Doch möcht ich - (2011)
Heinrich Heine
for medium voice and piano
Die Welt ist so schön und der Himmel so blau,
Und die Lüfte die wehen so lind und so lau,
Und die Blumen winken auf blühender Au,
Und funkeln und glitzern im Morgentau,
Und die Menschen jubeln, wohin ich schau, -
Und doch möcht ich im Grabe liegen,
Und mich an mein totes Liebchen schmiegen.
[ 2 pages, circa 2' 10" ]
Heinrich Heine
The earth is so fair and the heavens so blue,
And the breeze is breathing so warmly too;
And the flowers of the meadows are gleaming through
The sparkling and glittering morning dew;
And the people are joyous wherever I view.
Yet were I in my grave at rest
And folded close to my lost love's breast.
Translation by James Thomson (1834-1882) , from The Poetical Works (1895)
The text is number thirty-one among Heine's Lyrisches Intermezzo found in his Buch der Lieder. A flowing 6/8 and written arpeggios of the inner voices at first portray the beauties of the world of which our mourner fully is fully aware. The setting slowly takes on another character as this beauty comes to take on that other "lost" beauty and the awareness therefore of why beauty is both beauteous and transient.
The score is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this piano-vocal score.
Doch möcht ich