New Discoveries

I made an exciting new discovery this morning, reminding me of the incredible musical history of this city.

Every morning, Vinzi and I walk down the same street, through the same market, and pass the same familiar faces. Today, I just happened to look up to my right, and I noticed a plaque with Schubert's name on it. I couldn't stop to read it, as we were already running late for school, but I checked it out on my way home. Here is what I saw:

FRANZ SCHUBERT
composed in the garden of this house
(then called Biftsark)
in July 1826 on a Sunday evening with a circle of a few friends
in the middle of the noisy inn the song
STÄNDCHEN
(horch! horch! die Lerch' im Ätherblau!)
in memory of this immortal master
of the society of the wild ones from Wah-Ring 1885.

I can't believe that, with all of the times I've walked past this house, I hadn't noticed this until now!

Originally, I actually thought that this was referring to a different "Ständchen", but then I youtubed "Ständchen (Horch! Horch!)" and found this:

I did my best translating this text, though it was not easy. Some of the German words are so old and don't exist in the modern language, and poetic translations are always the most difficult.

Horch! horch! die Lerch' im Ätherblau!                         Hark! Hark! The lark in the blue air!
Und Phöbus, neu erweckt,                                                 and Phobos, just aroused,
Tränkt seine Rosse mit dem Tau,                                    immersed his steed with the dew
Der Blumenkelche deckt.                                                   covering the flowerbed.
Der Ringelblume Knospe schleußt                                  The marigold's buds show their
Die goldnen Äuglein auf;                                                  golden little eyes.
Mit allem, was da reizend ist,                                         With everything that is lovely,
Da süße Maid, steh auf!                                                    sweet maid, wake up!

Wenn schon die liebe ganze Nacht                                 When already the entire lovely night   
Der Sterne lichtes Heer                                                     the light-army of stars  
Hoch über dir im Wechsel wacht,                                   high above in the variations awakens you,
 So hoffen sie noch mehr,                                                  as they hope even more,             
Daß auch dein Augenstern sie grüßt.                            that the starry eye also greets (the night).
Erwach! Sie warten drauf,                                             Wake up! They are waiting,
Weil du doch gar so reizend bist;                                   because you are just so lovely, 
Du süße Maid, steh auf!                                                    you sweet maid, wake up!

Und wenn dich alles das nicht weckt,                            And when nothing wakes you,
So werde durch den Ton                                                  then you will be awoken by the tender
 Der Minne zärtlich aufgeneckt!                                     tone of love!
O dann erwachst du schon!                                             And then you will surely awaken!
Wie oft sie dich ans Fenster trieb,                                 How often love pushed you to the window,
Das weiß sie, drum steh auf,                                           Love knows, so get up,
Und habe deinen Sänger lieb,                                         and love your singer, 
Da süße Maid, steh auf!                                                   sweet maid, wake up! 

Here's the piece I thought it was. One of the most beautiful Schubert ever wrote, I think!



My translation:

Leise flehen meine Lieder                                   Quietly my songs beckon 
Durch die Nacht zu dir;                                      through the night to you;
In den stillen Hain hernieder,                           in the quiet grove below,
Liebchen, komm zu mir!                                     sweetheart, come to me!  

Flüsternd schlanke Wipfel rauschen               Whispering slender treetops rustle
In des Mondes Licht;                                           in the moonlight;
Des Verräters feindlich Lauschen                    Do not fear of the betrayer's hostile eavesdropping,
Fürchte, Holde, nicht.                                         my dear. 

Hörst die Nachtigallen schlagen?                  Do you hear the nightingales calling?
Ach! sie flehen dich,                                           Oh! They are begging you,
Mit der Töne süßen Klagen                              with the sounds of their sweet singing
Flehen sie für mich.                                            they are begging on my behalf.

Sie verstehn des Busens Sehnen,                     They understand the heart's longing
Kennen Liebesschmerz,                                     they know the pain of love,
Rühren mit den Silbertönen                             they touch every soft heart 
Jedes weiche Herz.                                             with the silver tones

Laß auch dir die Brust bewegen,                    Let your heart be moved, too,
Liebchen, höre mich!                                         Sweetheart, hear me!
Bebend harr' ich dir entgegen!                       Trembling I wait for you! 
Komm, beglücke mich!                                      Come, please me!

This afternoon, I decided to do a little bit of sight-seeing on my own. I visited the Belvedere museum during my stay in Vienna in the summer of 2008, but I hadn't been there since. I forgot how magnificent it was. On the way to the Belvedere, I admired Karlskirche (St. Charles's Church), pictured below.



After snapping a few shots, I headed on to the Belvedere.





And I will leave you with this:

For Christmas, Harald's parents gave me a CD of "Innviertler landla" music, which is essentially the traditional folk music of Upper Austria. It is incredibly specialized with an odd time signature (they call it a warped 7/8), a dialect that doesn't even sound like German to me, and a type of yodeling that is specific to Upper Austria.

Anyway, Harald's dad, Heinz, told me that if I can sing one of these songs by Easter, then he'll give me a bottle of 100 Euro champagne.

So, here's to give you an idea of what I'm supposed to do. I'd love to get my hands on a dirndl for this feat, too!