Alphons Diepenbrock - Celebrität

- Composer: Alphonsus Johannes Maria Diepenbrock (2 September 1862 -- 5 April 1921)
- Performers: Robert Holl (bass), Rudolf Jansen (piano)
- Year of recording: 1994

Celebrität, for Baritone and Piano, written in 1908.
Text by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

One movement, marked 'Andantino'.

In August 1908 Diepenbrock started working on vocal quartets for Gerard Zalsman’s ensemble of soloists (RC 85, 86 and 87), focussing on poetry by Goethe. On 21 October of that year, the day after the premiere of two of the quartets, Diepenbrock began Celebrität (Celebrity) for baritone and piano, also on a text by Goethe.

In the poem Goethe makes fun of people’s veneration of heroes and martyrs who have been immortalised in statues of stone, wood or metal. Irony becomes self-mockery when Goethe sketches the alleged glory of the character of his own novel, Werther, whose picture is shown everywhere in taverns and on fairs. On 22 September Diepenbrock discussed the meaning of Goethe’s text with his friend W.G. Hondius van den Broek who was paying him a visit that day – which is evident from a note in the sketches. Diepenbrock continued the composition and the next day he sent Hondius a postcard with the passage of his just completed Celebrität in which he quotes a melody by Richard Strauss in the piano: the theme in A-flat major from the “Hinterweltler” (afterworldsmen) from the symphonic poem Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra). In Celebrität Diepenbrock solemnly (religioso, molto rall.) quotes the beginning of that theme in the right hand of the piano on the words “Jeder hat seine Andacht davor” (Everyone is devoted to this) and again at the end on the words “Und jeder sprach bei Bier und Brot” (And everyone talked over beer and bread). The piece ends with "Gott sei's gedankt: nicht wir sind tot!" (Thank God, that it's not us that are dead!). In Diepenbrock’s setting Goethe’s irony is expressed through a reference to the style of Wagner’s Meistersinger (Master Singers).

This satirical song, which is unique in Diepenbrock’s oeuvre, is especially meant to question Strauss’ sensationalism and aim for maximum effect. As an expert on Nietzsche, in 1898 Diepenbrock openly condemned the way Strauss (whose Don Juan and Tod und Verklärung he admired) had incorporated the Gregorian Credo in unum Deum in Also sprach Zarathustra, followed by a semi-religious section by divided strings that should be performed “mit Andacht” (with devotion).

Celebrität is dedicated to Gerard Zalsman.

Видео Alphons Diepenbrock - Celebrität канала olla-vogala