Thomas Quasthoff (born in Hildesheim, Germany, November 9, 1959) is a Germa… Read Full Bio ↴Thomas Quasthoff (born in Hildesheim, Germany, November 9, 1959) is a German bass-baritone generally regarded as one of the finest singers of his generation. Although his reputation was initially based on his performance of Romantic lieder, Quasthoff has proven to have a remarkable range from the Baroque cantatas of Bach to solo jazz improvisations.

Quasthoff was born with serious birth defects caused by his mother's exposure during pregnancy to the drug thalidomide which was prescribed as an antiemetic to combat her morning sickness. Thomas Quasthoff is unusually short (about four feet tall) due to shortening of the long bones in his legs, and he has phocomelia of the upper extremities with very short or absent long bones and flipper-like appearance of his hands.

Quasthoff was denied admission to the music conservatory in Hannover, Germany due to his physical inability to play the piano, then a requirement for entry to the conservatory. He chose to study voice privately. He also studied law for three years. Prior to his music career, he worked six years as a radio announcer for NDR. He also did voice-over work for television.

His music career was launched in 1988 when he won an important competition in Munich, earning praise from the baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. In 2003, he made his staged operatic debut as Don Fernando in Simon Rattle's Beethoven's Fidelio at the Salzburg Festival. His San Francisco Symphony debut took place September 2004.

Thomas Quasthoff won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance in 2000. It was for his performance together with the soprano Anne Sofie von Otter of Mahler’s Lieder aus "Des Knaben Wunderhorn". They were accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Claudio Abbado. He won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance for the second time in 2004. It was for Schubert: Lieder with Orchestra which Quasthoff performed with von Otter and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Abbado. Quasthoff won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance for the third time in 2006 with Rainer Kussmaul leading members of the RIAS Chamber Choir of Berlin Baroque Soloists in their recording of J.S.Bach: Cantatas.

Additionally, Quasthoff's recordings of the songs of Brahms, Liszt and Schubert accompanied by pianist Justus Zeyen were nominated for the Grammy in 2000 and 2001. Thomas Quasthoff records for Deutsche Grammophon.

Quasthoff is a full-time voice professor and performs only about 50 times a year. He was a professor at the music academy of Detmold, Germany. He currently teaches at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin.

For the 2006-2007 concert season, Quasthoff was one of Carnegie Hall's "Perspectives" artists. However, illness forced him to cancel his first two appearances in that capacity.

In 2006 he took his first jazzalbum, "The Jazzalbum - Watch what happens", with Till Brönner, Alan Broadbent, Peter Erskine, Dieter Ilg and Chuck Loeb.

In the spring of 2012, Quasthoff announced his retirement at the age of 52. During an interview with the German magazine, Der Spiegel, Quasthoff said that his retirement was due to grief at the death of his brother, as well as a recent bout of laryngitis. He also went on to speak that he was now satisfied that the world had not just listened to his art due to his physical challenges, but that his art was truly respected for itself.

Have A Little Faith In Me
Thomas Quasthoff Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark
And have a little faith in me

And when the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try

And have a little faith in me
And

[Chorus]
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me

When your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darlin'
From a whisper start
To have a little faith in me

And when your back's against the wall
Just turn around and you will see
I will catch, I will catch your fall baby
Just have a little faith in me

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The song "Have a Little Faith in Me" is a comforting ballad that speaks to the power of love and faith in times of hardship. The lyrics suggest that when life becomes dark and difficult, the singer's love can provide a guiding light that keeps their partner from losing their way. The chorus repeats the phrase "Have a little faith in me" as a way of reminding the listener to trust in the singer's love and support. The second verse emphasizes the idea of trust even further, with the singer suggesting that they can help their partner open up and share their innermost feelings. And when all seems lost, the singer promises to be there to catch their partner if they fall.

The song's simple structure and straightforward lyrics make for a powerful message that resonates with many listeners. At its core, "Have a Little Faith in Me" is a song about the healing power of love and the importance of having someone to turn to in times of trouble. The melody is soft and soothing, with a gentle piano backing that adds to the sense of comfort and support.

Overall, "Have a Little Faith in Me" is a moving and inspiring song that encourages listeners to trust in themselves and the people they love. It's a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope and comfort to be found in the arms of those we care about.

Line by Line Meaning

When the road gets dark
When life becomes difficult and confusing

And you can no longer see
And you feel lost and uncertain of what to do next

Just let my love throw a spark
Just allow my love to ignite a light within you

And have a little faith in me
And trust in me and my love for you

And when the tears you cry
And when you feel overwhelmed by your emotions

Are all you can believe
And when you feel like your sadness is all there is

Just give these loving arms a try
Just let me comfort you with my embrace

And have a little faith in me
And have hope and trust in me to help you through this

When your secret heart
When you have a hidden desire or feeling

Cannot speak so easily
That you find it hard to express to others

Come here darlin'
Come to me, my dear