Music and Texts of Gary Bachlund

 

Wasser und Wein - (2008)    

August Kopisch

for medium or high voice and piano


 

"Freunde sagt was wollt ihr trinken?"
    Wein! Wein! Wein!
"Soll der Knecht nach Wasser hinken?"
    Nein! Nein! Nein!
Laß das Wasser Wasser bleiben,
Laß es gehn und Mühlen treiben,
Laß es in den Wüstenein
Trost den Karavanen sein,
Laß die Hügel es beregnen
Daß sie uns mit Trauben segnen,
Laß es seine stolzen Wellen
Bis hinauf zum Himmel schnellen,
Laß es große Schiffe schwingen,
Die den Wein von Ferne bringen,
Laß in alle Land es laufen
Und damit die Heiden taufen;
Wasser soll belobet sein,
Doch wir - trinken Wein Wein Wein!

 

"Nun, so nennt mir eure Sorte."
    Wein! Wein! Wein!
"Nennt die Berge, nennt die Orte."
    Nein! Nein! Nein!
Bring herbei den allerbesten,
Der gefällt den meisten Gästen;
Wenn der Trank uns wohlbehagt,
Wird der Name bald erfragt.
Nur der echte ist der rechte,
All der andre ist der schlechte.
Bring uns solchen der uns stärket,
Den das Herz im Leibe merket!-
Bring uns solchen der uns hebet
Daß die Seel' ins Freie schwebet,
Daß der Plunder dieser Erde
Recht von ihr verlachet werde.
Laß den Namen Namen sein,
Bringe her nur Wein, Wein, Wein!

 

"Aber Gläser oder Becher?"
    Wein! Wein! Wein!
"Oder Humpen, werthe Zecher?"
    Wein! Wein! Wein!
Schenk ihn in das was ihn fasset,
Was an Menschenlippen passet.
Blanke Becher klingen schön,
Gläser geben gut Getön.
Läßt der Wein sich sonst nicht lumpen,
Schmeckt er aus den größten Humpen;
Auch bei Muscheln oder Hörnern
Liegen Trinker nicht auf Dörnern,
Was du hast gieb ohne Prahlen,
Wär es auch in Kürbisschalen ;
Fehlt das all, so schenk am Ende
Ihn in beide hohle Hände.
Kömmt er nur ins Maul hinein!
Schenke ein! Schenk ein! Schenk ein!

[ 6 pages, circa 4' 20" ]


 

August Kopisch

 

"Friend, say what would you drink?"
Wine! Wine! Wine!
"Shall the fellow limp to water?"
No! No! No!
Let water remain water,
Let it go and push the water wheel,
Let it serve in a desert
To quench the thirst of caravans,
Let it sprinkle the hillsides
That they bless us with wine grapes,
Let it be proud waves
That rise to the heavens,
Let it carry great ships
Which bring wine from afar off,
Let it be in all places
Thereby to sprinkle the fields;
Water be praised,
But we -- we drink wine! Wine! Wine!

 

"Well, name me any of your kind."
Wine! Wine! Wine!
"Name the mountains, name places."
No! No! No!
Bring here all of the best,
That is please my guests;
When wine makes us well pleased,
We will ask its name.
Only the real is the correct,
And all other is not.
Bring us that which fortifies us,
That helps the heart to know love!-
Bring us that which lifts us up,
That souls can soar in freedom,
That the rubbish of this world
Will rightly be ridiculed.
Let names be names,
But bring us wine! Wine! Wine!
 

"But in glasses or in tumblers?"
Wine! Wine! Wine!
"Or in tankards, worthy tippler?"
Wine! Wine! Wine!
Give him of that which he grasps,
When it passes human lips.
Empty tumblers ring beautifully,
And glasses ring like bells.
Let the wine not spill out,
So tasty is in the greatest mugs;
And with mussels or in drinking horns
Drinkers lie not in a bed of thorns,
And if you wouldn't complain
It could be drunk from pumpkin rinds;
Enjoy it all, so that it be
Taken in both helping hands.
As long as it comes to the mouth!
Give it here! Give it here! Give it here!

 

 

The text by August Kopisch (1799-1853)  is taken from his Drei Fragen und drei Antworten, of 1839. As with most drinking songs throughout the ages, it is spirited. One such example comes from G. K. Chesterton, who wrote a humorous text as to the relative merits of water and wine as well, entitled with the inverted order of the words, "Wine and Water." A setting of Chesterton's humorous text, please see Drolleries and Wisdom.

 

After an awkward and pompous opening gesture, the double dotted rhythms of the accompaniment make overly important this praise to wine over its lesser, water.

 

 

The first two strophes repeat, while the second ending which introduces the third strophe begins early with its "...aber."

 

 

The brightly flowing ending to the setting restates the obvious, "Wein! Wein! Wein!" as the setting accelerates to a sharp close.

 

 

The score for Wasser und Wein 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.

 

Wasser und Wein