For soprano and piano
When I Die
for Soprano and Piano
A song for soprano and piano on Federico García Lorca, sung in Russian. English translation by Lera Auerbach is provided for reference.
Published Work
Part of Two Songs. The published work contains Song of Solitude and When I Die.
Text
Federico García Lorca. The song is set in Russian. English translation by Lera Auerbach is provided for reference.
Premiere
1988. Chelyabinsk · Ludmila Shenderova, soprano · Lera Auerbach, piano.
Structure
-
When I Die
Song for soprano and piano.
-
Position
Second song of Two Songs.
-
Text
Federico García Lorca, sung in Russian.
Work Information
Listen to Work
Educational listening access to When I Die for soprano and piano.
Text
Когда умру
Federico García Lorca · sung text in Russian · English translation by Lera Auerbach
Sung text, Russian
Когда умру… схороните меня с гитарой в речном песке…
Когда умру… В апельсиновой роще старой, в любом цветке…
Когда умру… буду флюгером я на крыше на ветру…
Тише когда умру.
English translation, for reference
When I die… Let me rest with my guitar in the river’s sand…
When I die… In the ancient forest of the orange trees, in every flower…
When I die… I’ll be the weathervane on the roof full of wind…
Keep silent when I die.
Text note: The musical setting uses the Russian text only. The English version by Lera Auerbach is included here as a reference translation.
The Work
When I Die is a song for soprano and piano composed in 1986. It is the second song of Two Songs, a pair of Lorca settings for soprano and piano.
Lorca’s brief poem imagines death through spare images of guitar, river sand, orange trees, flowers, roof, wind, and silence. Auerbach’s setting uses the Russian text; the English translation is included on this page only as a guide to meaning.
- Form Song.
- Language Russian.
- Forces Soprano and piano.
Online Materials
Public links related to When I Die. The publisher pages list the complete published work, Two Songs, which includes When I Die.
-
AudioListen to Work leraauerbach.com
-
PublisherBoosey & Hawkes / Sikorski Boosey & Hawkes
-
ScorePurchase Score Boosey & Hawkes
-
ReferenceAuerbach Work Catalogue Boosey & Hawkes / Sikorski
Publisher and Materials
Published by Boosey & Hawkes / Sikorski as part of Two Songs. The publisher catalogue page and purchase page are linked below.
