Karajan played an important role in the development of the original compact disc digital audio format. He championed this new consumer playback technology, lent his prestige to it, and appeared at the first press conference announcing the format. Early CD prototypes had a play time limited to sixty minutes. It is often asserted that the decision to extend the maximum playing time of the compact disc to its standard of seventy-four minutes was achieved in order to adequately accommodate Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. This, however, is denied by Kees Immink, who co-invented the CD.
As was the case with soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Karajan's membership in the Nazi Party and prominent cultural association with Nazism from 1933 to 1945 cast him in an uncomplimentary light after the war. While Karajan's defenders have argued that he joined the Nazis only to advance his own career, his critics have pointed out that other great conductors such as Bruno Walter, Erich Kleiber and Arturo Toscanini fled from fascist Europe at the time. It should be noted, however, that many famous conductors worked in Germany throughout the war years, including Furtwängler, Ansermet, Schuricht, Böhm, Knappertsbusch, Clemens Krauss, Rother and Elmendorff. Additionally, careerism could not have been Karajan's sole motivation, since he first joined the Nazi Party in 1933 in Salzburg, Austria, five years before the Anschluss. In The Cultural Cold War, published in Britain as Who Paid the Piper?, her book on CIA cultural policy in postwar Europe, Frances Stonor Saunders noted that Karajan "had been a party member since 1933, and never hesitated to open his concerts with the Nazi favourite 'Horst Wessel Lied.'" Additionally and in contradistinction to Wilhelm Furtwängler, Karajan had no objections to conducting in occupied Europe. Musicians such as Isaac Stern and Itzhak Perlman refused to play in concerts with Karajan because of his Nazi past. Some have questioned whether Karajan was committed to the Nazi cause given the fact of his marriage in 1942 to Anita Guetermann, a woman of clear Jewish origin, but it is only from that point that Karajan's star within the government dimmed.
Von Karajan has often been criticized for a performance that was too polished, especially in later years. "...[He] opted instead for an all-purpose, highly refined, lacquered, calculatedly voluptuous sound..." (Harvey Sachs). However, there is widespread agreement that Herbert von Karajan had a special gift for extracting beautiful sounds from an orchestra.
Classical, Baroque, Opera, Romantic, Philharmonic
Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 4, 7
Madama Butterfly Act I: Vogliatemi bene un bene piccolino
Herbert von Karajan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un bene piccolino
Un bene da bambino
Quale a me si conviene
Vogliatemi bene
Noi siamo gente avvezza alle piccole cose
Umili e silenziose ad una tenerezza
Come il ciel, come l'onda del mare
Dammi ch'io baci le tue mani care
Mia Butterfly, come t'han ben nomata
Tenue farfalla
Dicon ch'oltre mare
Se cade in man dell'uom
Ogni farfalla da uno spillo è trafitta
Ed in tavola infitta
Un po' di vero c'è
E tu lo sai perché?
Perché non fugga più
Io t'ho ghermita
Ti serro palpitante
Sei mia
Sì, per la vita
Vieni, vieni
Via dall'anima in pena
L'angoscia paurosa
È notte serena
Guarda, dorme ogni cosa
Ah, dolce notte
Vieni, vieni
Quante stelle
Non le vidi mai sì belle
Ah, vieni, vieni
È notte serena
Guarda, dorme ogni cosa
Dolce notte, quante stelle
Vieni, vieni
Non le vidi mai sì belle
Vieni, vieni
Trema, brilla ogni favilla
Vien, sei mia
Col baglior d'una pupilla
Via l'angoscia dal tuo cor
(?)
Ti serro palpitante, oh vieni
Oh, quanti occhi fissi attenti
Quanti sguardi
Guarda, dorme ogni cosa
Ah, vien, vien
Ride il ciel
Ah, vieni, vieni
Ah, dolce notte
Tutto estatico d'amor ride il ciel
The lyrics of "Vogliatemi bene un bene piccolino" from Act I of Madama Butterfly by Herbert von Karajan can be interpreted as a passionate plea of love from the character Butterfly. She asks to be loved with a small, childlike love that is suitable for her. She describes herself and her people as accustomed to the simple and humble things in life, expressing a tender and profound affection that is as vast as the sky and the ocean.
Butterfly adores and cherishes her lover, asking for the privilege to kiss his hands, highlighting his importance in her life. She refers to herself as a delicate butterfly, acknowledging the belief that if a butterfly is captured by a human and pinned to a table, it loses its freedom and beauty. Despite this possibility, she embraces her love for him and holds on tightly, symbolically representing her commitment and attachment. She reveals that her love for him extends for life, proclaiming that they belong together.
As the scene progresses, Butterfly invites her lover to come and release her from her tormented soul, as the fearful anguish turns into a serene night. She marvels at the beauty of the stars, emphasizing that she has never seen such beauty before. The night and the stars represent a moment of tranquility and harmony. She calls for her lover to come and trembles with excitement, expressing that every glimmering spark is trembling along with her. The anguish is driven away from her heart and she fully embraces the love and passion they share.
Overall, this song showcases the deep and intense love that Butterfly feels for her lover, highlighting her vulnerability, devotion, and longing for a love that transcends boundaries.
Line by Line Meaning
Vogliatemi bene
Love me
Un bene piccolino
A small love
Un bene da bambino
A love like that of a child
Quale a me si conviene
Which suits me
Noi siamo gente avvezza alle piccole cose
We are accustomed to small things
Umili e silenziose ad una tenerezza
Humble and silent with tenderness
Sfiorante e pur profonda
Touching and yet deep
Come il ciel, come l'onda del mare
Like the sky, like the ocean waves
Dammi ch'io baci le tue mani care
Let me kiss your dear hands
Mia Butterfly, come t'han ben nomata
My Butterfly, how well they named you
Tenue farfalla
Delicate butterfly
Dicon ch'oltre mare
They say that beyond the sea
Se cade in man dell'uom
If it falls into the hands of a man
Ogni farfalla da uno spillo è trafitta
Every butterfly is pierced by a needle
Ed in tavola infitta
And pinned on a table
Un po' di vero c'è
There is some truth
E tu lo sai perché?
And you know why?
Perché non fugga più
So it won't fly away
Io t'ho ghermita
I have captured you
Ti serro palpitante
I hold you tightly, trembling
Sei mia
You are mine
Sì, per la vita
Yes, for life
Vieni, vieni
Come, come
Via dall'anima in pena
Away from the tormented soul
L'angoscia paurosa
The fearful anguish
È notte serena
It is a serene night
Guarda, dorme ogni cosa
Look, everything is asleep
Ah, dolce notte
Ah, sweet night
Quante stelle
How many stars
Non le vidi mai sì belle
I never saw them so beautiful
Vieni, vieni
Come, come
Trema, brilla ogni favilla
Trembles, every spark shines
Vien, sei mia
Come, you are mine
Col baglior d'una pupilla
With the gleam of an eye
Via l'angoscia dal tuo cor
Away with the anguish from your heart
(?)
Unknown meaning
Ti serro palpitante, oh vieni
I hold you tightly, oh come
Oh, quanti occhi fissi attenti
Oh, how many fixed attentive eyes
Quanti sguardi
How many gazes
Guarda, dorme ogni cosa
Look, everything is asleep
Ah, vien, vien
Ah, come, come
Ride il ciel
The sky laughs
Ah, vieni, vieni
Ah, come, come
Ah, dolce notte
Ah, sweet night
Tutto estatico d'amor ride il ciel
The sky laughs ecstatically with love
Lyrics © PUBLIC DOMAIN
Written by: Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind