Karl Erb was a famous German tenor who really had two careers. In the first career, he was a heldentenor, singing many of the helden parts in Germany. For example, he sang Parsifal. In the second career, he was a Lieder and Oratorio singer, and eventually became a teacher. It is enormously difficult to bring a voice the size of Erb’s down to be able to sing Art Song. He does a beautiful job in the songs that I have posted. He is extremely expressive, and the vocal production allows him all the expressivity that he wants. Again, there is no straining to produce soung, just singing on a breath of air.
Schubert, Op. posth. 115, D. 917, “Das Lied ins Grünen”
Ins Grüne, ins Grüne!
Da lockt uns der Frühling der liebliche Knabe,
Und führt uns am blumenumwundenen Stabe,
Hinaus, wo die Lerchen und Amseln so wach,
In Wälder, auf Felder, auf Hügel, zum Bach,
Ins Grüne, ins Grüne.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da ruht man so wohl, und empfindet so schönes,
Und denket behaglich an Dieses und Jenes,
Und zaubert von hinnen, ach! was uns bedrückt,
Und alles herbei, was den Busen entzückt,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen,
Da wurde manch Plänchen auf Flügeln getragen,
Die Zukunft der grämlichen Ansicht entschlagen.
Da stärkt sich das Auge, da labt sich der Blick,
Da tändeln die Wünsche dahin und zurück,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Im Grünen, im Grünen
Da werden die Sterne so klar,
die die Weisen
Der Vorwelt zur Leitung des Lebens
und preisen.
Da streichen die Wölchen so zart
uns dahin,
Da heitern die Herzen, da klärt sich
der Sinn,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Ins Grüne, ins Grüne!
Laßt heiter uns folgen dem freundlichen Knaben!
Grünt einst uns das Leben nicht fürder so haben
Wir klüglich die grünende Zeit nicht versäumt,
Und, seit es gegolten, doch glücklich geträumt,
Im Grünen, im Grünen.
Schubert, Op. posth. 115, D. 917, “Song in the countryside”
To the countryside, to the countryside,
Spring beckons, that lovely little boy;
and leads us out with a flower-entwined staff
to where the larks and blackbirds are so wakeful;
to the forests, to the fields, to the hill by the brook –
To the countryside, to the countryside.
In the countryside, in the countryside,
one can rest so well, experiencing such lovely feelings,
and thinking comfortably on this and that,
and magically banishing those things that depress us
while invoking those things in which our hearts delight.
In the countryside, in the countryside.
In the countryside, in the countryside,
many a plan has grown wings;
the future loses its grim aspect,
the eye is strengthened, the gaze is refreshed,
wishes rock gently back and forth
in the countryside, in the countryside.
In the countryside,
The stars are so bright, those stars which the
wise men
Of old extolled as our life’s guidance
The little clouds glide so tenderly.
Our hearts are cheered, and our senses clear
In the countryside.
To the countryside, to the countryside,
let us joyfully follow that friendly boy.
If one day life no longer blooms for us, then
we wisely will not miss that green time;
for when it was essential, we happily dreamed away
in the countryside, in the countryside.
Schubert, Op. 96 No.3, D 768, “Wandrers Nachtlied II”
Über allen Gipfeln
Ist Ruh’,
In allen Wipfeln
Spürest du
Kaum einen Hauch;
Die Vögelein schweigen im Walde.
Warte nur, balde
Ruhest du auch.
Schubert, Op. 96 No.3, D 768, “Wanderer’s nightsong II”
Over every peak
Lies peace,
In every tree top
You feel
Hardly a touch of wind;
The little birds are silent in the wood.
Wait, just soon
You will rest too.
Schubert D. 799, “Im Abendrot”
O wie schön ist deine Welt,
Vater, wenn sie golden strahlet,
Wenn dein Glanz hernieder fällt,
Und den Staub mit Schimmer malet;
Wenn das Rot, das in der Wolke blinkt,
In mein stilles Fenster sinkt.
Könnt ich klagen? könnt ich zagen?
Irre sein an dir und mir?
Nein, ich will im Busen tragen
Deinen Himmel schon allhier.
Und dies Herz, eh es zusammenbricht,
Trinkt noch Glut und schlürft noch Licht.
Schubert, D. 799, “At sunset”
Oh, how beautiful your world is,
Father, when it shines with gold!
When your glow falls down towards us
And paints the dust with its shimmering;
When the red, as it gleams through the clouds,
Sinks into my quiet window!
Could I complain, could I be apprehensive?
Lose my faith in you or me?
No, in my breast I shall carry
All of your heaven here.
And this heart, before it collapses,
Will continue to drink the glow and savour the light.
Brahms Op. 70 No.2 “Lerchengesang”
Ätherische ferne Stimmen,
Der Lerchen himmlische Grüße,
Wie regt ihr mir so süße
Die Brust, ihr lieblichen Stimmen!
Ich schließe leis mein Auge,
Da ziehn Erinnerungen
In sanften Dämmerungen
Durchweht vom Frühlingshauche.
Brahms, Op. 70 No. 2 “The Larks’ Song”
Ethereal, distant voices,
The heavenly greetings of the larks:
How sweetly you move
My heart, you lovely voices!
I close my eyes gently;
There pass memories
Of soft twilights,
Pervaded with the breath of Spring.
Karl Erb
July 13, 1877 – July 13, 1958
Karl Erb was born out of wedlock and grew up in modest circumstances. His voice was discovered on January 14, 1907 during an appearance in the opera Cavalleria Rusticana as a choir member of the Liederkranz Ravensburg. He was part of a guest performance by the Stuttgart Court Opera in the Ravensburg Concert Hall. In the same year he made his debut as Evangelimann in the opera of the same name, Der Evangelimann, by Wilhelm Kienzl. Karl Erb, who was largely self-taught, only embarked on a career as a professional singer relatively late, around the age of 30.
Subsequently, Karl Erb sang for further training in Lübeck and Munich at the “Königl. Court and National Theater (today: Bavarian State Opera), where he received a permanent contract in 1913 after a successful guest performance as Lohengrin. Karl Erb sang and played all the well-known roles of the lyrical and youth hero genre, for example Parsifal in 1914. He took part in several important premieres: In 1917 he was the first interpreter of the title role in Hans Pfitzner’s opera Palestrina (it is considered the highlight of his career).
He later made a name for himself at concerts as a singer of songs and oratorios, often alongside chamber singer Meta Diestel. Between 1920 and 1938 he was engaged as a soloist in 12 oratorios and concerts with the Zurich Mixed Choir. Erb’s last appearance at the Munich National Theater was in 1925; his contract was not renewed. In June 1930 his last performance in an opera took place in Berlin-Charlottenburg, as Florestan in Fidelio under the direction of Wilhelm Furtwängler.
Karl Erb continued his singing work into old age. A Bayerischer Rundfunk recording of Carl Orff’s
He was considered an introvert throughout his life. He was married to the Hungarian soprano Maria Ivogün from 1921 to 1932 and died on his birthday at the age of 81. His grave is in the Ravensburg main cemetery.