation class and I never forgot it. It gave me chills then; it still gives me chills. Wonderful with full orchestra.
Very good translation into English! 👍 But just for the very last line, I would like to consider a little alteration. The reason for the great dramatic impact of the German last line is imho, that the word "tot" is the very last word of the whole poem and that little pause most singers make before it : " ...in seinen Armen das Kind.. war... TOT !" 😱 That's makes me shiver everytime. I'm a native speaker. So I would try to translate this line in a way, that in English it is also the word 'dead', that closes the poem. For instance : " in his arm, the child ... was...DEAD !"
Yes, the boy is probably sick and fevers heavily. And he probably hallucinates as well, and that's probably the reason for the father to ride fast thru the night in order to get him to a doctor. ( But it is never explicitly said so! ) And yet, the great dramatic impact of the poem also lies in its intended ambiguity. Is the boy only hallucinating and everything he sees or hears is pure illusion ?! ( His father tries to calm him by giving him a rational explanation for every frigthtening hallucination he sees or hears.) Or is it only in the state of agony, that a human being can see and hear things from another world, that is normally hidden from us... ?! Goethe leaves this question open by intention and this ambiguity makes the great mystery of the ballad. In old nordic sagas it was told about the mystic figure of the 'Elverkonge,' that everyone, who was touched by him, would immediately die. Goethe used this myth, when he lets the boy die just after he had cried: "My father, my father, he's touching me now! Erlkönig has done me harm !" Was it a mere coincidence, that the agonising boy had died just after this last hallucination ? ( the rational interpretation !) Or are these old myths right and in the second of our death we're touched by a transcendental being like the 'Erlkönig' ,who takes our life energy with him ..?! ( the metaphysical interpretation !) Imho it's this ambiguity, that the famous ballad so masterly plays with without ever giving a final explanation, that makes it so profound and shivering. In German literature science Goethe's 'Erlkönig' is often related to the so-called "Schauer-Ballade(n)" of early German romanticism. 'Schauer' in this context means 'shiver', that means it will give the reader or listener a shiver or goose-bumps Imho a famous pendant in the English language would be E.A.Poe's 'The Raven' for instance. Here also the reader remains with a sublime ambiguity. Is this nightly visit of the black bird, a messenger of death in old nordic sagas, only a coincidence, and the single word 'Nevermore', that he always utters at every question of the protagonist, a sure sign, that he was once tamed and trained to speak that single word by an unknown human being, whom he had escaped ?! Or is the creepy bird really a "messenger from beyond" ?! Of course in Poe's ballad the supernatural aspect is not so strong as in Goethe's, since it's obvious, that the protagonist, who constantly asks questions to the bird, using or mere misusing the animal as a kind of oracle, is hysterically stepping himself up in his grief about his young woman, when he compulsivly wants to hear the only word the bird could speak for an answer again and again. ("... Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore!" ) So by this 'The Raven' is mere a psychological drama and a study of pathological grief imho. But nevertheless, there remains a bit of ambiguity as well as in Goethe's ballad, and the possibility, that the creepy nightly visitor is actually "a messenger from beyond " is still given, somehow......! And this small supernatural possibilty makes the utter sadness of Poe's ballad even more shattering.
Wonderful - every character is identifiable even if you don't understand the german language the "feel" of this comes through so crystal clear. This is a true singing actor!! Thank you for posting.
I totally agree with you. The orchestra lost the urgency of the ride that the repeated Staccato accompaniment of the piano provides. It also overwhelmed the soloist in places, which in my opinion defeats the object: not much point having a story being told if you can’t hear the story. Here’s an example of arrangers not knowing better than the composer! Schubert had it spot on! Levine did not!
Whether one likes it or not, this certainly gives one something to think about. And it must be considered that this recording is one thing, but what was it like for the live audience as well? Good or bad, a completely different mix! At first I thought this was a little too frantic, with all the strings losing hair off their bows with every stroke, but I warmed up to it a little, and the ending turned out to be pretty powerful!
To me, both are great - both 'work',' as they say - yet each brings something to the table that the other cannot. Of course, personal tastes will have some favor one over the other, but so glad this was filmed for us to enjoy.
Best rendition of this wonderful dark poem. First time hearing with full orchestra as others have, and the beginning alone was one of my favorite segnents of any song.z
Just want to point out that every time the boy cries out for his "vater" the singer makes it more and more dramatic, it's just so good: 00:59 1:43 2:19 2:57. Also worth pointing out is that Schubert wrote every of those parts a half tone step higher than the former, adding to the intense feeling. Damn I love this piece.
I will come back next year and a year after to watch this performance and will still feel the same goosebumps all over my body.... What a performance! What a performance! What a Performance!
Cette indescriptible émotion que laisse la maîtrise et mieux encore la virtuosité, je crois bien que c’est véritablement cela le talent. Du gaz Du coffre De la nuance Du rythme De la couleur What els ? Dirait l’autre…
Denke ich auch.Gewisse Sänger,deren Namen ich nicht nennen möchte,können daran nicht im geringsten tippen. Danke Monika,für Deinen Kommentar vor 8 Monaten.
Da bin ich anderer Ansicht.Fritz Wunderlich war ein großartiger Liedersänger.Schade,dass er da manchmal unterschätzt wird.Ihm hätte ich u.a den"Erlkönig"wohl zugetraut.Hermann Prey singt ganz einmalig.
WENIGE !!! Wohl Fritz Wunderlich,wenn er den"Erlkönig" auch nicht gesungen hat.Oder ich habe ihn mit dem Lied nicht gehört.Hermann Prey, den ich mit dem "Erlkönig"in beiden Fassungen schon häufig hörte,singt ganz fantastisch.Schön,dass ein Teil vom Applaus zu hören ist !!!
@@benediktschuller1696 das hat mit Bariton und Bass nichts zu tun. Jede Musik kann in andre Tonarten versetzt werden! Genauso wie Prey Adelaide singt als Bariton, wo das Lied für einen Tenor geschrieben ist! Für mich hat keiner es jemals so wunderschön gesungen wie Fritz Wunderlich!!!
WOW! Only Herman Prey could sing this piece in such an incredible manner. How amazing the changes in vocal color and expression. I don't speak German but I know of the content however, Mr. Prey's rendition tells me more than if I knew word by word the meaning of the words.
Prey performs this Lied very well, and the orchestral accompaniment (not by Schubert) is excellently played and conducted. Nonetheless, I do prefer Schubert's original piano accompaniment.
Fine performance. Doesn't need putting down DFD (or anybody else) in order to praise it. People keen on such comparisons should be aware that they are the cheapest and most amateurish type of pseudo-criticism which leads to anything but better understanding of art.
Alexander Arsov -Thanks Alexander, very well said. The great singers remind me of fine wines....each has a special character and a beauty uniquely theirs. I had never heard the orchestrated version before, quite a different challenge to the musicians.
Thank you for your truthful mark! Yes, this makes me shiver - because for very personal reasons this poem for me is a metapher for sexual abuse and denial of it at the same time. In this perspective Hermann Prey expresses the differences between the two voices of father and Erlkönig and the child's distress in a less than subtle way. For me a good singing, but very naive interpretation. What dies here is the soul of the child.
