The obvious contrast between the two videos of Heidenröslein is one is sung by a man and the other a woman. Another differences in the video is their sound quality. The live recording sung by Peter Schreier seems to have a poor sound quality when compared to the rendition sung by Barbara Bonney, maybe it is because it is live and not digitally recorded and it seems to be an older video. This I believe makes it more abstract because their is nothing added or taken away from the original sound of the singer himself. To me I related more to him because it allowed me to focus in more on his actually vocal abilities as a singer and catch mistakes if any in his rendition. He conveyed the text of the song well in the live recording and because his voice was more powerful in singing I believe it but more emphasis on what the original artist was trying to convey.
On the otherhand, the rendition of the song by Barbara Bonney was good as well but her voice was not as strong in certain parts of the song that I thought should of have more emphasis on them. The quality of the video was better than the live recording because it was digitally enhanced. By it being that way I believe it was easier to be able to catch mistakes in breathing and emphasis in the song that might not be as easy to catch in a live recording. Even though, I thought the live recording was better, the digital recording was more pleasant to the ears because it was less of a strain to hear. She also conveyed the text of the song well besides her many soft points in the selection. The one thing I would probably change about her version would be to switch it to a live recording as well to test how abstract she is as a singer live.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
At Last, I Have This Posted in the Proper Place
In the fall of 2010, I enrolled in a class entitled Oral Interpretation of Literature. In it, each student performed a variety of texts throughout the semester, but on occasion a few of these performances would be based upon the same text. Whenever this phenomenon would occur, the students were able to experience firsthand the variability in performed interpretations. Likewise, with this listening assignment, we the students are intended to notice the variance in interpretations of Schubert’s Heidenröslein. Barbara Bonney’s performance of the piece is light hearted aesthetically, an ironic approach to Goethe’s original poem (on which Heidenröslein is based) that many interpret to be about rape. Despite the talent Bonney displays by singing in an upper register, the performance fails to capture the power of Goethe’s original and, because of the cadence provided by the piano, seems to represent a lighthearted moment about a boy picking a rose rather than a metaphor for a boy stealing a girl’s virginity. If Bonney intended irony to reinforce the darkness of the lyrics or to represent a society who plays little attention to women’s rights, then these elements do not transfer over as well to an audience who does not speak German. Schreier’s performance, while it does contain the occasional high note, consists primarily on a lower octave and, in certain instances, is recitativelike, which is much more appropriate for piece, but unless an individual has a translation in front of himself or herself, the severity of the actions that occur in the poem are not fully recognized. While this is certainly not like Bonney’s Sound of Music styled narration, it is still somewhat impartial, which is perfect for a German audience but not for an international demographic. Both performances are enjoyable, but material such as Heidenröslein should not leave the audience feeling joyous without capturing the darker aspects of any interpretation of the piece.
Heidenroslein
There is a difference between the two pieces. In the Goethe's pieces the boy is the aggressor going after the girl/rose. In the Ramstien version the girl is the one that caused the boy to fall. WIth the video included it is seen that the boy or male, is deceived by lust to do the girls bidding with leads to his fall. This is opposite to the Goethe's piece which the boy is the one that attacks the girl.
Both versions aren't the brightest or happiest piece of work.
Bonny vs. Schreier
Barbara Bonny uses great expression with her voice. Even though the video didnt show her singing the song, it wasnt necessary bc of the color, dynamics, fermatas, and tempos that she chose to take. I read the text as I listened to her sing and got a real sense that she new what she was singing about and how to tell a story through her voice alone. Overall I preferred her version of Heidenroslein.
Schreier had good facial expression in the video and that clearly helped him tell the story in the song. I didnt think he expressed the words through his voice as well as Bonney, but since the story is coming from a males perspective, I liked the masculenity of his singing tone.
Schreier had good facial expression in the video and that clearly helped him tell the story in the song. I didnt think he expressed the words through his voice as well as Bonney, but since the story is coming from a males perspective, I liked the masculenity of his singing tone.
Heidenroslein
From the poems I felt as though the tone was supposed to be more serious as the "rose" acts as a representation of rape. Also, I thought is was interesting that the tone of the music was more "upbeat" than what you would expect of something dealing with a rape or death. I expected the music to be more in the minor chord and gloomy compared to what it actually was in the video. The music takes some of the seriousness out of the more somber version in the poems.
Heidenroslein
I noticed very subtle differences in the performance of Heidenroslein by Rene Fleming and Arleen Auger, yet there were some distinct differences. For example, the quality of Flemings voice seems more rich than Auger's. Also the tone, sounds vaguely different between the two.
Heidenroslein vs. Rosenrot
The major change I immediately noticed from Goethe's version to Rammstein's version is that it is, in Goethe's, a boy who notices the rose. Rammstein sings that a girl notices a little rose and wants/needs it. I think that variation really changes the story; for example, if the rose is supposed to be symbolic of a girl who the "brutal boy" rapes, that symbolism is lost since it is, indeed, a girl who notices and desires the rose. It could still symbolize a girl or woman, but not the one that a crime is committed against. Thus the rose becomes only a rose, or may symbolize something other than the victimized girl. Another change: the boy dies (or is very badly hurt) in the Rammstein version. He falls off a cliff in his attempt to get the rose; although it is not the rose that pricks him and causes him pain, the rose indirectly causes his death. So, I guess his girlfriend causes his death by asking for the rose (like she causes his death in the Rammstein video).
I think a very important similarity that the poem and the song maintains is that there in the chorus where the color "red" is mentioned. If the rose loses some of its symbolic meaning, the color certainly does not. Red is often used to connote love or passion, sin, and death. All four of these are evident in both the lyrics for Rammstein and the straight-up poem by Goethe. Rape--"love," passion, sin, and death (in a way) for the victim. The Rammstein video shows the man fall in love with the girl (probably just infatutaion and passion), commit a sin in his passion for her, and die because of it. The girl, by setting up the man to be killed, "stained" her purity and innocence scarlet.
Kind of a side-note, I really liked Rammstein's addition of "Deep waters don't run still." I think that carries a lot of weight in their rendition of Goethe's poem. Deep waters look like they're still, but just like symbols look like what they are, they have a lot more depth and are more dynamic. I think the deep waters are symbolic of the girl in Rammstein's video. She looks innocent and seems like she doesn't mind marrying the man, but beneath the placid surface she is really scheming to get him killed. Again, the symbol of red--she is in love with another and commits her own sin by causing the man's death. She, in a way, becomes the rose-- the thing desired yet unattainable, the thing that causes death--yet was also desirous of the rose--something the man could not give her without causing his own death. Perhaps proof of his love? "Kill this other guy and I'll know you love me." Deep waters--on the surface a "simple" request but with an underlying plot that would pull its victim out to sea with no hope of return, a riptide.
I think a very important similarity that the poem and the song maintains is that there in the chorus where the color "red" is mentioned. If the rose loses some of its symbolic meaning, the color certainly does not. Red is often used to connote love or passion, sin, and death. All four of these are evident in both the lyrics for Rammstein and the straight-up poem by Goethe. Rape--"love," passion, sin, and death (in a way) for the victim. The Rammstein video shows the man fall in love with the girl (probably just infatutaion and passion), commit a sin in his passion for her, and die because of it. The girl, by setting up the man to be killed, "stained" her purity and innocence scarlet.
Kind of a side-note, I really liked Rammstein's addition of "Deep waters don't run still." I think that carries a lot of weight in their rendition of Goethe's poem. Deep waters look like they're still, but just like symbols look like what they are, they have a lot more depth and are more dynamic. I think the deep waters are symbolic of the girl in Rammstein's video. She looks innocent and seems like she doesn't mind marrying the man, but beneath the placid surface she is really scheming to get him killed. Again, the symbol of red--she is in love with another and commits her own sin by causing the man's death. She, in a way, becomes the rose-- the thing desired yet unattainable, the thing that causes death--yet was also desirous of the rose--something the man could not give her without causing his own death. Perhaps proof of his love? "Kill this other guy and I'll know you love me." Deep waters--on the surface a "simple" request but with an underlying plot that would pull its victim out to sea with no hope of return, a riptide.
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