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ADD: Song of the Flea (Goethe/Mussorgsky)
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ADD: Song of the Flea (Goethe/Mussorgsky) |
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Subject: RE: ADD: Song of the Flea (Goethe/Mussorgsky) From: keberoxu Date: 23 Jan 19 - 02:39 PM The late lamented MGM-Lion posted a link to the performance that went into the Hall of Fame, by Feodor Chaliapin -- and the link doesn't work for me; so try Chaliapin, with piano accompaniment (Mussorgsky). Chaliapin does some grandstanding at the very end of the song, singing something rather more than Mussorgsky composed ... but he's a legend. He can get away with it. |
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Subject: RE: ADD: Song of the Flea (Goethe/Mussorgsky) From: keberoxu Date: 23 Jan 19 - 02:31 PM Do we have a link to the Song of the Flea sung by Peter Dawson? Well, if this thread didn't have the link before, there it is -- the English words are from the Rosa Newmarch translation, in an earlier post on this thread. |
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Subject: RE: ADD: Song of the Flea (Goethe/Mussorgsky) From: keberoxu Date: 23 Jan 19 - 02:17 PM Brace yourselves, cartoon fans, because you haven't lived until you have heard the Russian lyrics that Mussorgsky set, sung DOWN several keys in the basso profundo register, by none other than Paul Robeson. |
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Subject: RE: ADD: Song of the Flea (Goethe/Mussorgsky) From: keberoxu Date: 23 Jan 19 - 02:02 PM There is quite a story behind the career of Russian classical singer Boris Gmyrya, a native of the Ukraine; I won't tell it here. Gmyrya was a singing actor comparable to Chaliapin -- yes, really -- but in more recent times, and on better high-fidelity studio recordings. Here is Boris Gmyrya, accompanied by Lev Ostrin, in a very brisk performance of the Mussorgsky's Song of the Flea. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song of the Flea From: GUEST,keberoxu Date: 22 Jan 19 - 10:10 PM Wuss that I am, this time I won't bother with the ha ha ha's and the little asides. SONG OF MEPHISTOPHELES IN AUERBACH'S CELLAR, FROM GOETHE'S FAUST. English by M. C. H. Collet. There lived a king of old time, Who kept a monstrous flea. And had it been his own son, No dearer could he be. The king, he called his tailor, And thus he gave the word: "Now cut me hose and tunic For this great Prussian lord." A robe of silken velvet, Exceeding rare, was brought, The flea was dressed and given Chancellor's rank at court. He had a cross of honour, And wore a golden star, And all the other fleas came To court from near and far. And all the lords and ladies, And all the squires and knights, The Queen and all her maidens Were itching from the bites. They durst not lift a finger, They durst not even scratch; Such pests who worry us, though, We crack with quick dispatch! -- Music printed by permission of W. Bessel & Co., Paris. Distributor: J. and W. Chester, London. 1923. Gives the lyric in three languages: Russian, French, and English. |
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Subject: RE: lyr req: Song of the Flea From: keberoxu Date: 22 Jan 19 - 11:22 AM Mussorgaky's recital song -- he wrote the song by itself, this composer did NOT make an opera out of Goethe's Faust, as other composers did -- has been so popular, that numerous English translations, singable ones, exist. This one comes from a published vocal-piano score of Mussorgsky, Rosa Newmarch wrote the English here. SONG OF MEPHISTOPHELES IN AUERBACH'S CELLAR, FROM GOETHE'S 'FAUST.' Once long ago a King lived, Who kept such a fine fat flea. What -- a flea? What -- a flea! And cherish'd him as dearly As tho' a son were he. A flea! Ha ha ha ha ha! a flea! Ha ha ha ha ha! a flea! He sent for his own tailor, Who came to court in haste: "Now, cut my flea a doublet, And clothe him in good taste!" With very good taste! Ha ha ha ha ha! a flea? Ha ha ha ha ha! a flea! Ha ha, ha ha! ha ha ha ha ha! A flea of taste! Our flea is dress'd in velvet, And silks of golden hue, A riband o'er his shoulder, A jewell'd order too! Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha! a flea! Ha ha, ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha! a flea! A minister they made him, A diamond star he wore, And all his poor relations Got orders galore! Ha ha! The courtiers, male and female, They were no longer gay, The Queen and all her ladies Were pestered night and day! Ha ha! To scratch they were forbidden; They had to bear the prick, But we, when we are bitten, Know how to scratch and kick! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! -- This edition has the text in English only. Online at the Petrucci Music Library website. |
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Subject: RE: lyr req: Song of the Flea From: keberoxu Date: 18 Jan 19 - 07:40 PM Accompanist Gerald Moore is back with a different bass, performing the Mussorgsky Song of the Flea. |
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Subject: RE: lyr req: Song of the Flea From: keberoxu Date: 18 Jan 19 - 07:13 PM Is this not a timely piece of literature? In Goethe's Faust, this satire is sung by Mephistopheles to stir up trouble of some kind, but I am very vague on how this figures in the drama's plot. Because Mephistopheles is the singer, composers from Beethoven to Mussorgsky tend to hear a sinister bass-baritone voice in their minds' ear. "Seid ihr wohl gar ein Virtuos'?" one character asks Mephistopheles, about his ability to sing. "O nein!" retorts Mephistopheles, "Die Kraft ist schwach, allein die Lust ist gross." And launches his Song of the Flea. Es war einmal ein König, Der hatt' einen großen Floh, Den liebt' er gar nicht wenig, Als wie seinen eig'nen Sohn. Da rief er seinen Schneider, Der Schneider kam heran: Da, miß dem Junker Kleider, Und miß ihm Hosen an! In Sammet und im Seide War er nun angethan, Hatte Bänder auf dem Kleide, Hatt' auch ein Kreuz daran, Und war sogleich Minister, Und hatt' einen großen Stern. Da wurden seine Geschwister Bei Hof' auch große Herrn. Und Herrn und Frau'n am Hofe, Die waren sehr geplagt, Die Königin und die Zofe Gestochen und genagt, Und durften sie nicht knicken, Und weg sie jucken nicht. Wir knicken und ersticken Doch gleich, wenn einer sticht. By Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This song lyric appears in Faust. Eine Tragödie, erster Theil, Stuttgart: Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1833. ...yes, I said Beethoven, above. Being German, Beethoven set Goethe's very words. There are many performances of Beethoven's "Der Floh" (opus 75, no. 3) out there, recorded and represented on YouTube videos and so on. This is one of the more rambunctious performances. The performers are bass-baritone Walter Berry, accompanied by Gerald Moore. And at the end of the song, when Beethoven lets the flea have the last word, as it were, with frantic hopping, bouncing, and jumping, Walter Berry allows Gerald Moore to join in and to sing, in a thin voice, the postlude. "Der Floh" |
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Subject: RE: lyr req: Song of the Flea From: GUEST,Gerry Date: 08 Mar 13 - 06:34 AM It's times like these when I wish I could edit my posts. Thanks, MtheGM. |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: MGM·Lion Date: 07 Mar 13 - 05:28 PM BTW ~~ To be pedantic, it is the supposed Pravda review of Lehrer's Lobachevsky book, not the Izvestia one, which uses the first line of "Flea". "Pravda - well, Pravda - Pravda said: "Zhil-bil korol kogda-to, pree nyom blokha zhila"[1] It stinks. But Izvestia! Izvestia said: "Ya idoo kuda sam czar idyot peshkom!"[2] It stinks." [1] "a king lived once upon a time, a flea lived with him", a line from Goethe's "Faust" (as translated by A. Strugovschik) [2] "I am going where even the king has to go on foot" (as opposed to riding, etc.), meaning "to the bathroom" |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: MGM·Lion Date: 07 Mar 13 - 05:20 PM The greatest Russian bass of all time, Feodor Chaliapin, sang Mussorgsky's "The Song of the Flea" for Victor in 1927. Have always understood this to be recognised as the touchstone recording by which all others were to be judged. It's on youtube. ~M~ |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: GUEST,Gerry Date: 06 Mar 13 - 10:42 PM Tom Lehrer incorporated the first line of the Russian lyrics into his song Lobachevsky, as the review of his first book in Izvestia. |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: Leadfingers Date: 06 Mar 13 - 08:42 PM Memories of my Long Lost childhood ! Peter Dawson !! Family Favourites !! AND a reference in the (Lyrics Added for the Radio Programme about Fam Fav) 'There's a song about Fleas and another called Trees' |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: Tattie Bogle Date: 06 Mar 13 - 07:19 PM Oh, and Peter Dawson's (easier to hear the words in his version!) and several other songs by him. |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: Tattie Bogle Date: 06 Mar 13 - 07:17 PM Phew, 14 years on! There are now numerous versions on Youtube including ones in Russian and Nelson Eddy's! |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: GUEST,Rosemary Date: 06 Mar 13 - 06:14 PM I have the music with English, Russian, French, and German translations. This English translation is a little different from the one Nelson Eddy sang in the Chocolate Soldier which I also have. If anyone is interested I'll send copies of both versions. Rosemary |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: Steve Parkes Date: 20 Jan 99 - 03:26 AM And if anyone's got any more 78s by Peter Dawson (or Paul Robeson, or anybody else), let me know and I'll come round and listen to them with you. Steve |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: Murray on Saltspring Date: 20 Jan 99 - 02:00 AM If you can't do better than the following, get back to the thread and maybe we can get the thing out of the score-- but as I remember it, it's SOMETHING like this: Once there lived a king in old time Who had a fine fat flea; And had it been his own son, No dearer could he be. That flea! (Ha ha, etc.) He summoned the court tailor, And gave him this command: Go make my flea some clothing, And make it fine and grand! That flea! (Ha ha, etc.) [... all the relations came to court] And soon .. all the courtiers, And all the squires and knights, The Queen and all her ladies Were itching from the bites; They could not ... The had to bear the prick, But we who are not courtiers, Know how to scratch and kick!! Ha ha! (etc.) -- sorry, there's a bit missing there, but maybe other Mudcatters will be prompted to fill it in. |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: Alan B Date: 19 Jan 99 - 03:24 PM Thanks for the info. I suspect you're both right. We had a 78 of Peter Dawson singing it, or to be presice some of it, as it had a chunk missing. I used to play what remained of it when I was little. My father was into opera in quite a big way as well as tradional songs, so it makes sense. I'll follow up those leads Alice Thanks again |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: Alice Date: 19 Jan 99 - 12:02 PM Nelson Eddy sang the "Song of the Flea" in the film, The Chocolate Soldier. The full title is "Mephistopheles' Song of The Flea" - music by Modest Moussorgsky, Russian lyrics by Strugovshchikov from Goethe. The Dr. Faust story by Goethe has inspired many composers: Berlioz, "La Damnation de Faust" Charles Gounod, Faust (Opera) Richard Wagner, A Faust Overture Franz Liszt, A Faust Symphony in three Character Portraits Gustav Mahler, 8th Symphony No, I am not a treasure of opera or film trivia. I did a search on Alta Vist and found it. Alan B, did your dad sing one that was from the Faust story? |
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Subject: RE: Song of the Flea From: Steve Parkes Date: 19 Jan 99 - 11:04 AM If it's the one with the laughing chorus, it's from an opera ... can't remember which one, which is not much help. I've got a 78 of Peter Dawson, I think, singing it - which also doesn't help! I think it's the knid of song fathers ought to sing, though ... Steve https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBy8OStIuNI |
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Subject: The song of the Flea From: Alan B Date: 19 Jan 99 - 09:55 AM Reminged by a recent thread: Many year ago I remember my father singing this song. Not exactly folk, but would be a good one to sing. Anyone know the words? |
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