[7/24/2011] Sunday Classics: Mahler's military songs -- (3) At last we come to "Revelge" and "Der Tamboursg'sell" (continued)

And here's Fischer-Dieskau making a hash of "Revelge." On the plus side, the YouTube poster has thoughtfully provided subtitles, using a translation by Julian Budden, for all the Wunderhorn songs. A commenter describes this as "an emotionally authentic performance," with special praise for "that sensational upper register." Okay.


I THINK WE'LL START WITH "DER TAMBOURSG'SELL,"
WHICH IS REALLY THE EASIER SONG TO PULL OFF


I promised you a pair of stunning performances by bass-baritone José van Dam. Here's his "Tamboursg'sell," and that of my old standby Heinz Rehfuss.

"Der Tamboursg'sell" ("The Drummer Boy")

Poor me, a drummer boy!
They are taking me out of the dungeon!
If I had stayed a drummer,
I might not be lying in prison!

O gallows, you house in the sky,
you look so ghastly!
I'l not look at you again,
because I know that's where I belong!

When soldiers march by
and are not quartered with me,
when they ask who I used to be:
drummer in the life guards!

Good night, you marble,
you mountains and little hills!
Good night, you officers,
corporals, and musketeers!

Good night, you officers,
corporals, and grenadiers!
I cry out with a loud voice:
I take my leave of you!
Good night! Good night!

-- English translation by Robert A. Jordan

José van Dam, bass-baritone; Orchestre National de Lille, Jean-Claude Casadesus, cond. Forlane, recorded November 1986
Heinz Rehfuss, bass-baritone; Vienna Festival Orchestra, Felix Prohaska, cond. Vanguard, recorded May 27-June 1, 1963

And here are Walter Berry and Leonard Bernstein, and Fischer-Dieskau's very solid commercial recording with George Szell. (No, we're not going to hear their "Revelge.")

Walter Berry, baritone; New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, cond. Columbia/CBS/Sony, recorded Oct. 1967 and Feb. 1969
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone; London Symphony Orchestra, George Szell, cond. EMI, recorded March 8-9, 1968

And here's baritone Thomas Quasthoff, with Claudio Abbado, doing another solid job.

Thomas Quasthoff, baritone; Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado, cond. DG, recorded February 1998


NOW ON TO "REVELGE," JUST POSSIBLY
THE GREATEST OF MAHLER'S SONGS


Again, let's start with van Dam and Rehfuss.

"Revelge" ("Reveille")

In the morning between three and four
we soldiers have to march
up and down the lane.
Trallali, trallaley, trallalera,
my sweetheart is looking down!

"Ah, brother, now I am sh ot;
the bullet has gravely wonded me.
Carry me to my quarters
Trallali, trallaley, trallalera,
it is not far from here!"

"Ah, brother, I cannot carry you,
the enemy has defeated us,
the good Lord help you!
Trallali, trallaley, trallalera,
I must march on into death!

"Ah, brothers, you are going past me,
as if I were done for already!
Trallali, trallaley, trallalera,
you are coming too close to me!

I must beat my drum,
trallali, trallaley, trallala, trallaley.
Otherwise I shall lose my way.
Trallali, trallaley, trallala,
My brothers, thick on the ground,
are lying as if mown down."

He beats the drum back and forth,
he wakes his silent brothers.
Trallali, trallaley, trallali, trallaley.
They strike at their enemy.
Trallali, trallaley, trallalerallala,
the enemy is struck with terror!

He beats the drum back and forth,
there they are already outside their night quarters again,
trallali, trallaley, trallali, trallaley,
straight out into the lane,
they draw in front of his sweetheart's house.
Trallali, trallaley, trallali, trallaley, trallalera,
they draw in front of his sweetheart's house, trallali.

In the morning there stand the bones
in rank and file, they stand like trombones.
The drum is at the head,
so that she can see him.
Trallali, trallaley, trallalera,
so that she can see him!

-- English translation by Robert A. Jordan

José van Dam, bass-baritone; Orchestre National de Lille, Jean-Claude Casadesus, cond. Forlane, recorded November 1986
Heinz Rehfuss, bass-baritone; Vienna Festival Orchestra, Felix Prohaska, cond. Vanguard, recorded May 27-June 1, 1963

Here, apparently thinking "No dawdling!," are Berry and Bernstein. Were also going to hear LB's more moderate later recording with baritone Andreas Schmidt.

Walter Berry, baritone; New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, cond. Columbia/CBS/Sony, recorded Oct. 1967 and Feb. 1969
Andreas Schmidt, baritone; Concertgebouw Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein, cond. DG, recorded October 1987

Riccardo Chailly decided, for his recording of the Wunderhorn songs, to assign them to singers of the voice range Mahler preferred. (On the whole not very persuasively, it seems to me.) Here's "Revelge" sung by tenor Güsta Winbergh.

Gösta Winbergh, tenor; Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly, cond. Decca, recorded June 19-23, 2000

And finally here's the ever-reliable Thomas Quasthoff, with Claudio Abbado.

Thomas Quasthoff, baritone; Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado, cond. DG, recorded February 1998


RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POST

#