Werner Bärtschi: This must be the wood, where things have no names

(Vollständiger Liedtext unten)

Giulia Guarneri-Giovanelli, Sopran
Werner Bärtschi, Klavier
Coni Hörler, Aufnahme und Schnitt (2023)

«This must be the wood, where things have no names», mittlerer Teil des Liedzyklus «Wege» handelt von einem Zustand höchster Gegenwart, vom Zusammengehen im entgrenzenden, ungesicherten Glück des Augenblicks „wo die Dinge keine Namen haben“. Der Text stammt aus Lewis Carolls «Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There», der Fortsetzung von «Alice in Wonderland».

Eine Aufnahme des dritten Lieds «Die Felswand» ist unter    • Die Felswand   zu finden.

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‚This must be the wood,‘ she said to herself, ‚where things have no names. I wonder what‘ll become of my name when I go in? I shouldn‘t like to lose it at all - because they‘d have to give me another. But then the fun would be, trying to find the creature that got my old name! Just fancy calling everything you met „Alice“ till one of them answered!‘

Rambling on in this way she reached the wood: it looked very cool and shady. ,Well, at any rate it‘s a great comfort.‘ she said as she stepped under the trees, ‚after being so hot, to get into the - into the - into what?‘ she went on, rather surprised at not being able to think of the word. ‚I mean to get under the - under the - under this, you know!‘ putting her hand on the trunk of the tree. ‚What does it call itself, I wonder? I do believe it‘s got no name - why, to be sure it hasn‘t.‘

She stood silent for a minute, thinking: then suddenly began again. ‚Then it really has happened, after all! And now, who am I? I will remember, if I can! I‘m determined to do it!‘ But being determined didn‘t help her much, and all she could say, was ‚L, I know it begins with L!‘

Just then a Fawn came wandering by: it looked at Alice with its large gentle eyes, but didn‘t seem at all frightened. ‚Here then! Here then!‘ Alice said, as she held out her hand to stroke it; but it only started back a little, and then stood looking at her again.

‚What do you call yourself?‘ the Fawn said at last, such a soft sweet voice it had!

‚I wish I knew!‘ thought poor Alice. She answered sadly: ‚Nothing, just now.‘

‚Think again,‘ it said: ‚that won‘t do.‘

Alice thought, but nothing came of it. ‚Please, would you tell me what you call yourself? I think that might help a little.‘

‚I‘ll tell you, if you‘ll come a little further on,‘ the Fawn said. ‚I can‘t remember here.‘

So they walked together through the wood, Alice with her arms clasped lovingly round the neck of the Fawn, till they came out into an open field. Here the Fawn gave a sudden bound into the air, and shook itself free. ‚I‘m a Fawn!‘ it cried out in a voice of delight, ‚and, dear me! you‘re a human child!‘ A sudden look of alarm came into its eyes, and in another moment it had darted away at full speed.

Alice stood looking after it, almost ready to cry at having lost her dear little fellow-traveller so suddenly. ‚However, I know my name now,‘ she said, ‚that‘s some comfort. Alice - Alice - I won‘t forget it again.‘

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