Moonrise is the theme of this week’s Hive Open Mic, #openmic. @cabelindsay is doing a fantastic job, gathering every week musicians from all around the globe to celebrate the power of music, and I would say, love. As for sharing music, love is needed. And vice versa, for sharing love, music is playing the main role.
In the genre of classical music, there are several works for piano solo inspired by the moon and moonlight. One of the most famous is, of course, Moonlight Sonata composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. Also, Debussy composed a work, called Claire de Lune, a movement from the Suite bergamasque. However, I wanted to explore more and find something not so well known. I searched in the lyrical songs, composed by Robert Schumann and found a beautiful Moonlit Night song, op 39 no 5. (in German Mondnacht). So it is a song originally composed for voice and piano, but his wife, Clara wrote the arrangement for solo piano.
The song is written in 1840 while Robert was in Berlin, and according to composer it is one of his most romantic pieces and it contains much of his love towards his wife. That is why it makes it very lovely... Charged with tenderness and love.
The concept of the song is a slow, very poetic atmosphere, based on the lyrics of Joseph von Eichendorff.
Mondnacht
Es war, als hätt' der Himmel
Die Erde still geküsst,
Dass sie im Blütenschimmer
Von ihm nun träumen müsst'.
Die Luft ging durch die Felder,
Die Ähren wogten sacht,
Es rauschten leis' die Wälder,
So sternklar war die Nacht.
Und meine Seele spannte
Weit ihre Flügel aus,
Flog durch die stillen Lande,
Als flöge sie nach Haus.
English:
Moonlit Night
It was like Heaven's glimmer
caressing Terra's skin,
that in Her blossoms' shimmer
She had to dream of Him.
The breeze was gently walking
through wheatfields near and far;
the woods were softly talking
so brightly shone ev'ry star.
And, oh, my soul extended
its wings through skies to roam:
O'er quiet lands suspended,
my soul was flying home.
The piece requires so much concentration, both for playing and listening. I hope that this different kind of work will bring you some peaceful and tender feelings.