Wiegenlied (Brahms)

Ernestine Schumann-Heink, singing with an orchestral accompaniment (1915)^[1]

Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Wiegenlied" ("Lullaby"; "Cradle Song"), Op. 49, No. 4, is a lied for voice and piano by Johannes Brahms which was first published in 1868. It is one of the composer's most famous pieces.

History

Brahms based the music of his "Wiegenlied" partially on "S'Is Anderscht", a duet by Alexander Baumann [de] published in the 1840s.^[2]^[3]^[4] The cradle song was dedicated to Brahms's friend, Bertha Faber, on the occasion of the birth of her second son.^[5]^[6] Brahms had been in love with her in her youth and constructed the melody of the "Wiegenlied" to suggest, as a hidden counter-melody, a song she used to sing to him.^[7] Simrock published Brahms's Op. 49 in November 1868.^[6] The lullaby was first performed in public on 22 December 1869 in Vienna by Luise Dustmann (singer) and Clara Schumann (piano).^[6]^[8]

Song

The song has been described as deceptively simple.^[3] In its original publication, it only had a single verse.^[6]

Lyrics

The lyrics are from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, a collection of German folk poems:^[7]^[9]

Guten Abend, gut' Nacht,
mit Rosen bedacht,
mit Näglein besteckt,
schlupf' unter die Deck':
Morgen früh, wenn Gott will,
wirst du wieder geweckt.

Good evening, good night,
With roses covered,
With cloves adorned,
Slip under the covers.
Tomorrow morning, if God wills,
you will wake once again.

—First edition (1868)

—Translation

Later,^[when?] Brahms adapted a second verse from an 1849 poem by Georg Scherer [de]:^[5]^[6]^[3]

Guten Abend, gut' Nacht,
von Englein bewacht,
die zeigen im Traum
dir Christkindleins Baum:
schlaf nun selig und süß,
schau im Traum 's Paradies.

Good evening, good night.
By angels watched,
Who show you in your dream
the Christ-child's tree.
Sleep now blissfully and sweetly,
see paradise in your dreams.

—Georg Scherer (1849)

—Translation

Melody

$\relative g' {\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute" \key es \major \time 3/4 \autoBeamOff \partial 4 g8 g | bes4. g8 g4 | bes r g8[_( bes)] | es4 d4. c8 | c4( bes) f8[_( g)] |aes4 f f8[_( g)] | aes4 r f8[_( aes)] | d[_( c)] bes4 d | es r es,8 es | es'2 c8 aes | bes2 g8 es | aes4 bes c | \appoggiatura g8 bes2 es,8 es | es'2 c8 aes | bes2 g8 es | \afterGrace aes4( { bes16[ aes]) } g4 f | es2 \bar "|." } \addlyrics { Gu -- ten A -- bend, gut' Nacht, mit Ro -- sen be -- dacht, mit Näg -- lein be -- steckt, schlupf un -- ter die Deck': Mor -- gen früh, wenn Gott will, wirst du wie -- der ge -- weckt, mor -- gen früh, wenn Gott will, wirst du wie -- der ge -- weckt. }$

In 1877, Brahms based the second theme of the first movement of his Second Symphony on the lullaby's tune.^[10] The melody is first introduced in bar 82 and continues to develop throughout the movement.^[11]

Reception

The "Wiegenlied" is one of Brahms's most popular songs.^[5]

Arrangements

"Guten Abend, gute Nacht"

Played on a musical clock

Problems playing this file? See media help.

In 1922, Australian pianist and composer Percy Grainger arranged the "Wiegenlied" as one of his "Free Settings of Favorite Melodies" for solo piano. This study was characterized by much use of suspensions and arpeggiation, with the first statement of the melody placed in the tenor range of the keyboard. This last practice was a favorite one of Grainger.^[12]

Cultural references

A 1936 biographical film of Brahms with Albert Florath as the composer, took its title from the opening lines of this song, Guten Abend, gute Nacht.^[13]

Wendy Cope's poem "Brahms Cradle Song" refers to this song.^[14]

Cultural interpretations

In an article published in 2005, Karen Bottge analysed Brahms's "Wiegenlied" as an expression of the maternal voice, basing her reflections on writings by theorists such as Friedrich Kittler, Michel Chion, Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, and Theodor W. Adorno.^[3]

Recordings

Recordings include:

1958 Joni James – recorded for her album Among My Souvenirs.^[15]^{[unreliable source]}
1962 Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano) and Gerald Moore on Testament Records (UK) 1206.^[16]^{[failed verification]}
1989 Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) and Bengt Forsberg (piano) on Deutsche Grammophon 429727.^[17]
1994 Kenny G – recorded as instrumental "Brahms Lullaby" for his album Miracles: The Holiday Album.^[18]^{[unreliable source]}
2013 Bernarda Fink (mezzo-soprano) and Roger Vignoles (piano).^[19]

Recordings of Brahms's "Wiegenlied"
Rec.	Singer	V. type	Instr.	I. type	Cond. (arr.)	Time	Issuer	Released
1915	Schumann-Heink, Ernestine	contralto	N.N.	orchestra	N.N.	2:06	Nimbus	1990-07^[1]
1935-02-26	Schumann, Elisabeth	soprano	Reeves, George	piano	—	1:35	Naxos	2006-05^[20]^[21]
1937-03-11	Schumann, Elisabeth	soprano	N.N.	orchestra	Goehr, Walter	1:59	Naxos	2006-05^[20]^[21]
1941-05-23	Crosby, Bing	vocals^[a]	Trotter orchestra	orchestra	Trotter, John Scott	2:46	MCA	1993^[22]
1954-06-16	Crosby, Bing	vocals^[a]	Cole Trio	jazz trio	Cole, Buddy	1:27	MCA	1993^[22]
1941-11-12	Lehmann, Lotte	soprano	Ulanowsky, Paul	piano	—	2:17	Eklipse	1993-07^[23]
1943-12-12			SFS	orchestra	Monteux, Pierre	2:07	Eklipse	1993-07^[24]
1947-12-22			N.N.	orchestra	Armbruster, Robert	2:43	Naxos	2007-11^[25]^[26]
1948-08-05			N.N.	orchestra	Ormandy, Eugene	3:12	Eklipse	1993-07^[24]
1950-02-12			Walter, Bruno	piano	—	1:47	Eklipse	1995-09^[27]
1944-12-03	Sinatra, Frank^[b]	vocals	35 instrumentalists	orchestra	Stordahl, Axel	3:06	Columbia	1993-10-05^[28]
1953-02-03	Clooney, Rosemary	vocals^[c]	Faith orchestra	orchestra	Faith, Percy	2:43	Columbia	1953-02^[29]^[30]
1979-11	Fischer-Dieskau, Dietrich	baritone	Barenboim, Daniel	piano	—	1:24	DG	1983^[31]
2001-04	—		Lane, Piers	piano	(Grainger, Percy)	3:41	Hyperion	2002-06^[32]

Notes

^ English version: "Brahms's Lullaby" (translated by Natalia Macfarren).^[22]
^ Sinatra also sang Brahms's "Cradle Song" on V-Discs: recorded 8 July 1944 (two takes of Axel Stordahl's arrangement, released on The Columbia Years 1943–1952: The V-Discs and The Real Complete Columbia Years V-Discs) and 23 October 1944 (Raymond Paige's arrangement).^[28]
^ English lyrics, "Close Your Eyes", by William Engvick.^[29]

References

^ ^a ^b Schumann-Heink: Prima voce at www.muziekweb.nl
^ Schmidt 1844.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Bottge 2005.
^ Berry 2014, pp. 63ff.
^ ^a ^b ^c Liebergen 2005.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Opus 49, Fünf Lieder für eine Singstimme und Klavier at Brahms-Institut (Lübeck) website.
^ ^a ^b Swafford 1999, p. 338.
^ McCorkle, Margit L. (1984). Johannes Brahms. Thematisch-bibliographisches Werkverzeichnis. Munich: Henle. p. 197. ISBN 3-87328-041-8.
^ Arnim 1808, p. 68.
^ Taller 2017.
^ Dotsey, Calvin (22 October 2019). "Et in Arcadia ego: Brahms' Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 73". Houston Symphony. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
^ Ould 2002, p. 5.
^ Guten Abend, gute Nacht at IMDb
^ Family Values by Wendy Cope – review, The Guardian, 23 April 2011, accessed 3 November 2018.
^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
^ "Elisabeth Schwarzkopf – Lieder & Songs 1955-1964". ArkivMusic. Archived from the original on 29 May 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
^ "All Music Guide to Classical Music: The Definitive Guide to Classical Music"
^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
^ Brahms Lieder, review by Richard Wigmore, Gramophone
^ Forsling 2007.
^ Elisabeth Schumann: Lieder recordings (1930-1938) at www.muziekweb.nl.
^ ^a ^b Macfarlane 2020.
^ Lotte Lehmann: The Complete 1941 Radio Recital Cycle at www.muziekweb.nl.
^ ^a ^b Lotte Lehmann in Concert: 1943-1950 at www.muziekweb.nl.
^ Forsling 2008.
^ Lotte Lehmann: Lieder Recordings, Vol. 6 – 1947 & 1949 at www.muziekweb.nl.
^ Lotte Lehmann: The Town Hall Recitals at www.muziekweb.nl.
^ ^a ^b Albin 2018.
^ ^a ^b Brahms' Lullaby (Close Your Eyes) by Rosemary Clooney; Percy Faith and his Orchestra; William Engvick; Brahms – Columbia at Internet Archive website.
^ Crossland & Macfarlane 2013, p. 192.
^ Track-Informationen BRAHMS EDITION V Lieder Download 449 6332: Details zu Künstler und Repertoire at Deutsche Grammophon website.
^ Ould 2002.

Sources

Albin, Steve (21 November 2018). "Frank Sinatra Discography: The Columbia Years, 1942–1946". www.jazzdiscography.com.
Arnim, Achim von, ed. (1808). "Kinderlieder: Anhang zum Wunderhorn" [Children's songs: Appendix to the Wunderhorn]. Des Knaben Wunderhorn: Alte deutsche Lieder [The boy's magic horn: old German songs] (in German). Vol. III. Heidelberg: Mohr und Zimmer. pp. 1–103.
Berry, Paul (2014). "Ch. 1: Old Melodies, New Identities". Brahms Among Friends: Listening, Performance, and the Rhetoric of Allusion. AMS Studies in Music. OUP. pp. 41–72. ISBN 9780199982646.
Bottge, Karen (2005). "Brahms's "Wiegenlied" and the Maternal Voice". 19th-Century Music. 28 (3): 185–213. doi:10.1525/ncm.2005.28.3.185.
Crossland, Ken; Macfarlane, Malcolm (2013). "Appendix A: Rosemary Clooney on Record". Late Life Jazz: The Life and Career of Rosemary Clooney. New York: OUP. pp. 187–220. ISBN 978-0-19-979857-5.
Forsling, Göran (2007). "CD Review: Elisabeth Schumann – Lieder Recordings 1930–1938". www.musicweb-international.com.
Forsling, Göran (2008). "CD Review: Lotte Lehmann: Lieder Recordings, Vol. 6 – 1947 & 1949". www.musicweb-international.com.
Liebergen, Patrick M., ed. (2005). "Wiegenlied (Lullaby): Johannes Brahms". Singer's Library of Song: A Vocal Anthology of Masterworks and Folk Songs from the Medieval Era Through the Twentieth Century. Alfred Music. pp. 48–52. ISBN 978-0-7390-3659-4.
Macfarlane, Malcolm, ed. (23 January 2020). "A Bing Crosby Discography – part 1b: Commercial Recordings – The Decca Years". BING magazine. International Club Crosby.
Ould, Barry Peter (2002). Percy Grainger: Rambles and Reflections (Media notes). Piers Lane (piano). Hyperion. CDA67279.
Schmidt, August [in German] (14 May 1844). "Revue: im Stich erschienener Musikalien. Gebirgs-Bleameln, sechs Lieder in österreichischer Mundart für eine oder zwei Singstimmen mit Begleitung des Pianoforte, nach National-Melodien gedichtet und herausgegeben von Alexander Baumann. II. Heft. (3. Werk.) Wien bei Anton Diabelli & Comp" [Review of engraved music publications: Gebirgs-Bleameln, six songs in Austrian dialect for one or two singing voices, with pianoforte accompaniment, written after national melodies and published by Alexander Baumann, 2nd volume (Op. 3). Vienna: Anton Diabelli & Co.]. Allgemeine Wiener Musik-Zeitung [wikisource:de] (in German). IV (58). Vienna: Mechetti: 231–232.
Swafford, Jan (1999). Johannes Brahms: A Biography. Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0-679-74582-2.
Taller, Ellen (2017). "Johannes Brahms: Eine Sinfonie aus der Sommerfrische" [Johannes Brahms: a symphony from summer freshness]. www.sinfonia-engiadina.ch (in German).

External links

J. Brahms: 5 Songs, Op. 49: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Wiegenlied, op.49, nr.4, "Guten Abend, gut Nacht" at www.muziekweb.nl (recordings) (in Dutch)

[23] English version: "Brahms's Lullaby" (translated by Natalia Macfarren).^[22]

[30] Sinatra also sang Brahms's "Cradle Song" on V-Discs: recorded 8 July 1944 (two takes of Axel Stordahl's arrangement, released on The Columbia Years 1943–1952: The V-Discs and The Real Complete Columbia Years V-Discs) and 23 October 1944 (Raymond Paige's arrangement).^[28]

[32] English lyrics, "Close Your Eyes", by William Engvick.^[29]

[Heink-1] Schumann-Heink: Prima voce at www.muziekweb.nl

[FOOTNOTESchmidt1844-2] Schmidt 1844.

[FOOTNOTEBottge2005-3] Bottge 2005.

[FOOTNOTEBerry2014[httpsbooksgooglecombooksidQPdwBAAAQBAJpgPA63_63ff]-4] Berry 2014, pp. 63ff.

[FOOTNOTELiebergen2005-5] Liebergen 2005.

[Institut-6] Opus 49, Fünf Lieder für eine Singstimme und Klavier at Brahms-Institut (Lübeck) website.

[FOOTNOTESwafford1999338-7] Swafford 1999, p. 338.

[8] McCorkle, Margit L. (1984). Johannes Brahms. Thematisch-bibliographisches Werkverzeichnis. Munich: Henle. p. 197. ISBN 3-87328-041-8.

[FOOTNOTEArnim1808[httpsbooksgooglecombooksidlVIuAAAAMAAJpgRA1-PA68_68]-9] Arnim 1808, p. 68.

[FOOTNOTETaller2017-10] Taller 2017.

[11] Dotsey, Calvin (22 October 2019). "Et in Arcadia ego: Brahms' Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 73". Houston Symphony. Retrieved 18 May 2023.

[FOOTNOTEOuld20025-12] Ould 2002, p. 5.

[13] Guten Abend, gute Nacht at IMDb

[14] Family Values by Wendy Cope – review, The Guardian, 23 April 2011, accessed 3 November 2018.

[15] "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved 22 June 2017.

[16] "Elisabeth Schwarzkopf – Lieder & Songs 1955-1964". ArkivMusic. Archived from the original on 29 May 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2020.

[17] "All Music Guide to Classical Music: The Definitive Guide to Classical Music"

[18] "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved 11 November 2019.

[19] Brahms Lieder, review by Richard Wigmore, Gramophone

[FOOTNOTEForsling2007-20] Forsling 2007.

[21] Elisabeth Schumann: Lieder recordings (1930-1938) at www.muziekweb.nl.

[FOOTNOTEMacfarlane2020-22] Macfarlane 2020.

[24] Lotte Lehmann: The Complete 1941 Radio Recital Cycle at www.muziekweb.nl.

[LLiC-25] Lotte Lehmann in Concert: 1943-1950 at www.muziekweb.nl.

[FOOTNOTEForsling2008-26] Forsling 2008.

[27] Lotte Lehmann: Lieder Recordings, Vol. 6 – 1947 & 1949 at www.muziekweb.nl.

[28] Lotte Lehmann: The Town Hall Recitals at www.muziekweb.nl.

[FOOTNOTEAlbin2018-29] Albin 2018.

[ClooneyIA-31] Brahms' Lullaby (Close Your Eyes) by Rosemary Clooney; Percy Faith and his Orchestra; William Engvick; Brahms – Columbia at Internet Archive website.

[FOOTNOTECrosslandMacfarlane2013[httpsbooksgooglecombooksidu3YUPNzAMX4CpgPA192_192]-33] Crossland & Macfarlane 2013, p. 192.

[34] Track-Informationen BRAHMS EDITION V Lieder Download 449 6332: Details zu Künstler und Repertoire at Deutsche Grammophon website.

[FOOTNOTEOuld2002-35] Ould 2002.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[a]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[b]

[28]

[c]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

v t e Johannes Brahms
List of compositions
Orchestral works	Academic Festival Overture Serenades Symphony No. 1 in C minor Symphony No. 2 in D major Symphony No. 3 in F major Symphony No. 4 in E minor Tragic Overture Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Concertante	Double Concerto Piano Concerto No. 1 Piano Concerto No. 2 Violin Concerto
Vocal works with orchestra	A German Requiem Alto Rhapsody Gesang der Parzen Nänie Rinaldo Schicksalslied Triumphlied
Chamber music	Cello Sonata No. 1 Cello Sonata No. 2 Clarinet Quintet Clarinet Sonatas Clarinet Trio Horn Trio Piano Quartet No. 1 Piano Quartet No. 2 Piano Quartet No. 3 Piano Quintet Piano Trio No. 1 Piano Trio No. 2 Piano Trio No. 3 String Quartet No. 3 String Quintet No. 1 String Quintet No. 2 String Sextet No. 1 String Sextet No. 2 Two String Quartets, Op. 51 Violin Sonata No. 1 Violin Sonata No. 2 Violin Sonata No. 3
Piano works	Ballades, Op. 10 Fantasies, Op. 116 Four Pieces for Piano, Op. 119 Hungarian Dances Piano Sonata No. 1 Piano Sonata No. 2 Piano Sonata No. 3 Rhapsodies, Op. 79 Six Pieces for Piano, Op. 118 Sixteen Waltzes, Op. 39 Three Intermezzi for piano, Op. 117 Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Variations on a Theme of Paganini
Other compositions	Eleven Chorale Preludes Fest- und Gedenksprüche Fünf Gesänge, Op. 104 Fünf Lieder, Op. 105 Geistliches Lied Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op. 52 Neue Liebeslieder Two Motets, Op. 74 Two Songs for Voice, Viola and Piano, Op. 91 Vier ernste Gesänge "Wiegenlied (Lullaby)", Op. 49, no. 4 Zigeunerlieder
Collaborations	F-A-E Sonata
Named for Brahms	1818 Brahms Brahms (crater) Brahms Inlet
Related articles	Brahms House (Baden-Baden) Brahms Museum (Hamburg) Brahms Museum, Mürzzuschlag Brahms guitar Brahms-Institut Brahms-Preis German Romanticism International Johannes Brahms Competition Musical cryptogram Three Bs Op. 120, No. 1 (Berio)
Category Audio

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	Germany United States Israel
Other	MusicBrainz work