Franz Schubert: Ganymed, D544

We present a new recording of a song by Franz Schubert: Ganymed, D544, performed by Tatjana Steinke (voice) and me at the piano.

I´m happy uploading works again after some unavailing attempts the last days.

“Ganymed” is one of the three famous hymns by Johann Wolfgang Goethe of the epoch of Storm and Stress. Goethe published it together with “Prometheus”, another hymn in free rhythms, which mirrors the other aspect of the genius, the artist of the Storm and Stress epoch. Whereas in “Prometheus” we have the bigheaded and arrogant demigod, who refuses Zeus and denies every help by him, in “Ganymed” we have the devoted being longing for god, who is found by abandonment to nature. Both, the aspect of the glow and glut in the own heart pressuring to be expressed, willfully disobeying the law and order of god (Prometheus), and the devotion to the devine force found in nature, build the true “genius of force” (german: Kraftgenie), expressing truth in art.
“Ganymed” for me personal is the more important poem, because already in 1774 in mirrors the pantheistic attitude, which the classical Goethe (since his Italian journey 1786-88) continues and holds it his complete life. Whereas the blind and bigheaded position of Prometheus Goethe doffed like an old snakeskin.

Tatjana has put some nice pictures to the song for our video on YouTube. Here you can see it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGyYEJI7tAk

Here is the mp3-file:
https://d19bhbirxx14bg.cloudfront.net/S ... -Pfaul.mp3

 

I've never heard this particular piece, so I can't comment on it much. But it's a very nice video!

Also, as you know, there is a little problem with the files right now. Our new administrator, Richard, will look into it soon.

 

Didier wrote:

But there is a lot of Sehnsucht (=desire) in it, though it´s pantheistic! :wink:

Thanks for the advice, dear friend, I understand that. But I did this interpretation with full intention. Schubert wrote staccato points in the bass notes at the very beginning of the Lied, and I tried to take this serious and to bring that out. The melody line above with the chords I played completely legato in opposite to the shortly played bass notes. So I tried to produce a nice contrast here, which makes the piece more interesting (compared with all being played in a boring legato like we are traditionally used to it). It´s not so easy do to this and I really have practised on this! So I wouldn´t be unhappy to meet someone around here who appreciates it. :wink:

Btw, how did you find the "stereo image" of my recording? I have tried to realize all your recording-advices to my last post (Gretchen am Spinnrade).

 

Pianolady wrote:

Thanks for the praise, Monica!

Yes, I knew that and I´m awaiting our new administrator with curiosity! :twisted: :wink:

 

Hi Didier,
that´s very nice of you. Here is the unedited version:


Thanks in advance!
With best regards
Andreas

 

Hi Didier,
wow, that sounds absolutely super! The voice is more in the foreground without that the stereo image suffered. How have you done this? Sometimes you really seem to be like a sorcerer to me. :wink:

 

Ah, that´s very interesting, thank you so much! As I don´t have Reaper I think, I also can do it in a similar way in WaveLab 6.0, right?
And after having done this procedure you show above I would have to do the other mixture procedure you have shown me in the topic of Schuberts "Gretchen am Spinnrade"? I mean to mix the voice and piano tracks?

 

I would like to thank the new administrator Richard, (who stayed "unvisible" at least until now), for puting the piece up to the main site! I hope, I have not been too scaring for to communicate. If so, tell it to me, please. :wink:
Would you mind to put up Didiers editing of my recording, which sounds much better to me, please? I´m sorry to say this and don´t want you to make additional work, but I would appreciate that a lot.

 

Hi Andreas!

I will make the update. Yes much better! Thanks for the welcome. My last name is Jordan.

Richard

 

Updated! I think. Still getting how to do this all down.

 

O.k., thank you very much, dear friend , and sorry for my quite late answer. I just was quite busy the last days and only today I looked here into the forum. I think, I will try Reaper as soon as possible. On wednesday we have planed to record "Der Erlkönig" by Schubert (keep your fingers crossed for it :wink: ) and I don´t know, if I will find time to do get it before, but as soon as possible I will look for it.

 

Hi Richard,
so thank you very much! Yes, I can imagine it´s a process of gaining and getting technical knowledge to administrate such a site. Chris has asked me some years ago to work as a helping administrator, but in that time my son became ill and I think, I wouldn´t have had the time to do this at all in general.
So, it´s nice to meet you and to read your lines here!

 

Thank you very much for your comment. I'm glad you enjoyed our performance. Yes, the author of your college textbook was surely right. Schubert is devine and heavenly, reminding us always being of a higher origine. I feel it to be like this, too. And especially in this song. That's the deepest reason I feel so attracted by his music my whole life

 

Hi Didier,
I have downloaded Reaper today and I will try it out tomorrow. Do you know, if there is a possibility to start the recording automatically like in WaveLab? There I can let it start from a certain level of volume automatically, that means, I don´t have to switch on and off the record button all the time. It´s because my computer is on first floor and my piano downstairs in the living room. I couldn´t find such a function in Reaper.