Text to 'Jasmin' movement is by the composer, Vilma von Webenau
English Translation: Carolyn Dehdari
Jasmin (Jasmine)
The scent of the jasmine is intoxicating; the roses glow.
I want to quietly sink into their sumptuousness.
I feel that I am one with all beauty,
A drop in the sea of light and scent and color that surrounds me.
And I am perfectly happy.
Vilma von Webenau had flowers in mind when composing the string quartet "Sommerlieder" (Summer-songs). Each of the six movements is associated with a particular flower. The first movement, called "Rittersporn" ("Larkspur" or "Delphinium"), opens with an ascending cello solo, which builds and then fades. The second movement, called "Roter Mohn" ("Red poppy"), is an opiate in its liveliness and change of pace. The third movement, called "Vergissmeinnicht" ("Forget-me-not"), is appropriately named because of its other-worldly, unconscious atmosphere. The fourth movement, called "Kornblumen" ("Cornflowers"), is an easy waltz. The fifth movement, called "Jasmin" ("Jasmine"), is the only movement of the quartet featuring the spoken voice in melodramatic style. The sixth and final movement, called "Rosen" ("Roses"), features thicker textures and a relatively free tonality. Stop reading, and smell the flowers! (Notes by Carolyn Dehdari)