Info: This is a very dramatic Ballad and I have struggled for some time to reconcile the score with the poem or with Brahms' later duet Op. 75/1 but I have now sorted it out satisfactorily.
The traditional Scottish ballad is a dialogue between a mother and her son, Edward, and I've attached a translation below (the German words Brahms knew fit the music exactly). She first questions why he has blood on his brand and he says (0:42) he's killed his hawk. The hawk's blood is not so red, she claims (1:05) and questions him further. He replies (1:49) that he's killed his horse.
I had tried unsuccessfully to follow this dialogue into the Allegro (2:11) but I realise now that Brahms has dropped the conversation and instead moved back in time to narrate the story itself. He tells how the son creeps up on his father whom he bludgeons to death with his brand.
For the close the ballad goes back even further in time when the mother is giving her counsel to the boy, which is revealed in the very last line of the poem. The mother's theme from the opening returns (4:07) but now with a triplet figure. The triplets that had added action and drama to the Allegro are now ominous and dark as she advises her son to murder his father. We now see the full story and her true character is disclosed as the evil schemer in the plot and not the unknowing mother we saw in the opening.
Those who have followed my progress on the FOYD thread will know that this hasn't been a difficult piece for me to learn, it was memorised very quickly - I have known and loved it for years - and the big chords with very little requirement for "small technique" play to my strong point. Still, this is a significant achievement for me and is the first 'big' Brahms piece, after so many of his Waltzes, that I've finished.
It's yet to mature and mellow into the fingers, by which time I should have developed more precision and control, but despite the sombre mood of the piece I really enjoy playing this and get worked up with the drama and the passion.
___________________________
"Why does your brand so drop with blood,
Edward, Edward?
Why does your brand so drop with blood,
And why so sad go ye, O"
"O I have killed my hawk so good,
Mother, mother;
O I have killed my hawk so good,
And I have no more but he, O"
"Your hawk's blood was never so red,
Edward, Edward;
Your hawk's blood was never so red,
My dear son, I tell thee, O"
"O I have killed my red-roan steed,
Mother, mother;
O I have killed my red-roan steed,
That went so fair and free, O"
"Your steed was old, and ye have more,
Edward, Edward;
Your steed was old, and ye have more,
Some other dole ye dree, O"
"O I have killed my father dear,
Mother, mother;
O I have killed my father dear,
Alas, and woe is me, O"
"And what penance will ye dree for that,
Edward, Edward?
What penance will ye dree for that,
My dear son, now tell me, O"
"I'll set my foot in yonder boat,
Mother, mother,
I'll set my foot in yonder boat,
And I'll fare o'er the sea, O"
"And what will ye do with your towers and your hall,
Edward, Edward?
And what will ye do with your towers and your hall,
That were so fair to see, O?"
I'll let them stand till down they fall,
Mother, mother;
I'll let them stand till down they fall,
For here never more must I be, O"
"And what will ye leave to your bairns and your wife,
Edward, Edward?
And what will ye leave to your bairns and your wife,
When ye go o'er the sea, O"
The world's room: let them beg through life,
Mother, mother;
The world's room: let them beg through life,
For them never more will I see, O"
"And what will you leave to your own mother dear,
Edward, Edward?
And what will you leave to your own mother dear,
My dear son, now tell me, O?"
"The curse of hell from me shall ye bear,
Mother, mother;
The curse of hell from me shall ye bear,
Such counsels ye gave to me, O"
_________________________
I was unable to comment on the last recital, being busy with the Grieg, though I enjoyed it immensely, and I am indebted to all those who so generously remarked on my Liszt submission.