Alone with My Magic Word
ALONE WITH MY MAGIC WORD
Annette von Droste-Hülshoff. Her life in letters, poems, prose and music
The author's intention was to portray the life of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, probably the greatest woman poet of the 19th century, using documents only. Georg Brintrup's soirée contains letters by Droste, passages from her work, and piano pieces and songs she composed herself. The documents are complemented by letters and passages from the 'Memoirs' and the 'Portrait of a Life' by the writer Levin Schücking, whose influence on her work was decisive.
Most of the music is taken from Robert Schumann's piano works; two compositions are by Schumann's wife, Clara Wieck. In the interplay of word and music, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff is presented rather than portrayed. For behind every word of her letters and her work she conceals herself more than she reveals herself. She did not write down her life; she lived it by writing.
| VOICES | Marianne Kehlau, Ludwig Thiesen, Armas Sten Fühler, Friedrich von Bülow, Gisela Zoch-Westphal, Gert Westphal and others |
| MUSIC | Robert Schumann, Clara Wieck, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff |
| DIRECTOR | Georg Brintrup |
| SOUND ENGINEER | Udo Schuster |
| EDITOR | Peter-Paul Schulz |
| DURATION | 160 minutes |
| FIRST BROADCAST | SWF 10.6.1978 |