This gorgeous piece is always on my mind in Autumn, but especially this year. Choral music doesn't get any better than this, folks. I'm very excited to be performing this in a few weeks.
Brahms - Im Herbst (from Fünf Gesänge, op. 104)
https://youtu.be/j-ZmsnI6nJQ
Score and text with translation (copied in thread below):
https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Im_Herbst,_Op._104,_No._5_(Johannes_Brahms)
#cosomusic #cosochoral #cosoclassical
1. Ernst ist der Herbst.
Und wenn die Blätter fallen,
sinkt auch das Herz zu trübem Weh herab.
Still ist die Flur,
und nach dem Süden wallen
die Sänger stumm, wie nach dem Grab
1. Autumn is sad.
And when the leaves are falling,
sinks too the heart in troubled grief to lave.
Still is the field,
and flown to Southwinds calling,
are songsters, still, as to the grave
2. Bleich ist der Tag,
und blasse Nebel schleiern
die Sonne wie die Herzen ein.
Früh kommt die Nacht:
denn alle Kräfte feiern,
und tief verschlossen ruht das Sein
2. Drear is the day,
and pallid clouds are veiling,
the sunlight as the spirit free.
Soon comes the night:
then rest all powers empaling,
oblivion falls on all that be
3. Sanft wird der Mensch.
Er sieht die Sonne sinken,
er ahnt des Lebens wie des Jahres Schluß.
Feucht wird das Aug’,
doch in der Träne Blinken
entströmt des Herzens seligster Erguss.
3. Tender grows man.
He sees the sun declining,
divines that life too as the year, must close.
Moist are the eyes
but thro’ the teardrops shining,
outflows the heart and holiest solace knows.
@stueytheround
It grabs your attention right away, doesn't it? The chord just a few bars into each stanza (first heard on "fallen") always gives me chills.
First it's beautiful music on its own, even if you don't understand German. Then once you get the text, it's all kinds of heavy.