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Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth)


Jope

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Here's some music I wrote for a theatre performance. The play Der Weltuntergang (The End of the World) was written by Jura Soyfer in the 1930s, but most of its story could take place at any time:

The sun has noticed the harmony in space is disturbed because something is wrong about the earth - the moon reports the earth is stricken by humans. The sun and the planets decide to send Konrad the comet to earth in order to free it from all humans.

On the earth, professor Guck who watched the comet approaching earth tries to warn people and to attract support for his idea to build a machine that will deflect the comet before it will hit the earth, but nobody listens, everybody is tied to their own business or their personal struggle for survival - Guck grows desperate. Finally when Konrad takes a close look at the earth he decides not to collide with it. Back in space the planets call him to account and Konrad brings in he fell in love with the earth - he speaks The Song of the Earth. The words are in German - here's a translation (without the rhymes, though):

 

Closely, more closely than you can understand

I have seen the earth

I saw it coated by golden grain

Shaded by bomber aeroplanes

And full of machines's noises

I saw it studded with radio stations

That were spreading waves of lies and hate

I saw it impoverished, lice-ridden - and blessed

With immense wealth

 

Full of hunger and bread is this earth

Full of life and death is this earth

Limitlessly poor and rich

Blessed and condemned is this earth

Blazing by beauty is this earth

And its future is splendid and great!

 

Close, much closer than you can understand

This future is on the doorstep

I saw it growing between the seeds

Wiping away the shadow from the earth's face

And longing for the stars

I know between all radio stations there will fly

News about earth's reconvalescence

The earth, rescued and delighted, will then revel

in limitless wealth

 

Full of hunger and bread is this earth

Full of life and death is this earth

Limitlessly poor and rich

Blessed and condemned is this earth

Blazing by beauty is this earth

And its future is splendid and great!

 

Well, humankind is undeservedly lucky in this play... Mostly undeservedly. So shouldn't we be happy we are still here? I think so.

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