[WEEKLY7] Seven versions of Der Erlkönig (The Alder King)

remlaps (74)in #weekly7 • 7 years ago (edited)

Here are seven youtube videos with different musical interpretations of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's poem, Der Erlkönig.

Introduction

Last year, in his post for Franz Schubert's birthday, @cmp2020 introduced me to a song called, "Der Erlkönig" (The Erl King, Alder King, or "King of the Elves" in English). Since that time, he and I have both enjoyed listening to it many more times. So today, I thought I would resurrect @cmp2020's #weekly7 tag and give you seven different versions of this wonderful musical piece.

@schubert crafted the music around a poem by the German writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The poem tells the unfortunate story of a child dying of sickness in his father's arms, while imagining himself being whisked away by the King of the Elves, a figure from Northern European folk lore. The music is especially compelling because (usually) a single performer presents all four voices: the narrator, the father, the child, and the Alder King. Even though I don't understand a word of German, when this piece is performed well, it is easy to recognize the father's anxiousness, the child's fear and puzzlement, as well as the playfulness and threatening tones in the Elven King's pleading.

Because it was published before 1923, it is in the public domain. Here is the English translation:

THE ERL-KING.

Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear?
The father it is, with his infant so dear;
He holdeth the boy tightly clasped in his arm,
He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm.

"My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide?"
"Look, father, the Erl-King is close by our side!
Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with train?"
"My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain."

"Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh, come thou with me!
Full many a game I will play there with thee;
On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold,
My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold."

"My father, my father, and dost thou not hear
The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine ear?"
"Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives;
'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering leaves."

"Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there?
My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care;

My daughters by night their glad festival keep,
They'll dance thee, and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep."

"My father, my father, and dost thou not see,
How the Erl-King his daughters has brought here for me?"
"My darling, my darling, I see it aright,
'Tis the aged gray willows deceiving thy sight."

"I love thee, I'm charmed by thy beauty, dear boy!
And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll employ."
"My father, my father, he seizes me fast,
Full sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last."

The father now gallops, with terror half wild,
He grasps in his arms the poor shuddering child:
He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dread,—
The child in his arms finds he motionless, dead.

And click through for English and German.

7 Videos

Of course, no one's going to sit down and watch 7 youtube videos all at once, but if you'd like to save this link, here's a different version of Der Erlkönig that you can enjoy during each of the next seven days.

Sunday

In this video, violin virtuoso Hillary Hahn plays a version of the Erl King that was written for performance on violin. She also opens the video by describing some of the history. It is interesting that she mentions that Goethe was apparently displeased with Schubert's musical adaptation of his work, having returned it to @schubert in the mail. The clarity of four voices breaking through from a single violin is simply amazing.

Monday

Here is an animated video performance of the operatic version of the piece, with voice performance by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and piano by Gerald Moore.

Tuesday

This is another animated video with no lyrics, and different music, by Marek Kuczyński. According to the youtube title, this was done as a master's project in animation.

Wednesday

Here is Marina Yakhlakova playing a piano version of the piece for the 7th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition Weimar-Bayreuth in 2011. As with Hahn's violin version, the distinct voices that sound through the piano are quite impressive.

Thursday

Here is a heavy metal version of Der Erlkönig by the American progressive metal band, Hope Lies Within. This version is also animated, and the poem's four voices even manage to find their way through the heavy guitar and drums, which we might have expected to overwhelm.

Friday

I guess it's because the song tells the story of a father and son that it is quite often performed by male vocalists. It was only today that I found a couple female vocalists who had also performed it. In this video, the Georgia-born American opera singer, Jessye Norman does a fantastic interpretation of the piece.

Saturday

And of all that I've seen, this video with English subtitles is still my favorite. I have no idea who the vocalist or piano player are, though. Maybe @cmp2020 knows.