I posted this earlier in the "most moving song" topic, but wanted to get opinions on your impressions of these songs and how they affect you. I am absolutely crushed each time I listen to the Kindertotenlieder and I have 4 different performances of it.

Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the death of children)
Music by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), 1902
Texts by Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866)

The lyrics are actually in German, so this translation might not be exact.

1. Nun will die Sonn' so hell aufgehn (Now the sun will rise as brightly)


Now the sun will rise as brightly
as if no misfortune had occurred in the night.
The misfortune has fallen on me alone.
The sun - it shines for everyone.
You must not keep the night inside you;
you must immerse it in eternal light.
A little light has been extinguished in my household;
Light of joy in the world, be welcome.


2. Nun seh' ich wohl, warum so dunkle Flammen (Now I see well why with such dark flames)

Now I see well why with such dark flames
your eyes sparkled so often.
O eyes!
It was as if in one full glance
you could concentrate your entire power.
Yet I did not realize - because mists floated about me,
woven by blinding fate -
that this beam of light was ready to be sent home
to that place whence all light come.
You would have told me with your brilliance:
we would gladly have stayed near you!
But it is refused by Fate.
Just look at us, for soon we will be far!
What to you are eyes in these days -
in future nights shall be stars.


3. Wenn dein Mütterlein tritt zur Tür herein (When your mother steps into the doorway)

When your mother steps into the doorway
and I turn my head to see her,
my gaze does not alight first on her face,
but on the place nearer to the threshhold;
there, where your dear face would be
when you would step in with bright joy,
as you used to, my little daughter.
When your mother steps into the doorway
with the gleam of a candle, it always seems to me as if
you came in as well, slipping in behind her,
just as you used to come into the room!
O you, a father's cell,
alas! how quickly you extinguish the gleam of joy!


4. Oft denk' ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen (Often I think that they have only stepped out)

Often I think that they have only stepped out -
and that soon they will reach home again!
The day is fair - O don't be afraid!
They are only taking a long walk.
Yes: they have only stepped out
and will now return home!
O don't be anxious - the day is fair!
They are only taking a walk to those hills.
They have simply gone on ahead:
they will not wish to return home.
We'll catch up to them on those hills
in the sunshine!
The day is fair on those hills.


5. In diesem Wetter, in diesem Braus

In this weather, in this storm,
I would never have sent the children out;
They were carried outside -
I could say nothing about it!
In this weather, in this roaring storm,
I would never have let the children out.
I was afraid they had falllen ill,
but these thoughts are now idle.
In this weather, in this cruel storm,
I would never have let the children out;
I was worried they would die the next day -
but this is now no concern.
In this weather, in this roaring, cruel storm,
they rest as they did in their mother's house:
they are frightened by no storm,
and are covered by the hand of God.


Here is a little background on these songs:

Friedrich Ruckert was a German poet/university professor of the nineteenth century. Among his many literary works, the Kindertotenlieder collection (Songs on the Death of Children) survives the world's oblivion because of Gustav Mahler's decision to use part of it as text for his symphonic Lieder.
The verses of the poems are very touching, as they recorded the poet's spiritual agony trying to come to terms with the painful loss of two of his children. Initially, Gustav Mahler used Ruckert's verses for his Lieder only to commemorate the trauma caused by the deaths of his younger brother and sister back in his own childhood. But eventually, the composition acquired added meaning when Mahler's own daughter died of scarlet fever at a very young age.

EDIT: From - http://www.arts.cuhk.edu....intro.html
[This message was edited Wed Aug 14 10:50:34 PDT 2002 by IceNine]

gooeythehamster said:

They are crushing... depressing and very heart-felt... I have added a small description of what was behind these songs above.

SexLovely said:

This is probably my favorite recording of Kindertotenlieder:

http://music.barnesandnob...4356699625


Here are some other recordings:

http://music.barnesandnob...2IG8Y1HS13

Makes me think of Hitler loosing his brother, Edmond age 6 to measles.

Adolf could see the grave of his brother outside his bedroom window. Some accounts in history detail Adolf sitting out on the cemetery stone wall looking at the stars.

Death has consequences for the living...however it doesnt always turn into beautiful music

You can't tell me that nobody on here is a fan of Gustav Mahler... can you?

Gustav mahler No.3...jamming on the box...I'll have another glass of u..this time on the rocks...

Well, I'm not one 4 classical--the most classical I ever listen 2 is George Martin's arrangements on Yellow Submarine.

Nep2nes said:

LOL

I do like classical... in the fall... autumn is jut the perfect season 2 hear every thing in life taking a break.

I was hoping that Prince's Mahler reference in "Good Love" would keep this on-topic!

:LOL: