Introduction to Schoenberg II: Waldesnacht

Sometimes a little bit goes a long way. A little Lied can say more than something of epic proportions. When I first heard Schoenberg's Waldesnacht, I was straight away quite smitten by it. At the time, I think the only Schoenberg I really understood was still only Verklärte Nacht. Waldesnacht (Forest Night) predates Verklärte Nacht by a few years. The poet here is Paul Heyse (1830-1914). Here is my own translation of Waldesnacht:

Waldesnacht, du wunderkühle,
Die ich tausend Male grüß',
Nach dem lauten Weltgewühle,
O wie ist dein Rauschen süß!
Träumerisch die müden Glieder
Berg' ich weich ins Moos,
Und mir ist, als würd' ich wieder
All der irren Qualen los.

Fernes Flötenlied, vertöne,
Das ein weites Sehnen rührt,
Die Gedanken in die schöne,
Ach! missgönte Ferne führt.
Laß die Waldesnacht mich wiegen,
Stillen jede Pein!
Und ein seliges Genügen
Saug' ich mit den Düften ein.

In den heimlich engen Kreisen,
Wird dir wohl, du wildes Herz,
Und ein Friede schwebt mit leisen
Flügelschlägen niederwärts.
Singet, holde Vögellieder,
Mich in Schlummer sacht!
Irre Qualen, löst euch wieder;
Wildes Herz, nun gute Nacht!

Forest night, so beautiful and cool
A thousand times I greet thee,
After the noisy world's turmult,
Oh, how sweet is thy rustling!
Dreamily, I shelter
My weary limbs in the moss,
It seems, as though I were once again
From all senseless torments set free.

Song of yonder flute, resound,
Let it a vast longing stir;
My thoughts are transported into the beautiful,
Oh so, envious distance!
May this forest night cradle me,
Soothing every pain;
And blissful content
May I inhale with its fragrances.

To be within such secret, intimate circles,
is a blessing for thee, thou frenzied heart,
And peace glides downwards,
on the tender flutter of wings.
Sing, lovely bird songs,
gently in my slumber!
Senseless torments, release me once more;
Frenzied heart, I bid thee good night!

I certainly hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It made me appreciate the original text a great deal more. 

As for a recording of the work, it took me years to eventually track one down. I wholeheartedly recommend Susanne Lange accompanied by Tove Lønskov on the Kontrapunkt label. 

This is only available on CD as part of a boxed set that includes all of Schoenberg's Lieder. However, if you only want this one song, then you can download it, although sadly only available in the lossy MP3 format. Alas, I cannot find a good FLAC download. It is an absolutely gorgeous Romantic Lied. It is very much in the Viennese tradition of Schubert, Schumann and Brahms. I find it beyond comprehension that it is so little known. Those who enjoy it may want to hear the rest of the Lieder in the set of Sieben Frühe Lieder.

On iTunes it is available here. International iTunes users should use the search function on iTunes (enter "Waldesnacht Lange"). On Amazon US you can download it here. On Amazon UK you can download it here.  On German Amazon you can download it here.

Enjoy!