Berg: Mountain Lust: Rapture
It could be Mount Everest or The Alps, but in this blog post, it is my favourite “WeinBERG”, vineyard in English. This was the view today, the trees are in bud. Look at the sunray after the rain!
My current situation:
In my organ lesson, I am currently working on “Six Little Preludes BWV 933-938”. Because of my road to music education was unconventional, I have not played many elementary important pieces. All these years I was aiming at “pass the exam” (no other option available) and exam pieces have their standard to meet. Finally, no exam stress, no weekly presenting music stress, I can have time to build my foundation properly. I really enjoying learning them, to look at every detail. Moreover, with my spinet! The instrument that used at that time, piano was not invented yet.
The book I am reading now is breathtaking that I can not put it down. The author Anna Beer writes about the forgotten women of classical music in her book “Sounds and Sweet Airs”. I’ve just finished reading about Fanny Hensel, the sister of a most celebrated composer Felix Mendelssohn. She is also a composer. I admire Fanny more now after reading the book.
I knew that Felix and Fanny were very close to each other, but I did not know that it was Felix, who kept Fanny from publishing her music composition. Actually, no one can stop her, but she cared about Felix’s opinion. Year after year, Felix ignored Fanny’s wish to publish every time when Fanny mentioned about the matter. Although some of his compositions were greatly inspired by Fanny, he was reserved about the matter.
A chance to publish appeared in year 1846, when Fanny was 40 years old, she asked no more for Felix’s approval (it never comes anyway) and published her work. Fortunately she did so, she wrote in her diary: “I feel as if newly born”. Besides, the following year, she died of a stroke.
Opposite to Felix, Wilhelm Hensel (Fanny’s husband) was the only person in her life time sees her as a serious musician and composer from the very beginning and all the time. Their love story was heart-warming. He was a painter, Fanny was his model for his famous painting “Song of Praise” as Miriam. Note: Miriam is the sister of Moses in the Bible – Exodus. More information:
https://www.rct.uk/collection/408985/miriams-song-of-praise
The title “Bergeslust” is also a song composed by Fanny based on Eichendorff’s text. In other word, I am stealing the title from Fanny and Eichendorff. However, the song content matches with my mood today. The delightful nature at my WeinBERG. Scroll down for music and text.
Ah, the joy of gazing from the mountain
Far over wood and stream,
With the blue, pellucid vault of heaven
Arching overhead!
Little birds and clouds
Fly swiftly from the mountain,
Thoughts skim past
The birds and the wind.
The clouds drift down,
The little bird plummets,
Thoughts and songs go winging on
Till they reach the kingdom of heaven.
Till they reach the kingdom of heaven.
Mountain Rapture by Joseph von Eichendorff
English Translation © Richard Stokes
Provided via Oxford Lieder (www.oxfordlieder.co.uk)
The vineyard in January: