- Alto Rhapsody
The Alto Rhapsody, Op 53, is a work for
contralto , male chorus, and orchestra byJohannes Brahms . It was written as a wedding gift forClara Schumann 's daughter, Julie. Brahms scholars have long speculated that the composer may have had romantic feelings for Julie, which he may have sublimated into the text and music of the "Alto Rhapsody". The text, with itsmetaphysical portrayal of amisanthropic soul who is urged to find spiritual sustenance and throw off the shackles of his suffering, has powerful parallels in Brahms's life and character.The "Rhapsody" is a setting of verses from
Goethe ’s "Harzreise in Winter". It was written in1869 , one year after theGerman Requiem , with which the third part of the Rhapsody has similarities of vocal and choral style. The work is in three sections: the first two, in achromatic ally dense and wanderingC minor , are for the soloist and orchestra and describe the pain of the misanthropic wanderer. The second section is an aria in all but name. The third section, in a nominalC major , brings in the male chorus, which joins the soloist in a plea to a celestial spirit for an abatement of the wanderer’s pain.The work typically takes between twelve and fifteen minutes in performance. See recordings, below, for indicative timings.
The text Brahms set is:
:Aber abseits wer ist's? :Im Gebüsch verliert sich sein Pfad; :hinter ihm schlagen die Sträuche zusammen, :das Gras steht wieder auf, :die Öde verschlingt ihn.
:Ach, wer heilet die Schmerzen :dess, dem Balsam zu Gift ward? :Der sich Menschenhaß :aus der Fülle der Liebe trank! :Erst verachtet, nun ein Verächter, :zehrt er heimlich auf :seinen eigenen Wert :In ungenugender Selbstsucht.
:Ist auf deinem Psalter, :Vater der Liebe, ein Ton :seinem Ohre vernehmlich, :so erquicke sein Herz! :Öffne den umwölkten Blick :über die tausend Quellen :neben dem Durstenden :in der Wüste! :In English:::But who is that apart? :His path disappears in the bushes;:behind him the branches spring together;:the grass stands up again; :the wasteland engulfs him.
:Ah, who heals the pains :of him for whom
balsam turned to poison? :Who drank hatred of man :from the abundance of love? :First scorned, now a scorner, :he secretly feeds on :his own merit,:in unsatisfying egotism.:If there is on your
psaltery [translations differ on whether ‘auf deinem Psalter’ means ‘on your psaltery’ (an old instrument like a small harp) or ‘in your psalter’ (‘in your book of psalms’).] :Father of love, one note :his ear can hear:then refresh his heart! :Open his clouded gaze :to the thousand springs :next to him who thirsts:in the wilderness!Recordings
The "Alto Rhapsody" is not frequently performed in concert, perhaps because of the expense of hiring a soloist and chorus for a short piece, but it has been recorded many times. A selection of recordings available at
June 2007 illustrates the wide range of tempi adopted by different interpreters of the "Rhapsody", with playing times ranging from 11 minutes 45 seconds to 16 minutes 10 seconds.*Soloist: Dame Janet Baker:John Aldis Choir:
London Philharmonic Orchestra :Conductor: Sir Adrian Boult:Duration: 11:45*Soloist:
Stephanie Blythe :Ensemble a sei voci:Ensemble Orchestral de Paris:Conductor: John Nelson :Duration: 12:14*Soloist:
Christa Ludwig :Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra:Conductor:Otto Klemperer :Duration 12:27*Soloist:
Aafje Heynis :Royal Concertgebouw Chorus and Orchestra:Conductor:Eduard Van Beinum :Duration: 12:43*Soloist:
Marjana Lipovšek :Ernst Senff Chamber Choir :Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra :Conductor:Claudio Abbado :Duration: 13:04*Soloist:
Dunja Vejzovic :Houston Symphony Chorus & Orchestra:Conductor:Christoph Eschenbach :Duration: 13:55*Soloist:
Marilyn Horne :Atlanta Symphony Chorus & Orchestra:Conductor: Robert Shaw:Duration: 14:01
*Soloist:Brigitte Fassbaender :Prague Philharmonic Chorus:Czech Philharmonic Orchestra :Conductor:Giuseppe Sinopoli :Duration: 14:28*Soloist:
Kathleen Ferrier :London Philharmonic Chorus & Orchestra :Conductor:Clemens Krauss :Duration: 15:53*Soloist: Christa Ludwig :Vienna Singverein :
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra :Conductor:Karl Böhm :Duration 16:10Notes
References
*West, Ewan: Notes to EMI CD CDM 7 69650 2
*Stone, John: Notes to HMV CD 5 68014 2
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