I have just completed the third book of illustrations based on Schubert song cycles. Winterreise was the first Schubert book I created, followed recently by Schwanengesang. This third book reflect Schuberts first song cycle Die Schone Mullerin based on the poems by Wilhelm Muller.
Below are a few of my paintings, accompanied by excerpts of the text, translated by Celia Sgroi. You can also read more about my process in creating the paintings for all three books here.
Wandering is the miller’s joy,
1. Wandering
Wandering!
A man isn’t much of a miller,
If he doesn’t think of wandering,
Wandering!
Did she send you to me?
4. Gratitude to the Brook
Or have you enchanted me?
I’d like to know,
Did she send you to me?
Now shake off the veil of dreams
8. Morning Greeting
And lift yourselves fresh and free
In God’s bright morning!
The lark circles in the sky
And sings from the depths of its heart
The sorrows and cares of love.
What is the hunter doing at the mill stream?
14. The Hunter
Bold hunter, stay in your forest preserve!
There’s no game here for you to hunt,
There’s only a doe here, a tame one, for me,
And if you want to see the dainty doe,
Leave your rifle behind in the woods,
And leave your barking dogs at home,
Oh green, you hateful color, you,
17. The Hateful Colour
Why do you keep staring,
So mocking, so proud, so pleased by my pain,
At me, a poor pale man?
And when love frees
19. The Miller and The Brook
Itself from pain,
A little star, a new one,
Twinkles in the sky;
And three roses spring,
Half red and half white,
That never wither,
From the thorny stem.
And the angels cut off
Their wings
And every morning
Go down to earth.
Die Schone Mullerin will be available soon and will join Winterreise and Schwanengesang on my online shop, where you can also purchase original paintings and prints.
If you are interested in a particular work, please contact me.
Below is a short excerpt of Schubert’s Die Schone Mullerin, performed by Thomas Quasthoff at the Verbier Festival in 2009
David Armitage 