Music and Texts of GARY BACHLUND
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Kleiner Rat - (2013)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
for baritone or bass and piano
Du wirst im Eh'stand viel erfahren,
was dir ein halbes Rätsel war;
bald wirst du aus Erfahrung wissen,
wie Eva einst hat handeln müssen,
daß sie hernach den Kain gebar.
Doch, Schwester, diese Eh'standspflichten
wirst du von Herzen gern verrichten,
denn glaube mir, sie sind nicht schwer.
Doch jede Sache hat zwo Seiten:
Der Eh'stand bringt zwar viele Freuden,
allein auch Kummer bringet er.
Drum, wenn dein Mann dir finstre Mienen,
die du nicht glaubest zu verdienen,
in seiner übeln Laune macht,
so denke, das ist Männergrille,
und sag: "Herr, es gescheh' dein Wille
bei Tag, und meiner in der Nacht."4 pages, circa 2' 30"
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
A bit of advice
You shall find out, when you are married,
what puzzles did to you remain;
soon for yourself you shall discover
how Eve had once to treat her lover
that later she gave birth to Cain.
This, Sister, 'wedding obligation'
you'll entertain with much elation
for, trust me, it's an easy thing.
Though double-sided is such action:
the married state brings satisfaction
but also sorrows does it bring.
Thus, when your husband acts capricious
(though you stayed sweet and non-suspicious)
and barks bad tempered, as he might,
consider him a male bombaster
and say: Your will be done, oh master -
during the day - and mine at night.
Singable translation from German to English copyright © 2008 by Walter A. Aue, waue (AT) dal (DOT) ca, http://myweb.dal.ca/waue/, (re)printed on this website with kind permission.
Please contact the copyright-holder(s) when requesting permission to reprint and be sure to give proper credit.
The three strophes follow an AAA' form with a short coda. Four-part writing suggests a hymn or sorts to this tongue-in-cheek advice from a brother to his sister.
The score for Kleiner Rat 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.
