FIVE PARTSONGS (GESÄNGE) FOR MIXED CHORUS, OP. 104
Recording: North German Radio Chorus, conducted by Günter Jena
[DG 449 646-2]
Published 1889.
Brahms’s last set of secular songs for a cappella mixed chorus bears
all the marks of the late style. The previous set, Op. 93a, displayed some of these
aspects, but the songs of Op. 104 (the stern canon of Op. 93a, No.
6 notwithstanding) are more austere, more concise, and certainly
more “autumnal” in character. Indeed, the title of the last
song, “Im Herbst,” (“In Autumn”) is an apt metaphor for the entire
set. Except for the fourth song, the folk idiom is abandoned
here, and even that text, which deals with lost youth, has an aura
of resignation and regret that fits well with the subjects of the
other songs. Rückert and Groth were certainly poets who were
known for their more severe styles. Musically, the set is
characterized by antiphonal writing, where groups of voices
(usually women and men) are set in opposition to each other.
The six-voice texture of the first three songs helps to facilitate
this sort of writing, most notably in the first Rückert song,
which is entirely built upon this antiphonal concept. While the
second Rückert setting (No. 2) is brighter than the first, its
rather archaic call-and-response conceit is just as austere.
No. 3 brings the antiphonal exchanges even closer together,
balancing them with a highly contrasting, much warmer middle
section. No. 4 uses an overlapping call-and-response
technique to great effect. It is in five, rather than six
voices. The major-key contrasting verses exude a resigned
sadness. The last song, “Im Herbst,” is often cited as
Brahms’s greatest secular part song. Using only the
traditional four voices, he constructed a piece of both deep
melancholy and bright hope, using colorful harmonies that are
perfectly placed and never overused. The motion to major in
the third stanza is a cappella
choral writing at its absolute finest. This masterpiece
stands at the end of Brahms’s great contribution to secular choral
song.
Note: Links to English translations of the
texts are from Emily Ezust’s site at http://www.lieder.net.
For the most part, the translations are line-by-line, except where
the difference between German and English syntax requires slight
alterations to the contents of certain lines. The German
texts (included here) are also visible in the translation links.
IMSLP
WORK PAGE
ONLINE
SCORE
FROM IMSLP (First Edition from Brahms-Institut Lübeck)
ONLINE
SCORE FROM IMSLP (From Breitkopf & Härtel Sämtliche
Werke)
ONLINE SCORES FROM THE CHORAL PUBLIC DOMAIN LIBRARY (Choral Wiki):
No.
1: Nachtwache I
No.
2: Nachtwache II
No.
3: Letztes Glück
No.
4: Verlorene Jugend
No.
5: Im Herbst
1. Nachtwache I (Night Vigil I). Text by
Friedrich Rückert. Langsam (Slowly). Two-part modified
strophic form. B MINOR, 4/4 time. Six voices (SAATBB)
(Note: Op. 113, No. 10 is a canon that
also uses this text.)
German Text:
Leise Töne der Brust,
geweckt vom Odem der Liebe,
Hauchet zitternd hinaus,
ob sich euch öffen ein Ohr,
Öffn’ ein liebendes Herz,
und wenn sich keines euch öffnet,
Trag’ ein Nachtwind euch
seufzend in meines zurück!
English
Translation (Includes the entire five-stanza Rückert poem in
German and a translation of stanzas 1 and 5, which Brahms set as
Nos. 1 and 2 of Op. 104)
0:00 [m. 1]--Strophe
1. Brahms treats the female and male voices as opposing
groups in this song. The women open with the first
line. The sopranos very quietly sing the narrow melody,
which circles around the keynote. The two alto parts provide
solid harmonic and rhythmic support. As the women sing
“Brust,” the men enter in an imitation. The tenors sing the
melody exactly a step higher. The two bass parts have the
same rhythm and contour as the altos, but do not imitate them
precisely as the tenors do the sopranos.
0:11 [m. 3]--The same
pattern is followed for the second line. The women enter
before the men finish with their statement of the first
line. This melody is more wide and arching, and particularly
the supporting alto parts are moving, with rising three-note
arpeggios on the second syllable of “geweckt.” Again, the
men make a dovetailing entry, the tenors singing the arching
melody a step higher than the sopranos. The supporting bass
parts have less motion than did the altos, with only two notes on
“geweckt.”
0:22 [m. 5]--Halfway
through the fifth bar, the dovetailing breaks. The voices
are still antiphonal, but there is a different arrangement within
each group. For the third line, the second altos tentatively
lead the upper two voices, who together imitate the low altos at
different harmonies. The men enter as the upper voices are
finishing the line, this time with all three voices singing a step
higher than the women, the second basses leading. There is a
third statement of the line, from the women again, entering as the
two upper male parts finish. The top two parts are now a
step lower than their first statement (a third lower than the
men), and the sopranos now lead. The line of the second
altos is actually a half-step higher
than their previous line, creating a close, dissonant
harmony. While still hesitant, this third statement builds
slightly in volume.
0:35 [m. 8]--The men now
lead for the fourth line, taking over from the women’s second
statement of the third. They strongly resolve the harmonic
tension of the preceding passage. Tenors are again in the
leading role. In the pattern established by the song, the
women make an overlapping entry, this time a full fourth lower in
the sopranos. The two alto parts have a near inversion of
the two bass lines just finished and they sing together with the
sopranos, hinting at, but never fulfilling a key change to F-sharp
minor.
0:45 [m. 11]--Strophe
2. Line 5 is sung to the same melody as the opening, but now
the supporting parts anticipate and sing in front of the main top
melody line. This time, the men sing the line before the
women, who still overlap. The bass parts descend under the
tenors, and the alto parts ascend under sopranos.
0:55 [m. 13]--The sixth
line is very similar to the second, but with the voice groups
reversed, the sopranos imitating the men a step higher. Now
the supporting bass and alto parts are also similar to their
counterparts in the first strophe. The major difference is
at the end, where the men join with the women on “euch öffnet” in
harmony, fully breaking the chain of overlapping entries that has
been going since 0:22 [m. 5].
1:07 [m. 16]--The setting
of the seventh line uses the same basic halting, tentative
material as the third, but attaches the first word of the last
line (“seufzend” ) to it, pushing back the overlapping entries to
that word. All voices sing in detached, hesitant harmony on
the seventh line in the surprising, suddenly bright major
mode. Then the overlapping begins with explicit word
painting on “seufzend” (“sighing”). The top four parts
begin, and the basses follow. The tenors hold over as the
women end the word, joining the basses in closing it two beats
later. There is another overlapping statement of the word,
this time with the tenors firmly part of the lower group instead
of bridging the women and the basses. It moves back to
minor.
1:20 [m. 19]--The groups
are briefly re-organized for the completion of the last
line. This time, the two altos and the tenors lead the
sopranos and the two basses. The tenors and first altos hold
longer notes to complete the phrase with the imitating group,
leaving only the second altos to end earlier. The move to
F-sharp suggested at the similar point in the first strophe is now
fulfilled, wavering between minor and major.
1:29 [m. 21]--Back in B,
the last two lines are repeated. This time, the seventh
line, still in the brighter major mode, is sung in the predominant
overlap, with the women leading the men. The statement of
the men, at a higher pitch level, helps avoid the previous motion
to F-sharp. The following sighs on “seufzend” are similar to
their previous settings, but this time the sopranos and first
altos are the trailing voices instead of the basses, and the
second altos are the “bridging” voice instead of the tenors.
1:43 [m. 25]--The
completion of the last line (“in meines zurück”) is now elaborated
for the closing. There is no overlap with the preceding
“seufzend,” but the men now lead the women in very close
imitation. The sopranos imitate the tenors exactly, but the
supporting bass and alto parts are more free. All voices
repeat the words a second time, swelling rapidly to the song’s
climax. The basses greatly lengthen their notes on the
second statement to come together with the women. The tenors
alone state them a third time as the soprano imitation
breaks. All voices then come together on “zurück,” rapidly
diminishing again.
1:58 [m. 28]--Two more
statements of “zurück” from all voices complete the cadence and
move, at the last minute, to a warm major chord, becoming even
more quiet. On the first statement, the outer two voices are
static and the other four have more motion, the two altos and the
first basses trailing. On the second statement, the men
slightly trail the women on the last major chords.
2:14--END OF SONG [29 mm.]
2. Nachtwache II (Night Vigil II). Text
by Friedrich Rückert. Feierlich bewegt (With solemn
motion). Two-part through-composed form. E-FLAT MAJOR,
3/2 time. Six voices (SAATBB)
German Text:
Ruh’n sie? rufet das Horn
des Wächters drüben aus Westen,
Und aus Osten das Horn
rufet entgegen: Sie ruh’n!
Hörst du, zagendes Herz,
die flüsternden Stimmen der Engel?
Lösche die Lampe getrost,
hülle in Frieden dich ein.
English
Translation (Includes
the entire five-stanza Rückert poem in German and a translation
of stanzas 1 and 5, which Brahms set as Nos. 1 and 2 of Op. 104)
0:00 [m. 1]--Verse
1. The sopranos call out with a falling gesture on the
initial question “Ruh’n sie?” The two alto parts and the
tenors overlap with the question in harmony. There is a
brief pause. The opening call is then taken by the first basses,
and the harmonized response is now from all of the other five
voices.
0:11 [m. 3]--The top four
voices complete the first two lines in active harmony. The
two bass parts twice pass the “Ruh’n sie?” call between themselves
(the second basses an octave lower than the firsts) under this.
0:16 [m. 5]--The last two
lines of the verse are sung with overlapping entries. The
second basses are initially absent. The women begin, and the
top two male parts respond. As the voices arrive at “Sie
ruh’n,” the low basses enter between the women and the tenors, the
first basses briefly dropping out and postponing their entry until
after the tenors, creating a wonderful overlapping series of
statements on these confirming words. All voices except the
first basses sing all the words twice. The second altos add
a trailing third statement, and the male parts all repeat
“ruh’n.” At the end, there is a rapid diminishing in all
parts.
0:36 [m. 10]--Verse
2. Hushed, the voices enter in quick succession with the
first two lines in the order soprano, tenor, second bass, second
alto, first bass, first alto. After all voices have entered,
there is a harmonic shift toward the “subdominant,” A-flat.
They come together on “Stimmen der Engel.” The first altos
and first basses, the last to enter, omit “zagendes Herz.”
The tenors, singing longer notes, omit “zagendes.”
0:47 [m. 13]--For the
third line, there is another sudden harmonic shift to C-flat
major, a striking sound. There are several repeated
chords. The three women’s parts begin, followed by the
tenors, then the first basses. The two alto parts, having
finished their first statement of the line, begin again
together. The first altos repeat “lösche” and omit
“getrost.” Finally, the second basses come in, along with a
second statement from the tenors. The sopranos, having
paused, make a second statement, and as they enter, the key shifts
suddenly back home to E-flat. This rich counterpoint
gradually swells and marks the climax of the song.
0:56 [m. 16]--The altos
begin the last line as the sopranos and tenors are completing
their second statements of the third. The second altos begin
first. Both parts have flowing lines beginning with a
descent. Then the outer voices, sopranos and second basses,
come in on a downbeat. The second basses establish a solid
bass line, and the sopranos, after a long note, follow the flowing
alto lines. The tenors, and finally the first basses make
their entrances on a rising figure (a sixth) first heard from the
second basses. The counterpoint continues, with repetitions
of “hülle” and “in Frieden,” the latter heard three times each
from the women’s parts and the second basses. The first
basses omit “hülle” entirely. All parts come together on
“dich ein” for an exceptionally warm and emphatic final cadence.
1:28--END OF SONG [21 mm.]
3. Letztes Glück (Last Happiness). Text by Max
Kalbeck. Ziemlich langsam (Rather slowly). Ternary
form. F MINOR, 2/4 time. Six voices (SAATBB)
German Text:
Leblos gleitet Blatt um Blatt
Still und traurig von den Bäumen;
Seines Hoffens nimmer satt,
Lebt das Herz in Frühlingsträumen.
Noch verweilt ein Sonnenblick
Bei den späten Hagerosen,
Wie bei einem letzten Glück,
Einem süßen, hoffnungslosen.
English
Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--Stanza 1,
lines 1-2 (A). The
first line is set to repeated chords with very little
motion. The men follow the women at the distance of only one
beat. The terse groups of two create a sense of restrained
urgency. The men sing a faster dotted (long-short) rhythm on
“Blatt um Blatt” to catch up with the women.
0:10 [m. 5]--The next line
establishes three levels of counterpoint. First, the tenors
and first basses echo their previous dotted rhythm on “still und
traurig.” Before they finish, the women come in together
with a smooth, slightly dissonant rising line in the
sopranos. One beat later, both bass parts echo the dotted
rhythm. The tenors follow, and the first basses drop
out. All voices except first basses arrive together on “von
den Bäumen.” The word is extended on the “dominant”
chord. All drop out except the first altos, who lead
directly into the next passage. The first basses do not sing
“von den Bäumen” here.
0:25 [m. 10]--Repetition
of line 1, with the men and women reversed and the music
accordingly shifted in register. The women now follow the
men. The only real alteration is at the end of the women’s
line, where their dotted rhythm on “blatt um blatt” reaches higher
and displays more urgency in the sopranos
0:34 [m. 14]--Repetition
of line 2, beginning with another reversal of men and women on the
same music. For the women, the second bass line is moved all
the way up to the soprano part, and the parts of the tenors and
first basses moved to the altos, thus inverting the parts.
On “von den Bäumen,” the parts come together again, with the
sopranos now dropping out. The tenors retain the original
soprano melody, the first altos sing the previous tenor line, and
the second altos and second basses go back to their original
lines. The first basses join the seconds, and the “bridging”
original first alto part is omitted. The voices thus stop on
the “dominant” chord for an incomplete close.
0:48 [m. 19]--Stanza 1,
lines 3-4 (B). All
voices come together for the third line. It is sung warmly
in the relative major key of A-flat. The same two-note
groups are present, with descents in the sopranos, then a narrow
half-step rise on “nimmer.” Second altos and first basses
have a lilting line in gentle syncopation.
0:58 [m. 23]--The fourth
line continues with all voices together in a descending
line. The word “Herz” is held across the bar line. The
second altos and first basses continue to diverge, slowing down
and cutting off “Frühlings-” from the last word. “Träumen”
is stretched out, with flowing lines passed between the parts and
syncopation across the bar line in the women’s parts. The
tenors and first basses finish early and quietly begin the line
again as the others finish. The second altos and second
basses join them after “Herz.” “Frühlingsträumen” pivots the
key back home to F.
1:18 [m. 31]--Stanza 2,
lines 1-2 (B
continued). The setting of the first line is very similar to
the third line of stanza 1. It is in the other closely
related major key based on the home note (F major). The
lilting syncopation is now on top of the texture in the
sopranos. The second altos and tenors, who have completed
the previous line as this one began, enter immediately thereafter
in syncopation on “noch.”
1:27 [m. 35]--The second
line is similar to the last line of stanza 1. It is thinner,
though, with first altos and second basses dropping out. It
is also shorter, as the second basses, along with the tenors,
begin the repetition before the last word is finished (the tenors
omit the last word from the first statement). The first
basses simply hold out the last two syllables on long notes.
The sopranos and second altos drop out after finishing the line
the first time. The overlapping repetition quiets down and
moves back to the minor key.
1:42 [m. 41]--Stanza 2,
lines 3-4 (A’). The
first line is set to the same music as the opening. The
women begin as the men are finishing the previous
repetition. The men then enter immediately, following at the
same distance as they did at the beginning. At the end of
the line, the men replace their dotted rhythm with a syncopation
on “letzten.” Brahms indicates that this should be much
quieter than the opening.
1:51 [m. 45]--The first
basses lead into the last line, which is almost entirely new, but
somewhat related to the B
section. It is a very expressive, flowing setting with light
counterpoint and syncopation. All voices repeat the first
two syllables of “hoffnungslosen” except the first basses, whose
lead-in on “einem süßen” is repeated instead. They briefly
drop out, re-joining as all the other voices sing the last word in
its entirety together. The sopranos rise in another
syncopation, delaying their motion to the last two syllables, with
a “hopeless” descending drop against the last chord.
2:19--END OF SONG [52 mm.]
4. Verlorene Jugend (Lost Youth). Text by
Josef Wenzig, after a Slovak folk poem. Lebhaft, doch nicht
zu schnell (Lively, but not too fast)--Ein wenig gehalten
(Slightly restrained). Alternating strophic (ABA’B)
form. D MINOR/MAJOR, 3/4 time. Five voices (SATBB)
German Text:
Brausten alle Berge,
Sauste rings der Wald,
Meine jungen Tage,
Wo sind sie so bald?
Jugend, teure Jugend,
Flohest mir dahin;
O du holde Jugend,
Achtlos war mein Sinn!
Ich verlor’ dich leider,
Wie wenn einen Stein
Jemand von sich schleudert
In die Flut hinein.
Wendet sich der Stein auch
Um in tiefer Flut,
Weiss ich, dass die Jugend
Doch kein Gleiches tut.
English
Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--Stanza 1 (A). In a severe minor
key, the altos lead a call and response on a leaping melody that
is buoyant, yet unsettling. The other voices respond to the
altos at the distance of a bar. The sopranos imitate them
exactly on the same pitches. The lower three (male) parts
harmonize with the sopranos.
0:08 [m. 5]--At this
point, the lower (male) parts break with the sopranos and continue
with their text slightly behind the altos. Because they sing
slower notes, the sopranos “catch up” to them by the fourth
line. The third line rises in pitch and intensity, and the
last line introduces syncopation. This last line is repeated
in all parts at a lower level reaching a cadence. The altos
further repeat “so bald” on the keynote to participate in the
cadence. The male parts are slightly offset rhythmically
from the sopranos.
0:21 [m. 12]--Stanza 2 (B). The tempo is marked
as a bit slower, and the key changes to the major mode. The
five voices sing in block harmonies, the two bass parts combining
before the high point. A prominent dotted rhythm marks the
buildup to the high point at the third line. For two bars,
it is on the third beat, then it moves to the second beat in the
last bar before the top. In the bar (m. 15) of the climax,
the dotted rhythm moves to the first beat. It is then
abandoned. The music diminishes after the top is reached.
0:33 [m. 17]--The last
line further diminishes and descends, making a sudden dark turn
toward E minor. The male parts are slightly offset from the
sopranos and altos on “achtlos.” The line is repeated to the
same basic music, but it makes a very beautiful turn back to D
major for a wistful rising cadence.
0:47 [m. 23]--Stanza 3 (A’). The material is
essentially the same as stanza 1, but the leading voice is now the
first basses instead of the altos. The sopranos are still
the imitating voice. The low second basses remain the
same. The tenors and altos redistribute the previous tenor
and first bass parts.
0:54 [m. 27]--The third
and fourth lines continue the same patterns, but there are some
slight alterations to the material. The second basses change
their accentuation and declamation slightly from stanza 1.
The tenors and altos make some deviations in their transfers of
the previous tenor and first bass parts. The cadence at the
end is the same as in stanza 1.
1:08 [m. 34]--Stanza 4 (B). Lines 1-3, as at
0:21 [m. 12], stanza 2, with matching declamation.
1:19 [m. 39]--Line 4 and
its repetition, as at 0:33 [m. 17], stanza 2. Male parts are
offset on “doch kein.”
1:38--END OF SONG [44 mm.]
5. Im Herbst (In Autumn). Text by
Klaus Groth. Andante. Varied strophic form. C
MINOR/MAJOR, 6/4 time. Four voices (SATB)
German Text:
Ernst ist der Herbst.
Und wenn die Blätter fallen,
sinkt auch das Herz
zu trübem Weh herab.
Still ist die Flur,
und nach dem Süden wallen
die Sänger, stumm,
wie nach dem Grab.
Bleich ist der Tag,
und blasse Nebel schleiern
die Sonne wie die Herzen, ein.
Früh kommt die Nacht:
denn alle Kräfte feiern,
und tief verschlossen ruht das Sein.
Sanft wird der Mensch.
Er sieht die Sonne sinken,
er ahnt des Lebens
wie des Jahres Schluß.
Feucht wird das Aug’,
doch in der Träne Blinken,
entströmt des Herzens
seligster Erguß.
English
Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--Stanza 1,
lines 1-4. The slow 6/4 bars create an almost dreamlike
flow. The voices sing the “autumnal” minor-key
harmonies. Chromatic dissonant notes are isolated and
strategically placed, as are accents and syncopations. The
middle voices (altos and tenors) are more active than the outer
parts. At the third line, the middle parts begin slightly
earlier than the outer parts. All voices except the basses
repeat the third line. The basses instead begin the fourth
line earlier and stretch it out. The repetition is the high
point, and all parts descend and diminish from there. There
is a strong half-close.
0:39 [m. 10]--Stanza 1,
lines 5-8. The fifth line begins like the first, but the
sixth diverges from the second, adding a halting rising scale to
the soprano part and similar anticipatory activity (also rising)
to the bass line. The seventh line is again the high point,
but Brahms indicates a softer level. Set in contrary motion
between women and men, the notes are longer than in lines 3 and
4. The last line is repeated quietly and starkly in all
parts for a full and rather bleak close, the basses splitting on
the last two notes. The cadence is to an open fifth rather
than a full chord, creating a “hollow,” desolate, and somewhat
archaic effect.
1:18 [m. 1]--Stanza 2,
lines 1-3. Brahms rather deftly adapts three lines of the
shorter stanza to four of the longer one using the same
music. He does this by repeating “die Sonne” where the last
words of the third line (“das Herz”) were set in stanza 1.
The upper parts repeat the last part of the third line, which is a
deviation from stanza 1, where the last words were not the ones
repeated. The basses still stretch these words out rather
than repeating anything.
1:56 [m. 10]--Stanza 2,
lines 4-6. The music is the same as at 0:39. The
adaptation is not as complicated here, since the number of
syllables in the sixth line is the same as in the last two of
stanza 1. The repetition at the end cuts off the first
chord, however, as the last syllable of “verschlossen” cannot be
repeated, so the actual repetition, “ruht das Sein,” loses a
syllable. This abridgement makes the ending even more stark.
2:37 [m. 20]--Stanza 3,
lines 1-4. Brahms indicates a change to the major key here,
but it does not happen right away. The first chord is still
in minor, but the emergence of major on the second chord (“wird”)
and especially on “Mensch” is like a sudden daybreak. Still,
the first two lines are very similar to the other stanzas.
The third and fourth lines are also similar, but the harmonies are
more chromatic. Only “er ahnt” is repeated. At “des
Lebens,” the high point, there is a significant alteration.
The previously active middle parts hold their notes while the
sopranos and basses sing a stark unison descent. They hold
“Jahres,” allowing the middle voices to catch up. Then comes
the familiar strong half-close.
3:16 [m. 30]--Stanza 3,
lines 5-6. The second half of the stanza diverges
significantly. The fifth line is similar to stanza 1 at 0:39
[m. 10], but it begins in F major, the first significant key
change in the song. The sixth line presses forward over a
large crescendo, further moving the key up the circle of fifths to
B-flat. Then the line is repeated, striving further upward
in both pitch and key. Another level of modulation, to
E-flat, creates a huge surge of intensity as all parts soar to
their highest notes thus far.
3:40 [m. 36]--Stanza 3,
lines 7-8. The seventh line descends, but the climax is
prolonged. The motion back to C major, using the relative
relation of E-flat to C minor,
is very artful and satisfying. The lower parts repeat
“entströmt” as the sopranos soar even higher in an extension of
“Herzens.” The voices come together in contrary motion (the
men moving upward, the women descending precipitously) at the end
of the last line, which delays resolution by a detour and pause on
the chord of A minor (relative to C major).
3:57 [m. 40]--The last
line (“seligster Erguß”) is repeated, as at the end of the other
stanzas. After the preceding climax, the repetition restores
the quiet, solemn character. Despite the poignant chromatic
notes borrowed from the minor, the resolution to the major key,
the fuller harmony, and moving inner parts make this repetition
warm and consoling where the corresponding endings to the other
stanzas were stark and bleak. The basses split on the last
two notes, as they had done before. The sopranos avoid a
descent to the keynote, lending an “open” character to the final
cadence. The word “Erguß” dies away.
4:19--END OF SONG [42 mm.]
END OF SET
BRAHMS LISTENING GUIDES HOME