“I realized that my job is to awaken possibility in others.”

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Schubert: Song "Der Wanderer"

Interpretation Class
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Tyler Boque (baritone) with Dina Vainshtein (piano)

“There are 666 songs of Schubert, and nobody knows them all, I think, but this is one of the great ones.”

— Benjamin Zander

Video Transcript:

Ben Zander:

Beautiful. Bravo. Wonderful. What a song. I mean, this is an amazingly dramatic song. Tyler, tell the circumstances of The Wanderer, I come from the mountain.

Tyler:

So, this is a man who is lost from his own home country, and he’s in elsewhere. We don’t really know where, but he says, “The thing that I miss most is my language, is my people, is the people I’ve lost in my home country. The most powerful line, perhaps in my mind, is, “I’m a stranger everywhere.” So, he is truly the wandering one.

Ben Zander:

Then, the middle section, he-

Tyler:

He has a celebratory moment of, well, first, he says, “Where are you? Where are you, my homeland?” Then, there’s this very powerful moment. He remembers that the home that he had and the land that he had before falling back in the despair, realizing that he is nowhere near that place.

Ben Zander:

Yeah. Can you describe that place-

Tyler:

Absolutely. It’s-

Ben Zander:

in the way he-

Tyler:

So, the land where hope blooms, where roses bloom, and where the people I’ve lost rise again, the place where they speak my language. Those are really the four definitions that he gives us.

Ben Zander:

Right. He creates a image of a hope, of a land of hope. Then, Schubert, when you get to that moment, some of you will recognize that music. And it’s because he used it for The Wanderer Fantasy. He turned it into a whole huge fantasy. That brief four lines of poetry, he turns into a huge piece of music.

Tyler:

Absolutely.

Ben Zander:

Beautiful. Great. There are 666 songs of Schubert, and nobody knows them all, I think, but this is one of the great ones. Therefore, I’m going to suggest something, and it may not be right. I think it’s too fast in the opening. It’s in two, which I love, and you did that, but I think if you can be very slow to (singing)

Tyler:

Absolutely.

Ben Zander:

Do you feel that? Should we just try that?

Can I suggest, it’s a little thing, but it has to do with color. It’s beautiful because everything you do is beautiful, but it’s almost as if these disappear into the sound. (singing) There we go. Sorry. Right.

Dina:

I think so. Less right hand.

Ben Zander:

Yeah. This is more color, and this is color, and this is like a cello base. Yeah. (singing).

Tyler:

(singing)

Ben Zander:

Can you do that?

Tyler:

(singing)

Ben Zander:

You say, “very little joy,” meaning I’m deeply sad. So, get into that, the sadness into your voice. Right on that again. Because he’s in E major. It’s a major. The word belongs in major, but the sentiment belongs in minor.

Tyler:

(singing)

Ben Zander:

No. Soft, soft, soft, soft. Once again. Shh, shh, again.

Tyler:

(singing)

Ben Zander:

Can you hold it as long as the note in the piano, and then don’t be in a hurry. This is so beautiful and so static in motion. Do it one more time. (singing)

Tyler:

(singing)

Ben Zander:

Cold, cold, cold. The sun is so cold. Just do that again from there.

Tyler:

(singing)

Ben Zander:

Yeah. Such a strange idea. Just he says, “The sun seems so cold. The flowers are withered, and life is old.” That’s why I think the slow tempo works very well for the C. It’s so bleak, so utterly bleak. So, just do that one more time.

Tyler:

(singing)

Ben Zander:

It’s about contrast.

Tyler:

Yes, very much so.

Ben Zander:

It’s that deep sadness, sense of loss, hopelessness, and then this sudden vision that comes out with (singing). It’s vast contrast. So, I would take this very seriously. You’re really remarkable. You’re a remarkable performer. You’re very intelligent, extremely intelligent. It shines out all the time, and it’s a voice developed at 18, which is, I mean, singers, am I not right? Is this remarkable voice at such a young age? Jane, tell me what you think.

Jane:

Yeah. Yeah. I’m pretty amazed.

Ben Zander:

It’s amazing. Yeah. Very exciting.

Jane:

Usually, we don’t even start working with you until you’re 22. Right? Yeah.

Ben Zander:

I mean, he’s a-

Jane:

Have you been singing for a long time? I mean, what, you just woke up one morning and it was there?

Tyler:

I’ve loved it all my life.

Ben Zander:

Yeah.

Jane:

All your life.

Ben Zander:

It’s remarkable.

Jane:

Loved it all your life.

Ben Zander:

In its way, it’s as remarkable as Laurie. Laurie’s like a star suddenly burst on the scene. We’re all ha, but you’re also extraordinary. And it’s wonderful. It’s such a privilege to be sitting here and hearing this amazing music. Thank you for coming, and please come back. Okay?

More, more. Bravo. Beautiful. Bravo. You’re just beautiful. Yeah. Wonderful. Bravo. Beautiful.

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