1.9 (above average)
Saturday 18 February 2023
Tune of the Day: Der Leiermann
from Franz Schubert's “Winterreise”, arranged for flute and piano
Franz Schubert composed his song cycle Winterreise (“Winter Journey”) for tenor voice and piano in 1827, a setting of 24 poems by German poet Wilhelm Müller.
The last song in the cycle is “Der Leiermann”, usually translated as “The Hurdy-Gurdy Man”.
There, behind the village, stands a hurdy-gurdy man;
with numb fingers he plays as best he can.
Barefoot on the ice he totters to and fro,
and his little plate remains forever empty.
No one wants to listen, no one looks at him,
and the dogs growl around the old man.
And he lets everything go on as it will;
he plays, and his hurdy-gurdy never stops.
Strange old man, shall I go with you?
Will you turn your hurdy-gurdy to my songs?
Thanks to Thibaut for suggesting this piece!