Notre Dame de Rouen. The façade of the Gothic Church in France. Photographer: Hippo1947. Licence: SHUTTERSTOCK.

Friday 19 January 2018

Heart-Wrenchingly Beautiful. "Glück, Das Mir Verblieb". From "Die Tote Stadt". By Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Sung By Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. And Renée Fleming.



Elisabeth Schwarzkopf.
Illustration: ARTS JOURNAL

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf sings "Glück, das mir verblieb",
from Die Tote Stadt, by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
Hamburger Rundfunkorchester.
Wilhelm Schüchter, conductor.
1952.
Available on YouTube at

A rare and practically unknown recording by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, that is not widely available on records, from an obscure 1952 radio broadcast.

She sings the celebrated aria "Glück, das mir verblieb", from the opera "Die Tote Stadt", by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, with The Hamburg Rundfunkorchester, conducted by Wilhelm Schüchter.
Schwarzkopf never sang this opera, nor indeed any other work by Korngold, not even his Lieder,
as far as I am aware - a great pity, given the rapt quality she brings to this much recorded aria,
that few can match. The photos of Schwarzkopf (circa 1950) and that of Korngold (1922)
are from my private collection, says Brendan Carroll.



Renée Fleming.
Illustration: POLAR MUSIC PRIZE



Renée Fleming sings
"Glück, das mir verblieb"
(Marietta´s Lied),
from Die Tote Stadt, by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
Moscow. 2006.
Available on YouTube at

Glück, das mir verblieb,
rück zu mir, mein treues Lieb.
Abend sinkt im Hag
bist mir Licht und Tag.
Bange pochet Herz an Herz
Hoffnung schwingt sich himmelwärts.

Wie wahr, ein traurig Lied.
Das Lied vom treuen Lieb,
das sterben muss.

Ich kenne das Lied.
Ich hört es oft in jungen,
in schöneren Tagen.
Es hat noch eine Strophe—
weiß ich sie noch?

Naht auch Sorge trüb,
rück zu mir, mein treues Lieb.
Neig dein blaß Gesicht
Sterben trennt uns nicht.
Mußt du einmal von mir gehn,
glaub, es gibt ein Auferstehn.

Joy, that near to me remains,
Come to me, my true love.
Night sinks into the grove
You are my light and day.
Anxiously beats heart on heart
Hope itself soars heavenward.

How true, a sad song.
The song of true love,
that must die.

I know the song.
I heard it often in younger,
in better days.
It has yet another verse—
Do I know it still ?

Though sorrow becomes dark,
Come to me, my true love.
Lean (to me) your pale face
Death will not separate us.
If you must leave me one day,
Believe, there is an afterlife.

2 comments:

  1. Simply stunning..both of them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, JARay. Good to hear from you again.

    Delighted you approve of this divine singing from two Angelic voices.

    ReplyDelete

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