Vor den Türen, 1935.

Strauss wrote 3 pieces for a Male voice choir in 1935, of which this is the most popular. It is a setting of a poem by Friedrich Rückert. The translation is quite straightforward. However, as usual Strauss makes some alterations. In particular he changes the ending to create quite a moving end! The last line of Ruckert "für Viele im Grab noch Rast" becomes "Viele rast im Grab." A slight change, but together "for many there is rest in the grave, for many in the grave, many rest in the grave". It is a nice effect, which Strauss creates in the music and words. I put in italix repetitions that Strauss adds. Each repetition stresses a darker side. The final phrase balances (many) finding rest with the simple fact of many being in the grave. The double meaning in German is the same as english: to find rest in the grave (good), and simply to rest in the grave, i.e. be dead (not so good). The text added by Strauss is in italix.

Why did Strauss change the ending in this way? In the Ruckert we have a journey through life from optimism: he seeks wealth, honour at the first two doors and gets nothing. Then he tries work and just finds suffering (weh und Ach!). Contentement? No one knows where to find it. Things look pretty bad. But a last ray of hope: the quiet house, to find rest in the grave. This is where Ruckert ends. Strauss, however, adds a further twist as the hope is turned to a realisation that as with everyone, there is just death - an end. Strauss was not a believer in the metaphysical and took a materialistic view to life. The musical journey perfectly reflects the poetry: it starts of as jaunty and optimistic, but becomes darker. The narrator starts his journey to each door with some hope, but it always ends in failure and finally in death. However, it is not a bleak ending: the final chord is G major. So perhaps the song does come "to rest"?

Another dimension of the Strauss extension is the repeated use of Viele. This was written in 1935 and performed by a male voice choir. World war one had started only 21 years previously and ended just over 17 years. Many of those singing would have been in the war and this last meditative passage would have bought to mind to singers and audience the "many" people they had known as friends, fathers, uncles and cousins who had died in the war and now rest in the grave. This aspect of remembrance is absent from the original Rückert.



Vor den Türen

Ich habe geklopft an des Reichtums Haus;
Man reicht mir 'nen Pfennig zum Fenster heraus.
Ich habe geklopft an der Liebe Thür;
Da standen schon fünfzehn Andre dafür.
Ich klopfte leis' an der Ehre Schloß;
"Hier thut man nur auf dem Ritter zu Roß."
Ich habe gesucht der Arbeit Dach;
Da hört' ich drinnen nur Weh und Ach!
Nur Weh und Ach.
Ich suchte das Haus der Zufriedenheit;
Es kannt' es niemand weit und breit.
Nun weiß ich noch ein Häuslein still,
Wo ich zuletzt anklopfen will.
Zwar wohnt darin schon macher Gast,
Doch ist für Viele im Grab noch Rast,
für Viele im Grab noch Rast,
für Viele im Grab, Viele,
Viele rast im Grab.

Translation: At the Doors.

I knocked at the house of wealth;
I was handed a penny through the window.
I knocked on the door of love;
There were already fifteen others in line ahead of me.
I knocked softly at the castle of honour;
"Here we open only to knights on horseback."
I looked for the house that sheltered labour;
Within I heard only cries of woe! Cries of woe!
I searched for the house of contentment;
No one far and wide knew of it. No one from far and wide
Now I still know of a quiet little house
At which I shall finally knock.
True, there are many guests therein already,
But for many more still there is the grave for rest,
for many there is the grave for rest,
In the grave, for many,
many rest in the grave.