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Solveig’s Song from Grieg’s Peer Gynt
Der Winter mag scheiden, der Frühling vergehn,
ja der Frühling vergehn,
der Sommer mag verwelken, das Jahr verwehn,
Ja, das Jahr verwehn;
Du kehrst mir zurück, gewiß, du wirst mein,
ich hab es versprochen, ich harre treulich dein.
Gott helfe dir, wenn du die Sonne noch siehst.
Gott segne dich, wenn du zu Füßen ihm kniest.
Ich will deiner harren, bis du mir nah,
und harrest du dort oben, so treffen wir uns da!
The winter may pass and the spring disappear, the spring disappear;
The summer too will vanish and then the year, and then the year.
But this I know for certain: you’ll come back again, you’ll come back again.
And even as I promised you’ll find me waiting then, you’ll find me waiting then.
Oh-oh-oh ….
God help you when wand’ring your way all alone, your way all alone.
God grant to you his strength as you’ll kneel at his throne, as you’ll kneel at his throne.
If you are in heaven now waiting for me, in heaven for me.
And we shall meet again love and never parted be, and never parted be!
Oh-oh-oh ….
Music: Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
Lyrics: Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906)
The song originates from “Peer Gynt”, suite no. 2. (op. 23 no. 19)
My reading continues. I keep nodding furiously over what is being said and having the occasional ah-ha moment as the author discusses why you should learn drawing foremost, why you should follow the instruction of your teacher and accept the assignments for your own good. Some of it is just very well said and explained. Although the emphasis is certainly on painting, it is very applicable to all media. Just so much information in there about why technique comes before style, why you shouldn’t focus on subject matter and style while you’re a student, etc. Well done! Couple little bugaboos where a proofreader/editor could have been a help but I can live with it.
So far I’ve recommended it to several art-school-bound/customers and a favorite teacher/customer. I bet the teacher enjoys it and passes it along to students!
Hand sewing continues.
From the Robert Genn newsletter:
“Artists tend to get used to doing things in a certain order. (OK, yes that’s usually me) Reverse, or at least vary, your usual order. The starting order, particularly, can often be quite arbitrary…
Many of us have a tendency to “conceive and execute.” (OK, yes again, that’s usually me)The “foolery way” is to make it up as you go along. Leave your options open….
If your work depresses you, and depresses you more as you go, you need to get happy. Count your blessings. Count your winnings. Take a few minutes to fly the flag of optimism. I don’t know about you, but I often feel I’m getting drunk on a painting. It’s better to be a happy drunk than a mean one. ”
I know that be-sotted feeling while the work is under way – wanting to work on it always, to look at it in passing and again. Towards the end of it, I begin to worry that something will happen and I won’t be able to finish it. I don’t worry worry about it, but the thought is there. Always has been so.
Sandy D has her own take on this same newsletter so you can wander over and read about using the WHATIFs to help your process along.
Thanks again Robert Genn for all the brain fodder. You know us all too well.
I hope to catch the end of it but if you can find the Ross documentary on Winslow Homer: Society and Solitude – do watch! If it hadn’t been the wee hours already I would have pushed it. The film was not about the drama and petty bits of relationships but really about Homer and how he painted and learned more about his craft. How he explored new ideas, dealt with rejection of new work, what he did in his “down” times. Many interesting photos of the places he lived in and how they impacted his work. And of course many many images of his work and the sea.
I hope I can find it to see the whole thing.
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