Des Dichters Abendgang

Des Dichters Abendgang
Lied by Richard Strauss
The Evening Walk, by Thomas Creswick (1842)
English	Of the Poets evening stroll
Key	E Flat.
Catalogue	Opus 47, Number 2. TrV200.
Text	Ludwig Uhland
Language	German
Composed	May 8 1900 (May 8 1900)[1]
Dedication	J.C.Pflüger
Scoring	Voice and Piano.

"Des Dichters Abendgang" ("The Poets Evening Stroll") is an art song composed by Richard Strauss using the text of a poem with the same name by Ludwig Uhland (1787–1862), the second in his Opus 47 collection, (TrV 200) which was published in 1900. Originally written for piano and voice, Strauss wrote an orchestral version in 1918.

Composition history

Strauss wrote the song at his home in Charlottenburg near Berlin, completing it on May 8 1900. Strauss set five of Uhlands's poems in his Opus 47 songs. He had only recently set another Uhland poem Die Ulme zu Hirsau (opus 43/3, 1899). The poet had also been a childhood favourite of Strauss: two of his earliest Jugendlieder (childhood songs) written in 1871 were Uhland settings.^[2] Strauss' tempo marking is "Sehr ruhig and feierlich" (very quiet and solemn) and his setting "is a full scale heroic song, originally composed in Strauss' heroic key of E flat".^[3]

The song was published in a bilingual edition with English lyrics the same year. In 1918, he wrote an orchestral version of the song, this time in the key of D flat, which was premiered on April 20th 1919 in Berlin sung by tenor Ernst Kraus with Stauss conducting the Berlin Philharmonic.^[4]

Orchestral arrangement

The 1918 orchestral arrangement calls for the following instruments:

• Three flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, Bass clarinet, two bassoons.
• Four french horns, three trumpets, three trombones, one tuba
• Timpani
• Two harps (playing in unison).
• Strings

Lyrics

The poem captures the enlightenment and transcendence felt by the poet as he takes his evening stroll. The inner light guides him even when times become dark.

Des Dichters Abendgang

The Poet's Evening Stroll[5]

Ergehst du dich im Abendlicht, – Das ist die Zeit der Dichterwonne – So wende stets dein Angesicht Zum Glanze der gesunknen Sonne! In hoher Feier schwebt dein Geist, Du schauest in des Tempels Hallen, Wo alles Heil’ge sich erschleußt Und himmlische Gebilde wallen. Wann aber um das Heiligthum Die dunkeln Wolken niederrollen: Dann ist’s vollbracht, du kehrest um, Beseligt von dem Wundervollen. In stiller Rührung wirst du gehn, Du trägst in dir des Liedes Segen; Das Lichte, das du dort gesehn, Umglänzt dich mild auf finstern Wegen

If you go for a stroll in evening's light— That's the time of a poet's bliss— Then turn your face always Towards the shine of the receding sun! Your spirit soars in royal celebration, You peer into the halls of the temple, Where all of salvation unlocks itself And heavenly forms float in the air. When, however, around the sanctuary The dark clouds roll down, Then it is accomplished, you turn around Blessed by all the wonders. In silent emotion you will go, You carry within yourself the blessing of song, The light, that you saw there, Gently shines upon you on the dark paths.

References

Notes

Sources

• Del Mar, Norman (2009)[1968]. Richard Strauss: A Critical Commentary on his Life and Works, Volume 3 (second edition). London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-25098-1.
• Jefferson, Alan (1971). The Lieder of Richard Straus. London: Cassel and Company. ISBN 0-304-93735-5.
• Trenner, Franz (2003). Richard Strauss Chronik. Wien: Verlag Dr Richard Strauss Gmbh. ISBN 3-901974-01-6.