DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER

Audio of the Month, May 2007

Opera by Richard Wagner
The Steersman's aria: "Mit gewitter und sturm aus fernem Meer"

The Flying Dutchman. Pastel by Larry Moore for the Orlando Opera. Source: scotthull.com

"The form of 'The Flying Dutchman' is the mythical poem of the folk: a primeval trait of man's essential is expressed here with overwhelming power. This trait, in its widest sense, is the longing for peace from life's storms."

Richard Wagner

- The Opera -

'The Flying Dutchman' was one of Wagner's early operas at a time when he was desperately trying to establish his reputation and undoubtedly he chose the subject with an eye to its popular appeal.  But this is only half the story.  Wagner was, as well, genuinely fascinated by the implications of the legend and identified strongly with them. The story had already attracted considerable attention before Wagner chose it for his opera.  He based his libretto on the version that had already appeared in the poet Heinrich Heine's 'salon' in 1834.  The story of 'The Flying Dutchman had first appeared in print in 1821 in Blackwood's Magazine and many forms of it were subsequently published in France, England and Germany. The legend itself is much older. The figure of Vanderdecken, the Dutchman in Spanish Costume, suggests a date in the seventeenth century. The folklorist R. Engert (Die Sage vom Fliegenden Hollander), had however, pointed out features which would suggest that this is just an indication of a much older theme. Vanderdecken's fatal oath, made in the teeth of a violent storm, that he would round the Cape of Good Hope even if this should take him to the day of Judgement, is similar to the one said to have been made by the intrepid Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in 1498 when he rounded the Cape for the first time, but it may even go back to another group of dauntless explorers ... the Vikings.  

The interest in putting it into written form then elaborating it in the early nineteenth Century reflects the fashion of the period for the collection of folk tales; a vogue which leaves us grateful for many magnificent collections particularly from Germany and Scandinavia, including the works of the Brothers Grimm in Germany. The originals of what we now know of as 'Grimm's Fairy Tales'  were by no means as charming and harmless as we now see them.  In weaving them into a series of children's bedtime stories, the Grimm Brothers considerably cleaned up and sanitized some quite sinister and frightening aspects of German Folk literature and later writers were drawn to the way in which the fantasy of folk tales took on levels of experience normally closed to more rational discussions. Wagner also took on this concern for the national and psychological growth of the myth and in the case of 'the mythical poem', The Flying Dutchman, it is the psychological rather than the national, that emerges.  

In the traditional version of the legend, the Dutchman's ship brings death or misfortune to those who encounter her. In re-working the theme, Wagner appears to have been encouraged through the examples of German poets such as Goethe, Schiller and Gottfried Burger, by sharing their interests in the fantasy and emotional elements in the traditional stories. In the

Richard Wagner

case of The Flying Dutchman this led to an important shift in emphasis. In the legend, he is no hero but a warning against the consequences of breaking the natural law. In the Romantic treatment of the theme, by contrast, the Dutchman is given a more sympathetic viewing as the painfulness of his punishment is dwelt upon and he is given the hope of Salvation.  'Faust' was particularly in Wagner's mind when he was completing The Flying Dutchman.  He had in fact just completed a 'Faust' overture that sets the musical style of The Flying Dutchman. The idea of Vanderdecken's release from his curse through the faithful love of Senta runs in parallel with the conclusion of Goethe's 'Faust' who is redeemed through the intercession of Gretchen. The idea that the Dutchman was saved through the love of a woman had been included by Heine and while this may have been deliberate, it was seized upon by Wagner who developed it with enthusiasm.  While there are certain parallels between Heine and Wagner, who were both German exiles living in Paris at the time, their respective treatment of the myth is quite different. Salvation, for Heine, is not to be taken seriously but for Wagner it was a different matter. All irony is removed in his adaption of Heine's story for in a sense, he was reclaiming the story for Romanticism.

While Romanticism had all but run its course in Literature, it was still a force to be reckoned with in Music. The opera ends with the Dutchman's death, which is seen as a release and a fulfilment.  Once again this was a pivotal idea for German Romantic writers for only beyond mortal existence is it possible for the spirit to be fully absorbed.  Even in the original legend, the Dutchman's goal is death and Wagner drew his ultimate inspiration from the psychological roots of the myth.  For all his fascination with the sounds of the sea and the storm, it is his insight into the human qualities of his characters, and from the very first moment of the appearance of the Dutchman's ship, death and redemption can be the only conclusion to the opera.

*

It is interesting to learn that The Flying Dutchman was originally set in Scotland. The manuscript of the opera, now in the Bayreuth Archives, sets the scene as 'The Scottish Coast.'  Senta's fiance is a huntman named George and her father is named Donald, the Skipper of a ship manned by Scottish sailors.  In the opening scene, Donald's ship drops anchor near to a coastal village named Holystrand, a typically sounding Scottish name and Donald greet the Dutchman in the third scene with the line 'Gastfreundschaft kennt der Schotte.'  This is consistent with Heine's poem which also dictates that his flying Dutchman comes ashore in Scotland where he meets 'a Scottish Businessman.'  This all fits in very nicely with the fashionable attraction that Scotland had at that time with its wild landscape, eerie castles and general air of mystery.

However, two months before the Dresden premiere on January 2nd, 1843, Wagner changed the location of the opera from Scotland to Norway.  It caused him a great deal of work:  not only did he have to go through the entire score, changing the names of his characters and many of the stage directions, he also had to alter the vocal scores and many of the cues in the orchestral parts which had already been copied for the rehearsals.  So why did Wagner make such changes at such a late stage?  Had German operagoers lost their interest in Scotland and all things Scottish?  Did they prefer such Scandinavian names such as 'Sandwike' and Eric?  (Instead of Holystrand and George)? There was a much more earthy and financial reason in that Wagner wanted to highlight the autobiographical significance of The Flying Dutchman.  Only a few weeks after the premiere, Wagner published a substantial essay entitled 'Autobiographical Sketch' which contained a colourful account of an adventurous sea voyage along the Norwegian coast which Wagner had undertaken on his way to Paris shortly before beginning work on The Flying Dutchman. What could have been more effective than to give the opera such an atmosphere?  "The voyage through Norwegian reefs" Wagner wrote, "made a wonderful impression on my imagination.  The legend of 'The Flying Dutchman' which the sailors verified, took on a strange distinctive colouring that only my sea adventures could have given it."      

- The Aria -

The Steersman's aria "Mit gewitter und sturm aus fernem Meer"  

The opera opens with terrible weather and a storm. Daland's ship has just made landfall in Sandwike Bay. The ship is secured and Daland and the sailors are below sleeping, leaving only the weary steersman to keep watch. He yawns and shakes himself awake:  

Mit Gewitter und Sturm aus fermen Meer ...
In the teeth of the storm across the seas ...

mein Mädel, bin dir nah!
my darling, I am near!

Über turmhohe Flut vom Süden her -
Over towering waves the Southern breeze -

mein Mädel, ich bin da!
my darling, brought me here!

Mein Mädel, wenn nich Südwind wär', 
My darling, when the wind is North,

ich nmmer wohl käm' zu dir;
how lonely we both must be:

Ach, lieber Südwind, blas' noch mehr!
Oh gentle South wind, blow once more!

Mein Mädel verlangt nach mir.
My darling is calling me.  

 

A large wave rocks the ship.  The steerman gets up to see if any damage has been done, then satisfied, settles down again.

 

Von des Südens Gestad', aus weitem Land -
As I walked on a lonly Southern sand -

ich hab' an dich gedacht;
I stopped and thought of you;

durch Gewitter und Meer vom Mohrenstrand
through the storms of that distant Moorish land

hab' dir 'was mitgebracht
a gift I brought for you.

Mein Mädel, preis' den Südwind hoch
My darling may that wind not fail

ich bring' dir ein gülden band.
I've brought you a golden ring.

Ach, lieber Südwind, blase doch!  
Oh gentle Southwind, fill our sail!

Mein Mädel hatt' gern den Tand. 
I'll marry my darling.

He struggles against his exhaustion but finally falls asleep. The sea is once more restless, it grows darker and the storm picks up again.  In the distance, The Flying Dutchman's ship appear with blood-red sails and black masts.  It quickly approaches the coast and rides alongside the Norwegian vessel.  The anchor drops with a terrifying crash.  The steersman gets up and looks at the wheel, convinced that nothing has happened, he sits down again and hums the start of his song.  He falls asleep again.  Without the slightest sound, the ghostly crew of the Dutchman's berth their ship. The Dutchman in black Spanish costume, comes on land.  

- The Tenors -

[01] Gerhard Unger (1916-). Studied at the College of Music, Berlin, but his debut was delayed by WW2 until 1945.  He sang in oratorio and concert initially then on stage at the National Theatre, Weimar until 1952, when he moved to the Berlin State Opera.  He became a member of the Stuttgart State Opera in 1961 and of the Hamburg State Opera from 1962 to 1973.  His career has mainly been in Germany but he has also performed in Italy, Belgium and South America.

[02] Richard Lewis (1914-1990). Studied with T.W. Evans then Norman Allin at the Royal Manchester School of music between1934 -1941 and at the Royal Academy of Music, London, in 1945.  His operatic career began in 1939 with the Carl Rosa Touring Opera company then WW2 interrupted his studies.  From 1947 he sang frequently at Glyndebourne and Covent Garden and made his U.S. debut with the San Fransico Opera in 1955 and remained there intil 1960, appearing regularly as a guest artist until 1968.  He was also a renowned oratorio and concert artist.

[03] Werner Krenn:  (b. 21.9.43) Born in Vienna. He was initialy a chorister in the Vienna Boys Choir and later studied bassoon.  He became 1st bassoonist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra from 1962 to 1966.  He studied singing with Elizabeth Rado in Vienna and made his operatic debut in Purcell's 'The Fairy Queen'.  He sang regularly with the Vienna State Opera then with the Scottish Opera asnd has appeared frequently as a concert and oratorio singer.  He has made a number of recordings of Bach Cantatas and other vocal works.

[04] Thomas Moser  (b. 27.5.1945) This American tenor studied at the Richmond Professional Institute in Virginia, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Academy of the West in Santa Barbara.  In 1974, he was a winner in the Metropolitan Opera auditions.  He has sung at Munich and Vienna, at La Scala Milan and Rome, and has been a guest artist at major opera houses throughout Europe.  He has also appeared at the Royal Opera house, Covent Garden and has performed widely throughout the U.S.A with the world's leading conductors.

[05] Harald Ek. Swedish tenor. Originally from Jönköping but trained in Gothenburg where he made his stage debut at the Stora Teatret in 1966 in Lehár's Lustigen Witwe. Engagements in Europe followed: The Bern Opera, Swizterland (1969-72), Hamburger Staatsoper (1972-75), Zürich Opera (1975-80), before returning to Gothenburg in 1982. Ek enjoyed guest performances at the Staatsoper in Vienna, in Frankfurt, Munich and Stockholm. He recorded the role of Stressman in the Flying Dutchman for Deutsche Grammophon in 1971 under Karl Böhm, live from the Bayreuth Festival. (JA)

[06] Robert Schunk. German tenor from Neu-Isenburg. He studied at the Frankfurt Music College and made his debut at the Staatsoper of Karlsruhe. Since 1977 he has been attached to the Bayruth Festival Ensemble. He has covered most of the major roles in the German heroic tenor category, and has performed under conductors such as Solti, Barenboim und Sawallisch, and be heard on Solti's recording of Beethoven's 9th symphony, a 1985 Dutchman from the Bayreut Festival and Sawallisch' recording of Die Walküre. Robert Schunk is currently teaching singing at the Cologne Music College, Aachen branch. (JA)

- Audio -

Mit gewitter und sturm aus fernem Meer

(1) Gerhard Unger (1968)
(2) Richard Lewis (1961)
(3) Werner Krenn (1976)
(4) Thomas Moser (-)
(5) Harald Ek (1971)
(6) Robert Schunk (1985)

(7) Mystery Voice

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