TheHugoWolfMarathon

AnessaybyRichardWigmore

from the program book Hugo Wolf und Seine Zeit

Salzburg Festival 2003
Program book: http://hampsongfoundation.org/hugo-wolf-and-his-time/

EarlySongs

EvenasachildHugoWolfwasnotoriouslywillfulanduncompromising.Andwhen
attheageof14heenrolledattheViennaConservatoryhequicklybecame
somethingofastudentfromhell,bridlingattheinstitutespedanticconservatism
andeventuallythrownoutindisgrace.ButWolfdidcomposevoraciouslyduringhis
illfatedstintattheconservatory,abandoningmorelargescaleworksthanhe
completed,butcomposingaround30songs.HismodelthenwasSchumann,though
alreadyhehadfallenunderthespelloftheadvancedchromaticlanguageofLiszt
andhisidol,Wagner.AfterWolfsenforcedreturntohisparentshomeinStyriain
March1877,hecomposedseveralmoreLieder,amongthemaninnocent,lilting
settingofMatthissonsAndenken,oneofthe19thcenturysfavoritetextsand
famouslysetbySchubert.

WolfsfatherallowedhiserrantsontoreturntoViennaattheendof1877inorder
toearnhislivingasamusicteacher.Here,likeSchubertbeforehim,hereliedonthe
patronageofwealthyfriends,aboveallthehedonisticandgenerousAdalbertvon
Goldschmidt.ThroughGoldschmidtWolfwasintroducedtoViennaselitecultural
circles.Andinspring1878,aged18,hefellinlovewiththeravenhairedsociety
beautyVallyFranck,withwhom,despiteglaringincompatibilities,hehadalongand
passionaterelationship.Asatragicfootnote,wemightaddthatataroundthesame
time,probablyatGoldschmidtsencouragement,hewassexuallyinitiatedbya
prostitute,somethingofaViennesecustominthosedays,butforWolfchargedwith
ultimatelyfatalconsequences.Characteristically,hisaffairwithVallyprompteda
euphoricsurgeofcreativeenergy.Andoverthenextfewyearshecomposedover50
songs.Lookingbackonthisperiodadecadelater,Wolfremarked,perhapswitha
touchofhyperbole,thatInthosedaysIcomposedeverydayonegoodsong,
sometimestwo.

Significantly,manyofthesongsoftheseearlyyearsaresettingsofbittersweet,often
mordantlyricsbySchumannsfavoritepoet,HeinrichHeine.Withitsevocationof
swirlingmists,Sptherbstnebel(1878)suggestsnotonlySchumannbutalsotwo
ofSchubertsHeinesettings,DieStadtandAmMeer.YetWolfsowndistinctive
giftforatmosphereandvisualimageryisalreadyevident.TheLenausettingFrage
nicht,composedinJuly1879,isasongofraptdevotion,bothdelicateand
impassioned;asWolfsbiographerFrankWalkersuggested,itsintensepersonal
emotionmaywellhavecausedVallytorecoilinalarm.

SongstopoemsbyEduardMrike(1888)

Afterhisyouthfuloutpouringofsongsmostofthemunpublishedbetween1878
andearly1883,Wolfexperiencedalongperiodofcreativetorpor.Thesewerethe
yearswhenheearnedhislivingprimarilyasViennasmostbarbedmusiccritic,
indulging,interalia,inhisfanaticalhatredofBrahmssmusic.Itwasonlyin1888
thatthefloodgatesopenedagain.AndbetweenFebruary16andMay18,Wolf
composed43settingsofMrike,workinginsolitudeinafriendshouseontheedge
oftheViennaWoods.Then,afterawalkingholidayincentralAustria,heseta
furthertenMrikepoemsinOctoberandNovember.AlettertohisfriendEdmund
LangofFebruary22,1888givesanideaofWolfsstateofmindatthistime.Ihave
justwrittendownanewsong,adivinesong,Itellyou...Ifeelmycheeksglowlike
moltenironwithexcitement,andthisstateofpureinspirationistomeexquisite
torment,notpurehappiness.

EduardMrike(180475)wasaSwabianpastorofnecessityratherthanchoice
apainterandtheauthorofsomeofthemostsubtle,passionateandmusicalverses
intheGermanlanguage.Hisrangewasextraordinarilywide,encompassingideal,
unhappyanderoticlove,joyinthenaturalworld,religiousmysticism,the
supernatural,whimsyandbroadorironichumourallthemesrichlyrepresented
inWolfsMrikecollection.

Withitsriotofdelicatelybuzzingtrills,itsdiaphanouspianocountermelodiesand
itsmingledshyhesitancyandelation,DerKnabeunddasImmlein,thefirstsongin
tonightsMrikegroupisaperfectvignetteoftremulousyounglove.Theversesof
AneineAeolsharfewereinspiredbythepoetsgriefforadeadbrother.AndWolfs
sweetlysorrowfulsetting,initiatedbydelicateharparpeggios,isintensely
characteristicinitsflexiblevocaldeclamationoveraquasiindependentkeyboard
accompanimentarecreationofWagneriantechniquesinconcentratedlyricform.
UmMitternachtisasublimenocturnelullabyinwhichtheserenevocallinesoars
overadeeplyingaccompanimentthatsuggeststhestreamsmurmuringintheir
sleep.

TheeverpopularFussreise,dominatedbyitstrampingaccompaniment,isan
invigoratingalfrescopiecewhosefolklikemelodyexpandsrapturouslyinthe
penultimateverseasthewandererpraisestheCreator.Therapt,pantheisticIm
FruhlingandAufeinerWanderungaretwomoreofWolfsglorious,expansive
symphonicsongs,eachbuiltontheinspiredtransformationsoftheiropening
figures.Listen,forinstance,tohowWolfexpandsthedeliciousinitialcantering
motifofAufeinerWanderungintoaphraseofintenselyricbeautyatthesongs
radiant,visionaryclimax.Anotheroutdoorspiece,Erists,isoneofWolfsmost
brilliantandextrovertsongs,withitsexcitable,freesoaringmelodies,itspulsating
accompanimentanditsflamboyantpostludewherethekeyboardstrivestorecreate
thetumultuouspowerofaWagnerianorchestra.

Nextagroupoflovesongs,beginningwithBegegnung,anevocation,atonce
passionateandgentlyhumorous,ofthemorningafterafurtivenocturnalencounter.
Wolfevokestherememberedstormbothliteralandmetaphoricalinthepianos
restlesssyncopatedaccompaniment,andunderlinestheshiftsinthestorys
perspectivewithadelightfulchangeofkeyforeachverse.NimmersatteLiebeand
ErstesLiebesliedeinesMdchensareWolfsmosteroticallyexplicitsongs.The
firstexploresthepleasureandmasochisticpainofsexuallovewithadeliciously
lighttouch;then,attherepeatofthewordsUndanderswarHerrSalomon,
derWeise,nichtverliebt(WiseKingSolomonlovednodifferently)themusic
breaksintoastudentssong,asifinboisterous,laddishacknowledgementof
Solomonsfamedcarnalappetite.OfErstesLiebesliedeinesMdchens,withits
overtphallicimagery,wildsnatchesofwaltzmelodyandfrenziedpianopart,Wolf
wrotethatitwasofanintensitythatwouldlaceratethenervoussystemofablock
ofmarble...thepoemismad,themusicnolessso.

ItisperhapsnotoverfancifultoimaginetheblissfultormentofErstesLiebeslied
endinginthesorrowofDasverlasseneMgdlein,oneoftheworldsmostpiercing
songsofbetrayedlove.Wolfevokesthegirlsbleakinnerandouterworldwith
wonderfuleconomyandemotionaltruth,unifyingthewholesongwiththemournful
tollingrhythmoftheopening.Foraninstanttheabandonedgirlflaresupin
passionatereproachbeforethemusicreturnstochillnumbness.Finallyinthis
Mrikegroupahumoroussong,albeitonetouchedwithpathos:DerTambour,a
sleepyparodyofamilitarymarchinwhichWolfgentlymocksthehomesick
drummerboysfantasieswithanabundanceofgraphicillustrativetouches.

SongstopoemsbyJosephEichendorff(1888)

Asearlyas1880Wolfhadbeenattractedtothelimpid,melodiousversesofJoseph,
FreiherrvonEichendorff(17881857).Butitwasonlyin1888,astheMrike
springsbegantorundry,thathebegantosetEichendorffspoetryinearnest.The
EichendorffweknowfromSchumannssongsistheromanticnaturepoetpar
excellence.ButforthemostpartWolfrejectedhisnocturnalnaturelyrics.Ashe
wroteinalettertohisfellowcomposerEngelbertHumperdinck,theromantic
elementintheEichendorffsongsalmostcompletelyrecedesinfavorofthe
relativelyunknownroguishlyhumorousandrobustlysensualsideofthepoet.The
obviousexceptionsamongtheWolfsettingsherearetheSchumannesqueDie
Nacht(shadesofthewindingchromaticlinesoftheoldercomposersZwielicht)
andtheexquisitelytender,secretivenocturneVerschwiegeneLiebe,composed,
accordingtoWolfsfirstbiographer,inasingle,instantflashofinspiration.

Elsewhere,poetandcomposerarerevealedasmastersoftheswift,sharpvignette:
inDerMusikant,whereaquasifolkveincoexistswithWolfstypicalharmonic
sophistication(asurpriseremotemodulation,forinstance,topainttheminstrels
anxietyatinderKlte,ohneSchuh);inthemacho,swashbucklingDer
Glucksritter,anotherofWolfsmilitarymarchparodies;inLieberalles,withits

wittycharacterizationoftheyouthsprospectivecareers;andintherumbustious
SeemansAbschied,withitsoutrageousdissonantopening.

Eichendorff,PartII

ThesecondhalfofthisWolfMarathonopenswiththreemoreofhispungent
Eichendorffvignettes.ThestudentofDerScholarisunusuallyblissfully
contented;andasthevoicesingsitsdeliciousmelodythekeyboardslefthand
memorablyillustratesthepoemspicturesquedetail.Equallygraphicinitspiano
commentaryisUnfall,adrylywittytreatmentofaratherarchpoem,culminating
inavolleyoflaughterasCupidmocksthenarrator.WeendthisEichendorffgroup
inswaggering,mockchivalrousveinwithDerSchreckenberger,acounterpartto
DerGlcksritter(writtentwodayslater)whichcloseswiththesamepompous,
parodisticmarchmusic.

AlteWeisen:SixPoemsbyGottfriedKeller(1890)

AfterMrikeandEichendorffcameGoethe.Then,followingoneofWolfstypical
boutsofgloomyexhaustion,thefirstsongsoftheSpanischesLiederbuchsparkedoff
anewphaseofelatedcreativityattheendof1889.AftercompletingtheSpanish
collectioninApril1890WolfturnedalmostatoncetotheSwisspoetandnovelist
GottfriedKeller(181990)foranother,muchshortersongbook:thesixOldTunes,
eachofthemafemalecharacterportrait,complementingthemalecharacter
sketchesoftheEichendorffsongs.Thefirstsong,Tretetein,hoherKrieger,isan
ironicwarningagainstthebondsofmarriage,sparklingandplayful,yetshot
throughwithflashesoftenderness.InSingtmeinSchatzthekeyboardhasafield
daywithitsgleefulevocationsfirstofchirpingbirdsong,thenofthewrithing,coiling
snake,andfinally,intheexultantpostlude,ofthefiery,flashingsword.Du
milchjungerKnabe,bycontrast,isadelicateportrayaloffirstlove,fullof
mysterious,ambivalentharmonies.WandlichindemMorgentauhasaninfectious
vernallilt,withthepianorepeatingthesameaccompanyingfigureineverfresh
melodicandharmonicguises.

ThefifthKellersong,DasKhlerweibisttrunken,withitscruelpianodepictionof
thewomansdrunkensinging,isinWolfsmostabrasive,mockingvein;andyouwill
hearnohintinthemusicofthepoetscompassionfortheruinedrusticbelle.Asifto
makeamends,thefinalsong,WieglnztderhelleMond,paintsatouchinglytender
portraitoftheoldpeasantwoman,withherchildhoodmemoriesandnaivepiety.

GoetheandTheLimitsofMankind(1889)

InareferencetoGrenzenderMenschheit,WolfbiographerFrankWalkerwrites:
Itpassesfarbeyondeitherloveorrevolt.Manrecognizeshisownlittleness,and
hasnoroominhisheartforanythingexceptaweandsubmission.Acrossinfinite
distancesinspacetheharmonyofthespheresisperceptible;someforce,some
creativespiritisthere,butitisonethatthatisutterlyindifferentto

mankindanditsjoysandsorrows...Manstrivestoraisehimselftothestars,but
findsnowhereafoothold...Thestreamofeternityraiseshimonitswavesfora
momentandthenengulfshim.Hislifeisonlyoneinsignificantlinkinthechainof
existence...

Wolfwasfacetofacewiththepoetinwhomagainandagain,themaximumof
humanexperienceisconcentratedinastanzaortwoinwhichthereisnota
superfluousword,accordingtoErnestNewman;whileGeorgBrandesobserves,
[Goethe]canbeassimpleasafolksongorhecanpresentanentirephilosophyina
singlepoem.NewmanrefersspecificallytoGrenzenderMenschheit,Brandes
mightaswellbe.

GoethewroteGrenzenderMenschheitin1775,attheageof26,anditwassetby
HugoWolf,onlythreeyearsolderatthetime,in1889.Itsunusual(forWolf)
structurewaspointedoutbyErnestNewman,whoobservedthatitlacksa
continuouswebinthepianopart,overwhichthevocalpartplaysfreely.Insteadwe
haveacoincidenceofrhythmsandaccentsbetweenthetwofactorsthroughoutthe
song.Moreover,WolffollowsGoetheinhisdivisionoftheworkintofivedefinite
stanzas.EachofthesestanzasofGoethespoempresentsuswithanideaandasetof
imageswhich,thoughfundamentallyrelatedtothecentralideathatofthebounds
setbythegodsformankindarecompleteinthemselves.

Forthislistener,thereislittleeveninWolfthatcomparestothesweepofthe
openingphrase:alongmusicalsentencecorrespondingtothesingleverbal
sentenceofGoethesthatreachesfromWennderuralteVatertoberdieErde
st,thesenseofunrestanduncertaintyinstanza2,thehammeringuponasingle
note15timesinsuccessioninthewordsdescriptiveofamantryingtosteady
himselfuponthesolidearth.

GoethesMignonandTheHarper(1888)

EvenbeforehehadpennedthefinalsongsoftheMrikecollection,Wolfwaspitting
himselfagainstthegreatestandmostuniversalofallGermanpoets(seeabove).
BetweenOctober1888andFebruary1889hecomposedall51ofhisGoethesongs,
venturingintoareasofthepoetsproteanoutputunexploredbyprevious
composers.ThiswaspartlyduetoWolfsrefusaltotreatapoemthathefelthad
beensetonceandforallbySchuberthencenoGretchenamSpinnradeor
Geheimes.ButhehadnoqualmsabouttacklingthesongsfromGoethessemi
autobiographicalnovelWilhelmMeistersLehrjahre.Thesearesungbythefiguresof
thewaifMignonandtheblindoldHarper,thoseenigmaticoutsiderswhohaunted
theRomanticimagination.TheHarper,whomakeshisfirstappearanceinthenovel
whenheplaystoWilhelmandhisactingtroupeinaninn,hasescapedtoGermany
fromanItalianmonastery,andistormentedbyasecretguilt:hisincestuouslovefor
hissister,Serata,ofwhichMignonisthefruitthoughneitherfathernordaughter
knowsit.

InsettingthesongsofMignonandtheHarper,Wolfstressedthat,unlikeSchubert
andSchumann,hesoughttogobeyondtheversestoportraythecharactersasthey
appearinthenovel:i.e.,asabnormalandunhinged.Andhedoesthisaboveall
throughawandering,liquescentchromaticism.ThefirstthreeMignonsongs
combinethischromaticismwithfragile,diaphanoustextures,suggestingboththe
waifsinnocenceandherdeepunderlyinggrief.ButinKennstdudasLandnotrace
ofherchildlikeinnocenceremains:thismagnificentsongiscomposed
onanoperaticscale,movingfromquietreflectionthroughmountingecstasytoa
climaxoffeverish,hystericalabandon.

ThethreeguiltladenHarperSongshavenohintofthisopulentlyricism.Withtheir
droopinglines(eachsonggrowsfromthesamemelodicsource),sparetexturesand
disorientatingchromaticismtheycapture,asnopreviouscomposerhaddone,the
mindofaoncenoblemantotteringundertheweightofLearlikesuffering.

ThreePoemsofMichelangelo(1897)

ThethreesettingsoftheItalianRenaissancepainter,sculptor,andpoet
MichelangelowerethelastsongsthatWolfwrotebeforethesyphilishehad
contractednearly20yearsearliertookitsfinaltoll.Intheirintenseseriousness,
theirthemesofresignationandhumanfutility,andthefinalcatharticperoration,
thesemightysongs,writtenforbassorlowbaritone,recallanothervocalswansong,
writtenjustayearearlier:theVierernsteGesngeofBrahms.Quotingthetextofthe
firstsong(Wohldenkichoft)inalettertohisclosefriend,theMannheimjudge
OskarGrohe,WolfwrotethattheverseswereaddressedbyMichelangelotoa
friend,adding:Themusic,whichbeginswithamournfulintroductionand
maintainsthattonetothepenultimateline,takesonanunexpectedrobust
character.

Whiletheopeningsongmovesfrombrooding,depressivechromaticismtoitsfinal
diatonicclarioncalls,thesecond,Allesendetwasentstehet,isalmostunrelievedly
bleak,touchedmomentarilybythehumanwarmthofEmajor(aftertheprevailing
Csharpminor)atMenschenwarenwirjaauchWetoowereoncemen.Wolf
wroteaboutthissong:Itisreallysomethingthatmightdriveonecrazy,yetatthe
sametimeithasanamazing,trulyclassicalsimplicity...Imliterallyafraidofthis
composition,foritmakesmeapprehensiveaboutmyownsanityominously
propheticwords.

TheopeningofthelastMichelangelosong,FhltmeineSeele,isalsosaturated
withgloomy,droopingchromaticism.Butasthemusicrisesfromthedepths,the
moodgraduallygrowsmoreardentasEminorgiveswaytoEmajor.The
questioningfirstthemereturnsatMirzeigteswohl.Buttheimageofthewomans
eyes,andtheirpromiseofredemption,inspiresaradiantapotheosisoftheEmajor
lovetheme.

FromtheSpanishSongbook(188990)

FromGoetheonwards,Germanwriters,paintersandmusicianshavebeen
irresistiblyluredbytheMediterraneansouth,aflamboyant,intoxicatingworldof
light,sensualgraceandintense,oftenviolentemotions.ThenorthGermanpoet
EmanuelGeibelfueledagrowingtasteforthingsSpanishwithhistranslationsof
mainly16thand17thcenturyverses.Andin1852hecollaboratedwithayounger
poet,PaulHeyse,onajointcompilation,theSpanischesLiederbuch,dividingthe
poemsintosacredandsecularanddrawingonfamouswriterssuchasCervantes
alongsideanonymoussourcesandtwoobscurecharacters,DonManuelRioand
DonLuiselChico,whoturnouttobenoneotherthanGeibelandHeyse
themselves.WolfsowncollectionofsettingsoftheSpanishSongbookisthefinest
fruitofalonglastingfascinationwithSpainthathadbegunin1882withanaborted
operasetinSevilleandculminatedinthetwooperasofhisfinalcreativeyears,Der
CorregidorandtheunfinishedfragmentManuelVenegas.

Thefoursongsintonightsprogramarealltakenfromthelarger,secularpartofthe
Spanishcollection.ThoughthesoundsandrhythmsofSpainechothroughanumber
ofthesongs,thereisnohintofSpanishinfluenceinWennduzudenBlumengehst,
withitstender,candidmelodiclineandsuggestionofBachinthecontrapuntal
accompaniment.WerseinholdesLiebverlorenisitsdolefullyhumoroussequel,
usingasimilarmelodicopeningandpaintingtheultratimidloverslostopportunity
withdelicacyandaffection.Ach,imMaienwarsisadeliciousguitaraccompanied
romancewhosemusicseemsmoreinspiredbythesunshineandwarmbreezesof
theopeningthanthedarkdungeoninwhichthesingerlanguishes.Finallyinthis
group,thepopularIndemSchattenmeinerLocken,where,asinsomanyofthe
Spanishsongs,thefemaleprotagonistprovesamistressofcoquetryandcaprice,
withherchangingmoodsreflectedintenderlymischievouskeyshifts.

TwosongstopoemsbyLordByron(1896)

WolfstwoByronsettings(inGermantranslation)ofDecember1896arerarely
heard.ButtheyarenolessmagnificentthantheMichelangelosongscomposedthe
followingMarch.KeinegleichtvonallenSchnenisadrowsynocturnalseascape
inWolfsmostluxuriant,Tristanesquevein,thelingeringvocallinecomplemented
byanaccompanimentfulloflullingbreezesandsensuouslylappingwaves.Inutter
contrast,SonnederSchlummerlosenisanicymoonscape,withabare,incantatory
voicepartunderpinnedbythepianoshaltingsyncopationsanevocation,perhaps,
oftheinsomniacsheartbeats.IntheconcludingvocalphraseWolfpaintsthe
antithesishell,aberwiekaltbyjuxtaposingabrighthighnotewithanumb
descentbelowthestave;andthemoonscold,impassiveglintisgraphicallyevoked
bythepiercingstaccatochordsofthepostlude.

RichardWigmore

Theauthor,formerlyaprofessionalsinger,isawriterspecializingintheViennese
ClassicalperiodandinLieder.HewritesreviewsfortheDailyTelegraph,Gramophone,
andBBCMusicMagazine;broadcastsonBBCRadio3andWorldService;andgives
classesinLiedinterpretationattheGuildhallSchoolofMusicinLondon.Hehas
publishedSchubert:TheCompleteSongTexts(Gollancz)andcontributedarticlesto
manyreferenceworks,includingthelatesteditionoftheNewGroveDictionaryof
MusicandMusicians.EnglishlanguageprogramnotesareprovidedbytheEdgar
FosterDanielsFoundation.