JOIN USAn evening of songs
It had Dominik Schwudke rendering a spectacular vocal rendition to two song cycles, Liederkreis (Cycle of songs) Dichterliebe (Poets love), accompanied by Nalini Suryawanshi on the piano.
The event took place at the auditorium of National Institute of Advanced Studies, on the Indian Institute of Science campus, and had an eclectic mix of scientists and students, bound by their love for classical music, as the audience.
Song cycles are compositions which are interconnected in lyrics and music, and weave a story that unfolds as a visual. Each song aims at leaving a theatrical impression.
The audiences were mesmerised by the performances and were stunned into silence.
The hall resonated with Dominik’s voice and Nalini enthralled the audiences with Schumann’s music. The first song cycle, consisting of 12 songs was Liederkreis with lyrics by Joseph von Eichendorff.
Dominik describing the cycle said, “It talks about the doubts that hound love, however it ends on a positive note with the boy finally coming to a decision.”
The second cycle consisting of 16 songs, Dichterliebe (Poets Love) with lyrics by Heinrich Heine, is one of the best known song cycles by Schumann.
It was for all those who have loved and lost. It began with Im wunderschonen Monat Mai (in the wonderfully beautiful month of May) where a boy confesses to a girl that he longs and yearns for her.
The songs Ich grolle nicht, und wenn das herz auch bricht (I bear no grudge, even when my heart is breaking) and und wubten's die blumen, die kleinen (and if the blooms-the small ones-knew) speak of heart break. The cycle ended with the death of the girl and the boy resting her coffin, burying with it all his pain in the song, Die alten bosen lieder (The old, angry songs).
Nalini talking about the last cycle said that it had varied interpretations and each of the songs made one reflect upon his or her own life.
“It is really morbid and talks of how one always loses what he or she loves,” she added.