Gustav Mahler’s Rueckert Lieder: If you love for beauty

Today I want to share with you one of the songs that Gustav Mahler wrote to poetry by Friedrich Rueckert. 

The poem is simple, almost childish, but the song is a masterpiece. Mahler has managed to condense in his lieder all the passion of his music, and the fact that he has not writen even one opera, being the Director of the Vienna Opera for ten years, testifies to his immense focus on lieder and song cycles.  At this point it is pertinent to note that Mahler’ smusic was not played and/or recorded much, until the 1950’s. One of the conductors who “un-earthed” Mahler was Dimitri Mitropoulos.

My mother was studying in New York in early 1950s and was a regular at Carnegie Hall, where Mitropoulos was conducting. I owe it to her that this door of humanity and civilization was opened for me at a very early stage in my life.  

 

Friedrich Rueckert : If you love for beauty (Liebst du um Schönheit)

If you love for beauty,

Oh, do not love me!

Love the sun,

She has golden hair!

If you love for youth,

Oh, do not love me!

Love the spring;

It is young every year!

If you love for treasure,

Oh, do not love me!

Love the mermaid;

She has many clear pearls!

If you love for love,

Oh yes, do love me!

Love me ever,

I’ll love you evermore!

Translation from German to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith (dksmith (AT) geneva.edu)

The clip that follows features mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirchschlager,

and is in my opinion of the best interpretations of the song.  

Liebst Du um Schönheit Angelika Kirchschlager Gustav Mahler, Fünf Lieder nach Gedichten von Friedrich Rückert Live from the Rheinvokal Festival, Mittelrheinhalle, Andernach, 19.06.2009