Page 87 - April.indd

To share with a friend is delight place in the tenor and bass lines. would suggest the text is indeed Un-
for the soul. The soprano is untouched with the gers.
exception of optional divisi at the Lebenslust was written in 1818. It
Positive in message, memorable end where the range could be prob- is a wild ride, lasting only about a
in melody, this lively SAB arrange- lematic for some choirs. Russell’s minute and a half. Robinson says,

ment of Franz Schubert’s Lebenslust English translation offers the option “It has the same flavor as the orig-

is absolutely attainable for the devel- of singing it twice. “My preference inal,” and it does indeed. Lebenslust
oping choir but a solid choice for a would be that, if you sing it just one is through-composed in the key of
more mature choir that fi nds SATB time through, then sing it in Ger- D Major with a 6/8 meter. The ca-
to be a challenge at this time, or any man; however, at the conclusion of dence at the end of the fi rst section
time. the piece in German, the piece may ends with the secondary dominant
Dr. Russel L. Robinson is Emer- be repeated from the beginning pia- of E Major. This piece has limited
itus Professor of Music Education no introduction singing it in English range, simple harmonies and ho-
at the University of Florida. He is the second time through.” mophonic texture, and two distinct
a frequent conductor for choirs and Viennese composer Franz Schu- sections. With occasional simple po-

festivals around the world, including bert defined his life in a sentence. He lyphony, the ending steals a theme
an impressive list of venues. In 2016 said, “I have come into the world for from a previous measure in the sec-
he was inducted into the Florida no other purpose than to compose.” ond section and repeats it for the fi -

Music Educators Association Hall His first musical teacher was his fa- nal cadence.
of Fame. He has held leadership ther and he showed great promise at Dynamics play a large part. Messa
positions in NAfME, FMEA as well a young age. Somewhat of a bohe- di voce creates interest. The sixteenth
as many other organizations. Rob- mian, he did not fi nd fi nancial suc- note passage in the introduction sets
inson has over 500 publications in cess in his lifetime but rather lived the mood of the piece and supports
print. Find out more about his work with friends, among artists and po- the text about happiness, delight and
on his website: www.RussellRobin- ets. He was without a doubt highly pleasure. There is a simplicity to this

son.com. prolific (over 1500 musical works in piece and it never strays. Robinson
It is through Dr. Robinson’s great his thirty-one years) and best known takes liberties in his translation.
understanding of the pedagogy of for bringing to maturity the Lied. Franz Schubert was a torchbearer
choral music that he saw the beau- Choral music was a large part of his at Beethoven’s funeral. His name is
ty in and need for arranging pieces work including six Latin Masses and always on the short list of signifi cant
like Schubert’s Lebenslust. His work a German Mass. composers of his time, though added
at the University of Florida, as well Johann Karl Unger is credited posthumously. Consider this piece in
as his extensive honor choir, all state with the poetic text, and it is docu- any voicing but if your choir is fac-
and festival appearances, make him mented that there was a friendship ing challenges this is a gift. It will be

highly qualified to arrange these between Schubert and Unger. It is taken seriously at festivals and loved
classic works into pieces that are un- believed that Unger may have been in programs.
spoiled and maintain their integrity influential in securing a substantial Schubert’s gravestone reads

in his skillful edits. teaching role for Schubert when he “Here lies buried a rich treasure and

Robinson says of his arrange- was struggling financially. A version yet more glorious hopes.” Lebenslust
ments, “I try to stay out of the way.” of the poem Lebenslust was published is a mini treasure in any voicing.
His SAB arrangement of Lebenslust in an almanac in 1804, giving cred-
is effective and invisible. Originally it to Unger, however there is still a

a quartet, the accompaniment is un- small cloud of ambiguity surround-
edited with the exception of omitted ing its origin. There are credible
acciaccatura’s. Almost all edits take and documented circumstances that

CHORAL JOURNAL April 2021 Volume 61 Number 9 85