that is easily one of the scariest songs written, so it's not surprising that it's considered one of the great "German Art Songs" (or "lieder" in the tongue of mein stämme)
So, "erlking" (or erlkönig) translates into "elf king" or something similar, and he's essentially this demonic creature who lures children and has a fatal touch. He was basically made up to scare little German kinder like myself. Here's a picture of the lovely fellow and one of his victims.
Tres terrifying, non? Though, I think he's usually depicted as being more handsome because he is supposed to lure little children.
I can recall Amy playing it for Megan and I when I was about Megan's age now and thinking it was terrifying then, how fortuitous, then, was I, when I discovered that we would get to discuss it in class and in even more depth at home for homework?
Here's a translation of the terrifying piece of art into english:
Narrator:Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear?
The father it is, with his infant so dear;
He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm,
He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm.
Father:"My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide?"
Son:"Look, father, the Erl-King is close by our side!
Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with train?"
Father:"My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain."
Erlking:"Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh come thou with me!
Full many a game I will play there with thee;
On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold,
My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold."
Son:"My father, my father, and dost thou not hear
The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine ear?"
Father:"Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives;
'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering leaves."
Erlking:"Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there?
My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care
My daughters by night their glad festival keep,
They'll dance thee, and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep."
Son:"My father, my father, and dost thou not see,
How the Erl-King his daughters has brought here for me?"
Father:"My darling, my darling, I see it aright,
'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sight."
Erlking"I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear boy!
And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll employ."
Son"My father, my father, he seizes me fast,
Full sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last."
Narrator:The father now gallops, with terror half wild,
He grasps in his arms the poor shuddering child;
He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dread,--
The child in his arms finds he motionless, dead.
.........so....yeah. That's pretty much it. Though, arguably, it's a lot creepier in German. And to get the full effect, you really need to hear the music that goes with it and the creepy/sweetness of the Erlking. So, now that I've been able to share with you the terror of my people, let me enlighten you with some good news.
I left my two weeks notice via voicemail this morning at the country club (:
At this point, I'm just waiting to get the call that I'm assuming is inevitably going to come from my boss, but whatever, I will be strong this time and not be a doormat. I've been praying for strength and it's going to hold.
In other, other news...Evita opens this Thursday!!!!
We had our first run through with costumes yesterday and I have, approximately, 83billion.98734 costume changes! It's quite chaotic. Plus, my the underwire lining on my corset has bruised my sternum and I now have, what looks like, an infected cut on the back of my ankle from my character shoes...but apart from that, I'm really excited about the show :D
Come and see it this weekend or next! It'll be awesome! (I hope :D)
mjl.
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