Post tease 2: Case studies in ignorance -- Siegfried and Parsifal (continued)

Gottlob Frick as Gurnemanz -- in 1960, when he was 54; would
you believe the recording we're about to hear was made in 1971-72?
(Later we're also going to hear him from about the time of the photo.)

GURNEMANZ [to PARSIFAL]:
You could murder, here in this holy forest,
where tranquil peace surrounded you?
Did not the woodland beasts tamely come near
and innocently greet you as friends?
What did the birds sing to you from the branches?
What harm did that faithful swan do you?
Seeking his mate, he flew up
to circle with it over the lake
and gloriously to hallow the both.
This did not impress you? It but tempted you
to a wild, childish shot from your bow?
He was pleasing to us; what is he now to you?
Here -- look! -- here you struck him,
the blood still congealing, the wings drooping lifeless,
the snowy plumage stained dark,
the eyes glazed -- do you see his look?
[PARSIFAL has followed GURNEMANZ with growing emotion; now he breaks his bow and hurls his arrows away.]
Now do you appreciate your misdeed?
[PARSIFAL passes his hand over his eyes.]
Say, boy, do you realize your great guilt?
How could you commit this crime?
PARSIFAL: I didn't know.

-- translation by Lionel Salter

Gottlob Frick (bs), Gurnemanz; René Kollo (t), Parsifal; members of the Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti, cond. Decca, recorded 1971-72

by Ken

In the earlier "tease" for this week's post, I noted the connection I typically feel from the difficult-to-conceptualize ignorance of the young Siegfried and that of his Wagnerian comrade-in-arms Parsifal (even if the "arm" in question in the latter's case is a bow and arrows), but without so much as a note of the latter's music. This follow-up tease aims to set that right.

NOTE: On present schedule, look for the main post tomorrow. (I don't rule out the possibility of additions to, or other tamperings with, one or both of the teases.)


NOW WE HAVE A FULLER VERSION OF THIS EXCERPT

And as promised we're going to hear, not just Gottlob Frick's remarkable commercial recording of Gurnemanz made when he was 65-plus but an earlier live performance -- from when he was still almost six weeks shy of turning 53. It's also interesting, for me at least, to hear Karl Liebl in the title role, seeing how few commercial recordings he made. It's sentimental for me because he was the tenor of my first live Wagner opera (Walther von Stolzing in a Met Meistersinger). And of course Parsifal is one of the large number of Wagner operas Rudolf Kempe never recorded commercially, though other live performances have similarly filled some of the other gaps. I remember an interview, though, in which he said he wasn't troubled by not recording still more Wagner and Strauss operas but really regretted not being asked to recorded other operatic repertory, like Verdi!)

GURNEMANZ: Are you the one who killed this swan?
PARSIFAL: Indeed! Whatever flies I can hit in flight!
GURNEMANZ: You did this? And you're not worried by this deed?
ESQUIRES and KNIGHTS: Punish the offender!
GURNEMANZ: Unprecedented act!
You could murder, here in the holy forest,
where tranquil peace surrounded you?
Did not the woodland beasts tamely come near
and innocently greet you as friends?
What did the birds sing to you from the branches?
What harm did that faithful swan do you?
Seeking his mate, he flew up
to circle with it over the lake
and gloriously to hallow the both.
This did not impress you? It but tempted you
to a wild, childish shot from your bow?
He was pleasing to us; what is he now to you?
Here -- look! -- here you struck him,
the blood still congealing, the wings drooping lifeless,
the snowy plumage stained dark,
the eyes glazed -- do you see his look?
[PARSIFAL has followed GURNEMANZ with growing emotion; now he breaks his bow and hurls his arrows away.]
Now do you appreciate your misdeed?
[PARSIFAL passes his hand over his eyes.]
Say, boy, do you realize your great guilt?
How could you commit this crime?
PARSIFAL: I didn't know.
GURNEMANZ: Where are you from?
PARSIFAL: That I don't know.
GURNEMANZ: Who is your father?
PARSIFAL: That I don't know.
GURNEMANZ: Who sent you this way?
PARSIFAL: That I don't know.
GURNEMANZ: Your name then?
PARSIFAL: I had money,
but I don't know them anymore.
GURNEMANZ: You know nothing of anything?
[aside] Such a dullard
I have never found before save Kundry.
[to the ESQUIRES, who have assembled in increasing numbers]
Now go!
Do not neglect the king in the bath! -- Help!
[The ESQUIRES reverently lift the dead swan onto a bier of fresh branches and move away with it toward the lake. At length only GURNEMANZ, PARSIFAL, and -- apart -- KUNDRY remain behind. GURNEMANZ turns back to PARSIFAL.]
Now say! You know nothing I ask you:
tell me what you do know,
for you must surely know something.
PARSIFAL: I have a mother. Her name is Herzeleide [Heart's Suffering].
The woods and wild moors were our home.
GURNEMANZ: Who gave you the bow?
PARSIFAL: I made it myself
to score the savage eagles from the forest.
GURNEMANZ: But you yourself seem eagle-like and nobly born.
Why did your mother not let you
learn to use better weapons?

-- translation by Lionel Salter

Gottlob Frick (bs), Gurnemanz; René Kollo (t), Parsifal; members of the Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti, cond. Decca, recorded 1971-72

Gottlob Frick (bs), Gurnemanz; Karl Liebl (t), Parsifal; Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Rudolf Kempe, cond. Live performance, June 16, 1959
[NOTE: Since Frick was born July 28, 1906, this performance took place a month and 12 days before his 53rd birthday.]


AS NOTED ABOVE, LOOK FOR THE MAIN POST TOMORROW

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