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Irmgard Seefried 1948 (Gerald Moore, piano) StolbergSchubert "Auf dem Wasser zu singen" Sung in German

StolbergSchubert "Auf dem Wasser zu singen" D.774 (In the middle of the shimmer of the reflecting waves)
Irmgard Seefried 1948
Gerald Moore, piano

an operbathosa video

Lied auf dem Wasser zu singen
German

Mitten im Schimmer der spiegelnden Wellen
Gleitet, wie Schwäne, der wankende Kahn:
Ach, auf der Freude sanftschimmernden Wellen
Gleitet die Seele dahin wie der Kahn;
Denn von dem Himmel herab auf die Wellen
Tanzet das Abendrot rund um den Kahn.

Über den Wipfeln des westlichen Haines
Winket uns freundlich der rötliche Schein;
Unter den Zweigen des östlichen Haines
Säuselt der Kalmus im rötlichen Schein;
Freude des Himmels und Ruhe des Haines
Atmet die Seel im errötenden Schein.

Ach, es entschwindet mit tauigem Flügel
Mir auf den wiegenden Wellen die Zeit;
Morgen entschwinde mit schimmerndem Flügel
Wieder wie gestern und heute die Zeit,
Bis ich auf höherem strahlendem Flügel
Selber entschwinde der wechselnden Zeit.

In the middle of the shimmer of the reflecting waves
English (Complete translation)from German to English copyright © 1997 by Lynn Thompson


In the middle of the shimmer of the reflecting waves
Glides, as swans do, the wavering boat;
Ah, on joy's soft shimmering waves
Glides the soul along like the boat;
Then from Heaven down onto the waves
Dances the sunset all around the boat.

Over the treetops of the western grove
Waves, in a friendly way, the reddish gleam;
Under the branches of the eastern grove
Murmur the reeds in the reddish light;
Joy of Heaven and the peace of the grove
Is breathed by the soul in the reddening light.

Ah, time vanishes on dewy wing
for me, on the rocking waves;
Tomorrow, time will vanish with shimmering wings
Again, as yesterday and today,
Until I, on higher more radiant wing,
Myself vanish to the changing time.
Translation from German to English copyright © 1997 by Lynn Thompson

Irmgard Seefried (9 October 1919 24 November 1988) was a distinguished German soprano who sang opera and lieder.

Maria Theresia Irmgard Seefried was born in Köngetried, near Mindelheim, Bavaria, Germany, the daughter of educated Austrianborn parents. She studied at Augsburg University before making her debut in Aachen as the priestess in Verdi's Aida in 1940. She began to sing the leading parts in 1942 by singing the part of Agathe in Weber's Der Freischütz in 1942, and the next year she made her debut at Vienna State Opera by singing the part of Eva in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg conducted by Karl Böhm. Since then, she belonged to the ensemble of the Vienna State Opera until her retirement in 1976.

She sang at the Salzburg Festival every year from 1946 to 1964 (except 1955, 1961 and 1962) in operas (Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Pamina in The Magic Flute, Marzelline in Fidelio, and the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos), concerts and recitals.

She appeared at the Royal Opera House of Covent Garden in London from 1947 to 1949, and also La Scala in Milan, Edinburgh Festival, etc. She made her Metropolitan Opera in New York debut in November 1953 as Susanna in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and appeared there for only one season (195354), in five performances of the part of Susanna.

One of the outstanding singers to emerge immediately after the Second World War, she was noted for her Mozart and Richard Strauss roles. But she also sang in other composers' operas; the title role in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Marie in Alban Berg's Wozzeck, Eva in Meistersinger, Blanche in Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites, and the title role in Janáček's Káťa Kabanová. She was also a noted lieder singer and a number of her Salzburg Festival recitals were recorded. She left many recordings of oratorio and sacred music by Bach, Mozart, Haydn (including at least four different renditions of the Angel Gabriel in Die Schöpfung), Brahms, Fauré, Beethoven, Dvořák, and Stravinsky.

Although she was a high soprano, she performed, and recorded, two of Richard Strauss's mezzosoprano trousers roles the title role in Der Rosenkavalier and the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos.

She often sang with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, who said in interview that Seefried was naturally able to do effortlessly what other singers, including herself, worked all their lives to do.

She can be seen singing Mahler on a DVD from EMI, with Schwarzkopf and Dietrich FischerDieskau.

She was married to the Austrian violinist Wolfgang Schneiderhan from 1948 until her death.[1] They had three daughters,[2] one of which is actress Mona Seefried (born 1957).[3]

After retirement, she taught students at Vienna Music Academy and Salzburg Mozarteum. She died aged 69 in Vienna in 1988.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irmgard_...