background
Im Treibhaus (In the Greenhouse) is a song by German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883), one of the most influential figures in the history of Western classical music. This piece is part of his Wesendonck-Lieder, a cycle of five songs Wagner composed in 1857-1858. The lyrics for these songs were written by Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of one of Wagner’s patrons, Otto Wesendonck.
The lyrics of Im Treibhaus describe the mournful atmosphere of a greenhouse, where plants long for freedom from the outside world. This theme of longing and unattainable dreams is characteristic of the Wesendonck-Lieder and reflects Wagner’s own emotional state during this period of his life. The Wesendonck-Lieder also offer a fascinating insight into Wagner’s development as a composer. The music of these songs contains many elements that would later flourish fully in his opera Tristan und Isolde. In fact, Wagner himself considered two of the songs in the cycle, including Im Treibhaus, as studies for Tristan und Isolde.
Im Treibhaus was performed by Cappella Amsterdam led by conductor Daniel Reuss in concert series Kafka. At the request of Cappella Amsterdam, the concert was filmed by production company MILLK in De Vereeniging, Nijmegen. The audio is recorded by A-A-AUDIO.
lyrics
Schweigend neiget ihr die Zweige,
Malet Zeichen in die Luft,
Und der Leiden stummer Zeuge
Steiget aufwärts, süßer Duft.
Weit in sehnendem Verlangen
Breitet ihr die Arme aus
Und umschlinget wahnbefangen
Öder Leere nicht’gen Graus.
Wohl ich weiß es, arme Pflanze:
Ein Geschicke teilen wir,
Ob umstrahlt von Licht und Glanze,
Unsre Heimat is nicht hier!
Und wie froh die Sonne scheidet
Von des Tages leerem Schein,
Hüllet der, der wahrhaft leidet,
Sich in Schweigens Dunkel ein.
Stille wird’s, ein säuselnd Weben
Füllet bang den dunklen Raum:
Schwere Tropfen seh’ ich schweben
An der Blätter grünem Saum.
performers
Cappella Amsterdam
Daniel Reuss conductor
