Der innere Architekt

 

Der innere Architekt - (2013)    

Wilhelm Busch

for medium voice and piano


 

Wem's in der Unterwelt zu still,
Wer oberhalb erscheinen will,
Der baut sich, je nach seiner Weise,
Ein sichtbarliches Wohngehäuse.
Es ist ein blinder Architekt,
Der selbst nicht weiß, was er bezweckt.
Dennoch verfertigt er genau
Sich kunstvoll seinen Leibesbau,
Und sollte mal was dran passieren,
Kann er's verputzen und verschmieren,
Und ist er etwa gar ein solch
Geschicktes Tierlein wie ein Molch,
Dann ist ihm alles einerlei,
Und wär's ein Bein, er macht es neu.
Nur schad, daß, was so froh begründet,
So traurig mit der Zeit verschwindet,
Wie schließlich jeder Bau hienieden,
Sogar die stolzen Pyramiden.

4 pages, circa 3' 00"


Wilhelm Busch

 

The inner architect

There is that sort who when hell's too still
Appears here above, to work his will.
He builds himself up after his own plan,
Appearing anew as a new-built man.
As architect his vision is blind
To unintended consequence his ideas find.
All the same he does as he wills
For he embodies his inner art and skills.
As misfortunes play out in the interim
He plasters over or scratches out the grim,
For he resembles in ways resolute
A clever creature like the nimble newt,
For it's of little consequence to it when
It loses a leg, only to re-grow it again.
How sad that things begun in dreams
The passage of time rarely redeems.
In the end that which may survive,
Like the proud pyramids, is no longer alive.

 

rhymed paraphrase of the composer

Copyright © 2013  Gary Bachlund

 

 

 

A wrong-note 3/4 time underscores this trenchant observation about man. How often those who have sought power spoke in lofty terms of bettering mankind, and how often unintended consequences followed to the harm of whole societies. A center section of the setting becomes agitated in texture as the voice rises to predict the predictable, and then a brittle gesture characterizes the "newt," before a return to the main theme. The text is drawn from Busch's collection, Zu guter Letzt. For other settings of his texts, click here.

 

 

The score for Der innere Architekt is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this piano-vocal score.

 

Der innere Architekt