Lost in the fire of last year's Pierrot centennial was translation. After all, it was Otto Erich Hartleben's German--translated from the original French of Albert Giraud--that Arnold Schoenberg had set.
And with Stanley Appelbaum's Anglicised Hartleben turning 20 next year (not to mention having its own Twitter account @PierrotTweets), Classicalite figured a new English language translation was passed due.
Knitting needles, shiny and gleaming, In her gray hair, The duenna sits mumbling There in her red skirt.
— Pierrot (@PierrotTweets) June 2, 2011
To wit, for the next 21 weekdays, we'll be offering a new take on each of Giraud/Hartleben/Appelbaum's 3x7 poems...alongside some of our favorite performances.
PARODY
Knitting needles, twinkling bright,
Stuck in her graying hair,
The duenna sits muttering
There in her red dress.
She's waiting in the arbors;
She loves Pierrot with anguish.
Knitting needles, twinkling bright,
Stuck in her graying hair.
But suddenly--hark!--a whisper.
A soft breath of wind chuckles.
The moon, that nasty mocker,
Apes her with its beam.
Knitting needles, brightly twinkling.
Up next: "Der Mondfleck"
