NINE SONGS
(GESÄNGE), OP. 69
Recording: Juliane Banse, soprano (Nos. 1-2, 4, 6-9); Andreas
Schmidt, baritone (Nos. 3, 5); Helmut Deutsch, piano [CPO
999 446-2]
Published 1877.
The
songs of Op. 69 initiate the four consecutive sets that occupy
the opus numbers between the first two symphonies. These four opus numbers, along with the slightly later
Opp. 84-86, comprise the songs of the “high
maturity.” Because Op. 69 is about twice as long as the
other three sets, it was published in two books. Brahms
submitted all four sets to Clara Schumann for individual
comments and critiques, which are preserved in their
letters. Five of the songs from Op. 69 are
folk-based. The others, Nos. 5-8, are similar in
tone. Six of them have texts with a distinctly female
perspective. Brahms considered advertising the set as
“Mädchenlieder” (“Girls’ Songs”), being clear that it was not to
be published with that title, but he eventually gave up on the
idea entirely, mainly due to the presence of No. 5, a drummer
boy’s song. The songs of the set consistently make use of
distinctive recurring piano interludes that also function as
introductions and postludes. The first four songs are all
adaptations of Czech and Slovak texts by Joseph Wenzig, all in
strophic form. Brahms’s settings reflect the conventions
of Bohemian and Slovakian folk melodies. The first two
“Laments” (“Klage I” and “Klage II”) are quite sophisticated,
while No. 3, “Abschied,” is simpler. The fourth, “Des
Liebsten Schwur,” is very beguiling, especially its varied final
strophe. The drummer’s song (“Tambourliedchen”) has
illustrative “drum roll” effects in the accompaniment, an
unusually “popular” style for Brahms. The Eichendorff
setting “Vom Strande” (No. 6) is unusually long, but repetitive in form. The two lengthy strophes
approximate a “Spanish” style, but the recurring refrain is even
more distinctive. No. 7, “Über die See,” is the simplest
and subtlest of the set. Its text seems to be a response
to “Vom Strande,” and its stark
accompaniment contrasts greatly with the
activity of the preceding song. No. 8 is also deceptive in
its apparent artlessness. The changing moods of the
protagonist are clearly reflected in the changes to the accompaniment and the vocal
line. The title “Salome,” making reference to the biblical
character connected to the beheading of John the Baptist,
appears to come from Brahms, who was perhaps inspired by the
metaphor comparing love to a sword. The final song,
“Mädchenfluch,” an adaptation from a Serbian text, is the most
varied and complex, framing a fast strophic section in 2/4 with
slower music in 3/4, then concluding with a final reference to
the fast 2/4 music. The major/minor key structure is also
artful. Brahms masterfully fits the poem’s 30 lines,
underlying narrative, and rapturous “curse” into this scheme,
creating a dramatic, exciting, and powerful song, a great
showpiece for a female singer. It provides a capstone to a
brilliant, satisfying set.
Note: Links to English translations of the texts are from Emily
Ezust’s site at http://www.lieder.net.
For the most part, the translations are line-by-line, except
where the difference between German and English syntax requires
slight alterations to the contents of certain lines. The
German texts (included here) are also visible in the translation
links.
IMSLP
WORK PAGE
ONLINE
SCORE FROM IMSLP (First Edition from Brahms-Institut
Lübeck--original keys)
ONLINE
SCORE FROM IMSLP (From Breitkopf & Härtel Sämtliche
Werke--original
keys--includes front matter of Sämtliche Werke, v.
25)
ONLINE SCORE FROM IMSLP (Edition Peters,
edited by Max Friedländer):
No.
1: Klage I (in original key, D
major)
No.
1:
Klage I (in low key, C major)
No.
2: Klage II (in original key, A
minor)
No.
2: Klage II (in high key, B minor)
No.
3: Abschied (in original key, E-flat major)
No.
3: Abschied (in high key, F major)
No.
4: Des Liebsten
Schwur (in original [middle] key, F
major)
No.
4: Des Liebsten Schwur (in high key, G major)
No.
4: Des Liebsten Schwur (in low key, E-flat major)
No.
5: Tambourliedchen (in original key, A major)
No.
5: Tambourliedchen (in middle key, F major)
No.
5: Tambourliedchen (in low key, E major)
No.
6: Vom Strande (in original key, A minor)
No.
6: Vom Strande (in low key, F minor)
No.
7: Über die See (in original key, E
minor)
No.
7: Über die See (in low key, C-sharp minor)
No.
8: Salome (in original key, C major)
No.
8: Salome (in low key, A major)
No.
9: Mädchenfluch
(in original key, A minor/major)
No.
9: Mädchenfluch (in low key, F minor/major)
BOOK I:
1. Klage I (Lament I). Text by Josef Wenzig,
after a Bohemian folk text. Unruhig (Restlessly)--voice;
Poco Allegro e grazioso--piano. Simple strophic form.
D MAJOR, 4/4 time (Low key C major).
(The title Klage is also used for Op.
105, No. 3.)
German Text:
Ach, mir fehlt, nicht ist da,
Was mich einst süß beglückt;
Ach, mir fehlt, nicht ist da,
Was mich erfreut!
Was mich einst süß beglückt,
Ist wie die Well’ entrückt.
Ach, mir fehlt, nicht ist da,
Was mich erfreut!
Sagt, wie man ackern kann
Ohne Pflug, ohne Roß?
Sagt, wie man ackern kann,
Wenn das Rad bricht?
Ach, wie solch Ackern ist,
So ist die Liebe auch,
So ist die Liebe auch,
Küßt man sich nicht!
Zwingen mir fort nur auf,
Was mit Qual mich erfüllt;
Zwingen mir fort nur auf,
Was meine Pein:
Geben den Witwer mir,
Der kein ganz Herze hat;
Halb ist’s der ersten Frau,
Halb nur wär’s mein!
English Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--The introduction sets the agitated, but
strangely buoyant mood. The first measure contains slurred
two-note descents with chordal support in the right hand against
wide arpeggios in the left on the first and third beats.
Then, descending arpeggios in triplet rhythm are passed from the
right down to the left hand. At first, the right hand
dovetails with the left in an arching motion, then it adds a
swinging melody above the triplet motion. Colorful, but
functional chromatic harmonies color the triplets The last
measure becomes slower and quieter, setting up the vocal entry
with a half-close and a pause.
0:13 [m. 5]--Stanza 1, lines 1-4. The first two lines
set up the prevailing short-short-long rhythm in a gentle
arch. The accompaniment has an “instrumental” effect,
evoking a central European folk-like sound. Short leaps,
almost like grace notes, are played against the strong beats of
the vocal line, and the figures that follow are detached,
resembling a plucked instrument. The third line begins
higher and, with the fourth line, works further upward rather than
returning back down. The fourth line necessarily abandons
the short-short-long rhythm. The phrase is closed by a
descending piano line in thirds.
0:25 [m. 9]--Stanza 1, lines 5-6. The vocal line
moves back down in this phrase. The short leaps on the
strong beats move to the bass in the left hand. At first, in
the fifth line, the key seems to move to the “dominant,” A major,
but the sixth line turns to that key’s “relative” minor key of
F-sharp, where it comes to a gently melancholy close at the middle
of the verse or musical strophe. The word “Well’” is first
stretched out in a widely leaping extension, then repeated with
“die.” At the cadence in F-sharp minor, the short
grace-note-like figures move back to the right hand and are played
on each beat.
0:35 [m. 12]--Stanza 1, lines 7-8. The music suddenly
becomes very agitated for the last two lines. The vocal line
takes on some of the character of the piano introduction, soaring
up on “erfreut” before a repetition of the last line that comes to
a cadence in the home key. Under the two statements of this
line, the accompaniment breaks into rapid sixteenth-note arpeggios
that arch downward, back up, and down again. The shape and
harmony of these is reminiscent of the triplets in the
introduction. Under the last note of the vocal cadence, the
piano plays the first measure of the introduction, leading into
the interlude.
0:47 [m. 16]--Interlude. The first measure dovetailed
with the preceding vocal cadence and was unchanged from the
introduction. Now the triplets are replaced with the faster
sixteenth notes heard under the last lines of the vocal
stanza. The harmony of the arpeggios is not changed, as
notes from the chords are simply added, but the slightly faster
motion provides a sense of even greater agitation. The last
measure still becomes slower and quieter with a half-close and
pause, but it is also accompanied by the faster arpeggios.
0:58 [m. 19]--Stanza 2, lines 1-4. The setting uses
the same music as stanza 1. In line 4, the declamation is
changed to reflect the accentuation of the text. Two notes
are used for “wenn das” that were previously used for “was,” and
“Rad” is spread over two notes that had been used for “mich” and
the first syllable of “erfreut.”
1:10 [m. 23]--Stanza 2, lines 5-6. The repeated words
are “die Liebe,” resulting in a very slight change of declamation
from “die Well’” and its repetition. Unlike stanza 1, line 5
is not a repetition of line 2.
1:20 [m. 26]--Stanza 2, lines 7-8. The last line is
repeated, as in stanza 1. Note the pattern of repeated text
in the stanza itself. Instead of repeating lines 3-4, as in
stanza 1, line 7 repeats line 6 and line 8 is new. The
declamation of line 7 is changed slightly from stanza 1. At
the cadence of the repeated line, the first measure of the
introduction/interlude is again heard. This time, a repeat
sign leads back to the interlude and third stanza.
1:32 [m. 16]--Interlude with sixteenth-note arpeggios, as
at 0:47.
1:41 [m. 19]--Stanza 3, lines 1-4. The declamation of
line 4 is as in stanza 1, not stanza 2.
1:54 [m. 23]--Stanza 3, lines 5-6. The repeated words
are now “kein ganz Herze,” which include an extra syllable.
To accommodate this, Brahms splits a note into two repeated notes,
the last note (G-sharp) before the F-sharp-minor cadence note, for
the word “Herze.”
2:03 [m. 26]--Stanza 3, lines 7-8. The declamation is
as in stanza 2, and the last line is again repeated. This
time, the text of the lines is completely new and reveals the true
cause of the “lament.” The first measure of the
introduction/interlude again dovetails with the cadence. Now
it leads into the postlude.
2:16 [m. 30]--Postlude. The first measure and a half
are a repetition of the interlude from 0:47 and 1:32 [m. 16], but
then melody shoots up an octave and builds in intensity while the
left hand plays a new bass arpeggio on the same harmony. The
last measure, which had slowed and diminished on a half-close in
preparation for the vocal entry, is replaced by an emphatic full
cadence with rolled chords.
2:31--END OF SONG [32 mm.]
2. Klage II (Lament II). Text by Josef
Wenzig, after a Slovakian folk text. Einfach
(Simply)--voice; Comodo--piano. Simple strophic form.
A MINOR, 2/4 time (High key B minor).
(The title Klage is also used for Op.
105, No. 3.)
German Text:
O Felsen, lieber Felsen,
Was stürztest du nicht ein,
Als ich mich trennen mußte
Von dem Geliebten mein?
[Here two stanzas not set by
Brahms]
Laß dämmern, Gott, laß dämmern,
Daß bald der Abend wink’
Und daß auch bald mein Leben
In Dämmerung versink’!
O Nachtigall, du traute,
O sing’ im grünen Hain,
Erleichtere das Herz mir
Und meines Herzens Pein!
Mein Herz, das liegt erstarret
Zu Stein in meiner Brust,
Es findet hier auf Erden
An nichts, an nichts mehr Lust.
Ich frei’ wohl einen Andern
Und lieb’ ich ihn auch nicht;
Ich tue, was mein Vater
Und meine Mutter spricht.
Ich tue nach des Vaters
Und nach der Mutter Wort,
Doch heiße Tränen weinet
Mein Herz in einem fort.
English Translation
Full Text (including
stanzas not set by Brahms)
0:00 [m. 1]--The introduction is characterized by rapidly
upward sliding three-note figures on the upbeats. It begins
with such an upbeat. These sliding figures are heavily
accented and harmonized. Most of the interest lies in these
upbeats. The remaining music consists of stepwise harmonies,
mostly descending, that anticipate the vocal line. At the
end, the right hand moves down to the middle range in an extended
motion to a half-close, preparing the vocal entry. The more
steady motion continues below in the left hand.
0:15 [m. 7]--Strope 1, Part 1 (Stanza 1). The first
part of the strophe sets the initial poetic stanza. It
begins with an upbeat. The first two lines are a fairly
straightforward phrase, echoing parts of the introduction with a
steady accompaniment. These lines slow down to a half-close
in the “relative” major key. The last two lines are quite
different. The vocal line shoots upward, moves immediately
back to the home minor key, and becomes agitated. The piano
harmonies follow the voice, with active low bass octaves.
The stanza ends with a half-close in the home key and leads
directly into the second stanza. At this point, Brahms
omitted two stanzas (the second and third) from the original poem.
0:33 [m. 15]--Strophe 1, Part 2 (Stanza 2). The
upward sliding upbeats return, now in the voice, supported by
heavily accented chords in the piano that are held over the bar
line. These figures dominate the first phrase, which covers
the first two lines. The third line is sung over rapidly
changing harmonies. It is repeated a step higher, with
chromatic harmonies suggesting other minor keys, to create its own
phrase. The last line is initially sung directly toward a
cadence, but the final syllable is extended in a gentle
upward-floating syncopation. The line is then repeated to
the original cadence, forming a five-bar phrase.
1:03 [m. 28]--The introduction is repeated, beginning on
the upbeat of the preceding cadence measure.
1:17 [m. 34]--Strophe 2, Part 1 (Stanza 3). The music
is the same as that for stanza 1, with a similar rhyme.
1:35 [m. 42]--Strophe 2, Part 2 (Stanza 4). The music
is the same as that for stanza 2, including the repetitions and
extensions. The floating syncopation works particularly well
for the word “Lust.”
2:06 [m. 28]--The third verse is indicated with a repeat
sign. The introduction is stated a third time.
2:20 [m. 34]--Strophe 3, Part 1 (Stanza 5). The same
music is repeated, but the rhyme is not similar.
2:37 [m. 42]--Strophe 3, Part 2 (Stanza 6). The same
music as stanzas 2 and 4, with the same repetitions. The
floating syncopation is set to the word “fort.”
3:07 [m. 55]--A very brief postlude is added, based on the
heavily accented upward-sliding figures. The first of these
occupies the upbeat previously used for the repetitions of the
introduction. It adds a poignant major-key inflection to the
upward-sliding figure. This is eliminated in the second
upbeat, which is lower. It is closed off by two rolled bass
chords forming a cadence under the held note E, the fifth of the
chord.
3:22--END OF SONG [57 mm.]
3. Abschied (Farewell). Text by Josef Wenzig,
after a Bohemian folk text. Bewegt (With motion)--voice; Con
moto--piano. Simple strophic form. E-FLAT MAJOR, 2/4
time (High key F major, sung here in lower key, D-flat major).
(The similar title Beim Abschied is used for Op. 95, No. 3.)
German Text:
Ach mich hält der Gram gefangen,
Meinem Herzen ist so weh,
Denn ich soll von hinnen ziehen
Über jenes Berges Höh.
Was einst mein war, ist verloren,
Alle, alle Hoffnung flieht;
Ja, ich fürchte, daß, o Mädchen,
Dich mein Aug’ nicht wieder sieht.
Dunkel wird mein Weg sich dehnen,
Wenn ich scheiden muß von hier:
Steh’ ich dann auf jenem Berge,
Seufz’ ich ein Mal noch nach dir.
English Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--The introduction begins with an upbeat, but it
sounds like a downbeat. The right hand pattern of a dotted
(long-short) rhythm over a flowing inner voice, along with the
left hand figures, which are slurred across the bar line, give
that impression. The upbeat notes are repeated on the
downbeat before changing. The left hand patterns anticipate
the vocal line. The second pair of dotted-rhythm figures
introduces chromatic pitch lowering typical of this folk song
style. The volume has steadily built to this point.
After this second pair, a note is held over the bar line.
The top melody descends in preparation for the vocal entry,
tenuously establishing the proper sense of downbeat.
0:10 [m. 5]--Stanza 1. The verse begins on the
upbeat, halfway through the bar, but although it is accented, it
is now clear that it is an upbeat. The melody works its way
upward and back down in the first two lines. The flowing
accompaniment from the introduction continues without the dotted
rhythms or the active left hand. In the middle of the
phrase, the top accompaniment notes harmonize the voice a third
below. An arpeggio leads to the second phrase setting the
last two lines, which works up and back down, but is more active
than the first phrase, partly due to a mildly syncopated piano
bass. The piano introduces another flattened chromatic
pitch before the last line is repeated. The repetition leaps
up to the highest vocal pitch, then descends to a full
cadence. An arpeggio in the flowing piano line leads back to
the introduction.
0:31 [m. 15]--The introduction is played again, now more
clearly on an upbeat because of the preceding vocal cadence on the
downbeat.
0:40 [m. 19]--Stanza 2. It is set to the same music
as stanza 1, with the repetition of the last line.
1:01 [m. 15]--The introduction is played a third
time. This time, it and the following third stanza are
indicated with a repeat sign in the music.
1:11 [m. 19]--Stanza 3. The words are placed under
those of stanza 2 in the same measures.
1:34 [m. 29]--Postlude. It is a fourth statement
of the introduction, but a final cadence chord is placed where the
voice had entered in the three stanzas. The song thus ends
with a full measure. In a piece beginning with an upbeat,
this is unusual. The upbeat at the beginning is thus an
extra half-measure.
1:51--END OF SONG [32½ mm.]
4. Des Liebsten Schwur (My Beloved’s Oath).
Text by Josef Wenzig, after a Bohemian folk text. Sehr
belebt und heimlich (Very lively and secretively). Simple
strophic form with varied final strophe. F MAJOR, 3/4 time (High
key G major, low key E-flat major).
German Text:
Ei, schmollte mein Vater nicht wach und im Schlaf,
So sagt’ ich ihm, wen ich im Gärtelein traf.
Und schmolle nur, Vater, und schmolle nur fort,
Ich traf den Geliebten im Gärtelein dort.
Ei, zankte mein Vater nicht wieder sich ab,
So sagt’ ich ihm, was der Geliebte mir gab.
Und zanke nur, Vater, mein Väterchen du,
Er gab mir ein Küßchen und eines dazu.
Ei, klänge dem Vater nicht staunend das Ohr,
So sagt’ ich ihm, was der Geliebte mir schwor.
Und staune nur, Vater, und staune noch mehr,
Du gibst mir doch einmal mit Freuden noch her.
Mir schwor der Geliebte so fest und gewiß,
Bevor er aus meiner Umarmung sich riß:
Ich hätte am längsten zu Hause gesäumt,
Bis lustig im Felde die Weizensaat keimt.
English Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--The introduction, which returns as a refrain
between verses, establishes the secretive, but joyous mood.
The right hand plays in active two-note harmonies, beginning on an
upbeat. These alternate between wider and narrower
intervals, the wider ones on the beat and the narrower ones after
it. After four bars, they introduce excited upward leaps on
the middle beats. The left hand at first plays upbeats and
downbeats, moving from fifths to octaves. After four bars,
it becomes more active, playing on all the beats and ranging over
the keyboard. The final two measures settle down and set up
the vocal entry.
0:08 [m. 9]--Stanza 1, lines 1-2. The vocal line is
exuberant and breathless, leaping up in arpeggios and then leaping
back down, all at a subdued level. The piano chords are also
light and active, those in the left hand gently rolled. The
second line becomes more steady, then makes a gently “warning”
turn to A minor. The last note on “traf” is held over a
two-bar piano extension that diverts A minor to D minor and places
unsettling accents on the third beat. The extension and turn
to minor signify the father’s disapproval.
0:19 [m. 19]--Stanza 1, lines 3-4. The third line
becomes very gentle and flattering, with lovely inner-voice motion
in the piano. At the stanza’s last line, the singer floats
up, mezza voce, and the key makes a striking change to
B-flat. The vocal line adopts the motion of the first line,
but more dreamily. The last line,without its first word, is
repeated to very colorful music. It begins on a syncopated
note held over the bar, then slows down toward a satisfying
cadence. The piano harmonies under the repeated line are
very chromatic as they move back to the home key. The bass
voice of the left hand introduces a cross rhythm that implies a
broader 3/2 meter. This breaks before the cadence.
0:33 [m. 31]--The introduction returns as a refrain between
verses. Its energy provides an immediate and almost
startling contrast to the subdued cadence of the verse.
0:41 [m. 39]--Stanza 2, lines 1-2. The music is as in
stanza 1. The parallelism of the poetic verses makes the
turn to minor and the piano extension appropriate in each stanza.
0:51 [m. 49]--Stanza 2, lines 3-4. As in stanza 1,
with syncopation and cross rhythm in repetition of line 4.
1:05 [m. 31]--This statement of the introduction, along
with the following third stanza, is indicated with a repeat sign
in the score.
1:12 [m. 39]--Stanza 3, lines 1-2. As in stanzas 1
and 2. The text of this stanza introduces the “oath” of the
title.
1:23 [m. 49]--Stanza 3, lines 3-4. As in stanzas 1
and 2. The father apparently gives in at this point.
The omission of the first word in the repetition of line 4 creates
an emphasis on “gibst” (“gives”), similar to “gab” (“gave,”
referring to the beloved’s kisses) in stanza 2.
1:36 [m. 61]--Stanza 4, lines 1-2. In an unexpected
change, the introduction/refrain is now the accompaniment to a new
vocal line for the first two poetic lines of this stanza.
Brahms finally increases the volume level and adds a marking of animato.
The vocal line of the first measures resembles the leaping last
part of the introduction. The introduction itself, under
this vocal line, is subtly altered in that last portion to
displace the exuberant leaps onto the downbeats. The last
measure of the introduction and new vocal line are replaced by the
corresponding long vocal note from the other stanzas on the word
“riß.” The piano turns to its original accompaniment at this
point, but with added bass arpeggios in this measure and in the
two-bar extension, which follows here. The change has
emphasized the statement of the oath. The last lines return
to the original pattern in voice, then piano, so that the stanza
ends like the other three.
1:46 [m. 71]--Stanza 4, lines 3-4. The vocal line
returns to the previous pattern in line 3, as does the piano right
hand. The volume also settles back down. The left
hand, however, replaces block chords with steadily running
arpeggios, maintaining a bit of the character from the first two
lines. At the fourth line and its repetition, both hands
play the pattern from the first three verses.
2:00 [m. 83]--The four-bar postlude begins like the
introduction/refrain, but after one measure, it reaches upward,
swells to the song’s only forte, and plunges to an
emphatic conclusion.
2:07--END OF SONG [86 mm.]
5. Tambourliedchen (The Drummer’s Little Song).
Text by Karl Candidus. Sehr Lebhaft (Very Lively).
Two-part simple strophic form. A MAJOR, Cut time [2/2]
(Middle key F major, low key E major).
German Text:
Den Wirbel schlag’ ich gar so stark,
Daß euch erzittert Bein und Mark,
Drum denk’ ich ans schön Schätzelein,
Blaugrau,
Blau,
Blaugrau,
Blau
Ist seiner Augen Schein.
Und denk’ ich an den Schein so hell,
Von selber dämpft das Trommelfell,
Den wilden Ton, klingt hell und rein:
Blaugrau,
Blau,
Blaugrau,
Blau
Sind Liebchens Äugelein.
English Translation (This rhyming, metric translation gives a very good
sense of each line, although the possessive pronoun at the end
of the first stanza should clearly be “her.” “Schätzelein”
is a neutral diminutive form of a masculine noun, but one that
is often used to describe a female love interest. “Seiner”
is a form of the corresponding masculine/neutral possessive
pronoun. This is a particularly confusing instance of
German gendered nouns.)
0:00 [m. 1]--Introduction. The piano immediately
launches into the song’s distinctive “drum roll” effects.
These are provided by the left hand, which plays rising stepwise
triplet figures against forceful right hand chords in the tenor
register. After two bars, the right hand moves up, the left
hand “drum roll” triplets become chordal arpeggios, and the volume
is suddenly hushed. The fourth bar is reiterated in the
fifth. The sixth and seventh bars stretch out the figure
with the right hand an octave lower. The final chord in the
seventh bar is a sudden, surprising, emphatic forte.
0:10 [m. 8]--Stanza 1, lines 1-2. The singer enters
confidently on an upbeat, leaping up and launching into the joyous
melody, which is rich in emphatic dotted (long-short)
rhythms. The piano continues the “drum roll” triplets, which
are first doubled, then played higher with supporting rolled
chords. The last words “Bein und Mark” are colored by a
mildly dissonant harmony. After the second line, the music
of that line is repeated in an intriguing way. The first
measure, which begins with a high note, is echoed by the piano
alone in a higher, richly harmonized octave with drum roll
triplets in the bass. Then the voice enters on the last
words, “Bein und Mark,” for the second, mildly dissonant measure,
adding the interjection “ja” for the upbeat. These words are
suddenly subdued, as is the piano, whose chords move back down.
0:19 [m. 14]--Stanza 1, line 3. The drum rolls are
abruptly abandoned, and the music takes on a sweeter, gentle
character. The key also moves to the “dominant” (E
major). The vocal line retains the prevailing dotted rhythm,
however. The piano plays light, detached arpeggios in
“straight” rhythm. After the line is sung, the piano begins
to echo the voice. The voice itself enters again after a
bar, continuing the echo and repeating the words “ans schön
Schätzelein.” The voice leaps up and down, adding an extra
repetition of the word “schön,” trailing away as the piano
continues downward. The piano repeats the rhythmic pattern
over light bass arpeggios. The voice and piano come to a
breathless pause on a half-close.
0:28 [m. 20]--Stanza 1, lines 4-7 (refrain). The key
makes another abrupt shift, this time to C major. The drum
rolls return, but quietly, and the voice sings the percussive
“Blaugrau, blau” in a manner reminiscent of the introduction, but
gently. As the voice completes the image of the beloved’s
eyes, it soars up, the piano returns to the light, detached
arpeggios, and the key moves back to A major. The text is
repeated, this time with “Blaugrau, blau” stated in D major.
The completing phrase is extended, soaring even higher as the
piano moves through the circle of fifths (F-sharp, B, E, A).
It also swells in volume, the voice reaching a forceful
cadence as the piano lands on the home key and the return of the
introduction/interlude.
0:41 [m. 29]--The introduction returns as an interlude, its
first measure eliding and corresponding with the vocal
cadence. The only alteration from the introduction is that
the right hand in the first two measures is played an octave
higher.
0:50 [m. 36]--Stanza 2, lines 1-2. The verse is sung
to the same music as stanza 1, repeating the last words of the
second line. The declamation of this verse allows the
complete repetition of “das Trommelfell” when the music becomes
subdued, without an added interjection.
0:58 [m. 42]--Stanza 2, line 3. The music is as in
stanza 1, with the motion to the “dominant.” The repeated
words, “klingt hell und rein,” are only four syllables as opposed
to the five of stanza 1, so “klingt hell” is repeated twice.
1:08 [m. 48]--Stanza 2, lines 4-7 (refrain). Set as
in stanza 1. After the “Blaugrau, blau” repetitions, the
closing words describing the beloved’s eyes are different, but
have the same basic message.
1:21 [m. 57]--Return of introduction as a postlude, played
as at 0:41 [m. 29], eliding with the vocal cadence and closing
with the sudden forte chord.
1:35--END OF SONG [63 mm.]
BOOK II:
6. Vom Strande (From the Beach). Text
by Josef Karl Benedikt von Eichendorff, from the collection Aus
dem Spanischen (From the Spanish). Bewegt (With
motion). Two-part strophic form with threefold
refrain. A MINOR (Refrain begins in F major), 6/8
time (Low key F minor; refrain begins in D-flat major).
(The similar title Am Strande is used for the duet Op. 66, No. 3.)
German Text:
Ich rufe vom Ufer
Verlorenes Glück,
Die Ruder nur schallen
Zum Strande zurück.
Vom Strande, lieb’ Mutter,
Wo der Wellenschlag geht,
Da fahren die Schiffe,
Mein Liebster drauf steht.
Je mehr ich sie rufe,
Je schneller der Lauf,
Wenn ein Hauch sie entführet,
Wer hielte sie auf?
Der Hauch meiner Klagen
Die Segel nur schwillt,
Je mehr mein Verlangen
Zurücke sie hält!
Verhielt’ ich die Klagen:
Es löst’ sie der Schmerz,
Und Klagen und Schweigen
Zersprengt mir das Herz.
Ich rufe vom Ufer
Verlorenes Glück,
Die Ruder nur schallen
Zum Strande zurück.
So flüchtige Schlösser,
Wer könnt’ ihn’n vertrau’n
Und Liebe, die bliebe,
Mit Freuden d’rauf bau’n?
Wie Vögel im Fluge,
Wo ruhen sie aus?
So eilige Wand’rer,
Sie finden kein Haus,
Zertrümmern der Wogen
Grünen Kristall,
Und was sie berühren,
Verwandelt sich all.
Es wandeln die Wellen
Und wandelt der Wind,
Meine Schmerzen im Herzen
Beständig nur sind.
Ich rufe vom Ufer
Verlorenes Glück,
Die Ruder nur schallen
Zum Strande zurück.
English Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--Refrain 1. The singer begins on an
upbeat and sings leaps between the “dominant” and “tonic” notes (C
and F in F major) for the “calls” from the shore before descending
by step and then exuberantly leaping up again. The piano
begins with sweeping arpeggios in a faster triplet grouping,
although chords in the second half of each measure maintain the
6/8 flow. In the third measure, with the vocal descent, the
arpeggios break into distinct upward figures separated by brief
rests, moving entirely to the left hand while the right hand plays
swaying two-chord figures after rests on the strong beats.
0:10 [m. 5]--The piano and voice suddenly become
quiet. The arpeggios cease, and the piano right hand moves
to undulating figures in the slower “straight” rhythm, harmonizing
the lower notes. The left hand introduces the rhythmic
figure that will dominate the song, an off-beat short-long
grouping, usually moving up a half-step, sometimes with a chord
above the higher note, always leaning into the third and sixth
beats of the 6/8 measure. Meanwhile, the voice, still
maintaining its previous rhythmic flow, moves the harmony down,
first to B-flat minor and then, through a striking chromatic
shift, to the preparatory “dominant” of the true home key, A
minor. The notes become longer with the word “Strande,” and
the phrase is extended to six bars, becoming even quieter.
Under the last extended vocal note, approached by a soaring leap,
the right hand undulations drop the lower harmonies and move
upward in preparation for the verse.
0:21 [m.11]--Strophe (stanza) 1, lines 1-4. The verse
begins with an upbeat, and the melody is very “Spanish” in
character. It contains many dotted rhythms and two-note
upbeats. The right hand retains the steady flowing motion
from the last part of the refrain, but it is now more free.
The motion is mostly stepwise, but changes to arching arpeggios at
the cadence, which corresponds to the end of the sentence in line
4. The key also moves toward E minor/major at this cadence
point. In the left hand, the off-beat long-short rhythmic
pattern continues, but Brahms adds punctuating bass notes on the
strong first and fourth beats of each measure. The off-beat
pattern itself consists of chords with one or two notes moving up,
usually by half-step (and most often from the leading tone to the
home keynote), on the long note.
0:28 [m. 15]--Strophe (stanza) 1, lines 5-8. These
lines are a repetition of lines 1-4, with one slight change at the
beginning of the third (seventh) line, where an octave leap in the
piano right hand is replaced by more stepwise motion. The
cadence in E minor/major is extended two bars by a repetition of
“wer hielte,” then a full repetition of the eighth line, “Wer
hielte sie auf?” The left hand rhythm straightens to
emphasize the cadence.
0:40 [m. 21]--Strophe (stanza) 1, lines 9-12. The
same pattern continues, but the material is new. Line 9
begins with a descending scale that turns back up in line
10. Then lines 11 and 12 follow the same basic shape, but
they add skips and leaps, build in volume, and make another
harmonic turn, this time to F major/minor. The leaping
figure used for line 12 is repeated by the piano in full harmony,
the right hand departing from the constant steady motion.
The left hand takes over this motion, finally departing from the
constant short-long figure, moving to rising arpeggios and
chords. The last line is repeated to slower notes with
pauses, and the line is extended to seven bars. At the last
held word, “hält” (which means “holds”), the piano harmony turns
back to A minor over a wide arpeggio. The voice slides down
to the next line.
0:53 [m. 28]--Strophe (stanza) 1, lines 13-16. The
prevailing pattern returns for lines 13-14, with the short-long
figure in the left hand and the steady running notes in the right,
but the vocal melody, though again hushed, is more intense and
breathless. At line 15, the piano departs from the 6/8
flow. Alternating measures of the left hand break into a
clear 3/4 grouping of bass notes and higher chords while the right
hand hints at this change of grouping, but remains
ambiguous. The voice reaches a clear cadence, then soars
upward. The last two lines, including the cadence, are
repeated in full and the voice comes to a stop.
1:04 [m. 34]--Interlude. The piano becomes very
agitated. The left hand chords lean into the strong beats,
but low bass notes are added on weak beats. The right hand
changes to brief off-beat arching arpeggios, still remaining in
the 6/8 flow. From the last two eighth notes of the second
measure, both hands move clearly to a 3/4 grouping of chords and
arpeggios. The volume diminishes, and in the last bar, two
bare octaves on the home keynote re-establish the strong 6/8
meter.
1:11 [m. 38]--Refrain 2. First part in F major, as at
the opening.
1:19 [m. 42]--Second part with changing rhythm and motion
to A minor, as at 0:10 [m. 5].
1:30 [m. 48]--Strophe (stanza) 2, lines 1-4. As in
the first stanza at 0:21 [m. 11], with a couple of very minor
changes in declamation.
1:38 [m. 52]--Strophe (stanza) 2, lines 5-8.
Repetition with extension and repeated text (“sie finden,” then
the entire line), as at 0:28 [m. 15].
1:48 [m. 58]--Strophe (stanza) 2, lines 9-12. New
material with motion to F major/minor, piano pattern change, and
repetition of the last line, as at 0:40 [m. 21]. The held
word at the end is “all.”
2:02 [m. 65]--Strophe (stanza) 2, lines 13-16. As at
0:53 [m. 28], with piano departure from 6/8 grouping, cadence, and
repetition of the last two lines.
2:12 [m. 71]--Interlude, as at 1:04 [m. 34].
2:19 [m. 75]--Refrain 3. First part in F major, as at
the opening and at 1:11 [m. 38].
2:28 [m. 79]--Second part with changing rhythm and motion
to A minor, as at 0:10 [m. 5] and 1:19 [m. 42]. At the very
end, the last vocal note on “zurück” is extended by a bar.
The last left hand figures are spaced out in the extension,
skipping first one, then two expected points where they would be
played, although the harmony in the “stretched out” version
remains the same. The right hand stalls and does not move
up. The last left hand figure leads to a full chord in the
tenor range on the fourth beat of the measure. This is
repeated after an empty downbeat, then again on the last downbeat
as the final held chord.
2:53--END OF SONG [87 mm.]
7. Über die See (Across the Sea). Text
by Karl von Lemcke. Andante. Simple strophic
form. E MINOR, 3/4 time (Low key C-sharp minor).
German Text:
Über die See,
Fern über die See,
Ist mein Schatz gezogen,
Ist ihm mein Herz
Voll Ach und Weh,
Bang ihm nachgeflogen.
Brauset das Meer,
Wild brauset das Meer,
Stürme dunkel jagen,
Sinket die Sonn’,
Die Welt wird leer,
Muß mein Herz verzagen.
Bin ich allein,
Ach, immer allein,
Meine Kräfte schwinden.
Muß ich zurück
In matter Pein,
Kann dich nimmer finden.
English
Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--Stanza 1, lines 1-3. The setting is bare
and desolate. The first two lines are set simply, with an
accompaniment in thirds over suspended left hand dissonances that
resolve across bar lines. In the voice, the first line moves
upward, then leaps to a higher upbeat for the descending second
line. The third line makes a gentle shift down a step to D
major, where it sweetly adopts a longer, swaying melody. The
accompaniment changes to two-note groups. The right hand
groups are harmonized in thirds on their first notes and occupy
the first and third beats of each measure, moving up on the former
and down on the latter. On the middle beats, the left
hand plays descending bass octaves on A and, after the line, a
fifth, A—D.
0:15 [m. 9]--Stanza 1, lines 4-6. The second half of
the verse returns immediately to E minor. Lines 4 and 5 are
similar to lines 1 and 2, but both of them descend and are nearly
identical, the only difference being the higher upbeat opening of
line 5. The accompaniment is even barer, using only the
suspended dissonance, now in the right hand. Line 6 is
similar to line 3, but the direction of the right hand groups is
reversed, and the left hand begins with rising octaves, reversing
them on the third beat and playing against the now rising right
hand. Both the piano and the vocal line are slightly
chromatic, but they reach a full cadence and never leave the home
key. As the line builds, the right hand intervals expand,
including a fourth and a fifth. The hands begin to omit
their rests, playing against each other on all beats at the end.
0:29 [m. 17]--Interlude. It continues from the piano
motion under line 6, reverting to the pattern at the beginning of
the line and dying down. The penultimate measure again
removes the right hand rest as it approaches the full final
cadence, which has a feeling of resigned melancholy.
0:37 [m. 21]--Stanza 2, lines 1-3. The music is as in
stanza 1 at the beginning.
0:49 [m. 29]--Stanza 2, lines 4-6. As in stanza 1
from 0:15 [m. 9].
1:04 [m. 37]--Interlude, as at 0:29 [m. 17].
1:11 [m. 21]--Stanza 3, lines 1-2. Indicated with
repeat signs under stanza 2.
1:26 [m. 29]--Stanza 3, lines 4-6.
1:40 [m. 37]--Interlude, now serving as postlude.
1:54--END OF SONG [40 mm.]
8. Salome. Text by Gottfried
Keller. Sehr belebt (Very lively). Strophic form,
joining two poetic verses in each of two musical strophes.
C MAJOR, 4/4 time (Low key A major).
German Text:
Singt mein Schatz wie ein Fink,
Sing ich Nachtigallensang;
Ist mein Liebster ein Luchs,
O so bin ich eine Schlang!
O ihr Jungfraun im Land,
Von dem Berg und über See,
Überlaßt mir den Schönsten,
Sonst tut ihr mir weh!
Er soll sich unterwerfen
Zum Ruhm uns und Preis!
Und er soll sich nicht rühren,
Nicht laut und nicht leis!
O ihr teuren Gespielen,
Überlaßt mir den teuren Mann!
Er soll sehn, wie die Liebe
Ein feurig Schwert werden kann!
English Translation
0:00 [m. 1]--Strophe 1,
stanza 1, lines 1-2. The accompaniment is essential to the
song’s character. It begins with an exuberant syncopated
leap up an octave on open fifths, a drone pattern that continues
through the first two lines. The right hand, meanwhile,
enters halfway through the first bar with the voice and combines
its chords with distinctive short-long figures on the
beat. The singer joyously leaps down, up, and back down on
broken chords from the key. The piano echoes the second
vocal line in full chords.
0:08 [m. 8]--Strophe 1, stanza 1, lines 3-4. These
lines, beginning halfway through the seventh bar, introduce more
cajoling stepwise and chromatic motion in the voice, and the
piano left hand moves away from the drone, although it keeps the
same rhythm, introducing octaves and chords. The right
hand retains the snapping short-long figures and its leaping
chords. The voice and piano both move the key to the
“dominant,” G major. Line 4, without the “O,” is repeated,
landing on a cadence in G. A brief interlude of one and a
half bars introduces the dotted rhythm that will be used in the
next stanza, played over a chromatic left hand. It also
begins the motion back home to C major.
0:17 [m. 15]--Strophe 1, stanza 2, lines 1-2. The
singer takes up the coaxing long-short dotted rhythm from the
interlude, swinging down and back up in slurred two-note
groups. A drop to the piano level is indicated in
the accompaniment, whose left hand introduces a rising chromatic
line in octaves. When the line reverses direction, it
changes to single notes, including a downward octave
shift. The right hand chords are very colorful, and their
motion partially reflects that of the chromatic bass line,
although neither adopts the dotted rhythm of the voice. At
the end of the line, on the word “See,”
everything comes to a pause on the suspenseful “dominant” chord,
slowly rolled upward by the left hand, with the voice delaying a
resolution.
0:26 [m. 22]--Strophe 1, stanza 2, lines 3-4. This
phrase also begins halfway through the bar (m. 21). The
vocal line works upward with long downbeats on dissonances that
lean into their resolutions. The volume grows, as does the
passion and intensity, and the words “sonst tut ihr” are
repeated. The piano establishes a solid “pedal point” on
the “dominant” note, G. While the left hand does add
harmonies above the G, the right hand introduces rising broken
octaves on the note in long triplet rhythms, with a rest on the
first parts of the triplets. This rhythm clashes uneasily
with the increasingly passionate vocal line. As the line
approaches a half-close, the bass moves away from the pedal and
the triplets abandon the rests, introducing other notes and an
arching motion.
0:31 [m. 26]--At the line’s last note, the piano triplets
begin to echo the “leaning” resolutions of the vocal line.
The left hand begins to play the solid rhythm from the
beginning, with the syncopated upward leap on chords, but not on
the original drone. This interlude occupies the last part
of one bar and the first part of another. Lines 3 and 4 of
the stanza are then repeated in full, with the voice beginning
as it had before, but deviating by omitting the repetition of
“sonst tut ihr” and instead building to an extended cadence with
a long syncopated note on “ihr.” Under this, the piano
triplets continue to follow the leaning resolutions. The
cadence is strongly supported with thick chords and preceded by
a descending arpeggio in the same triplet rhythm, on the chord
of D minor, underneath the long note on “ihr.
0:37 [m. 32]--Coinciding with the cadence, the piano
begins a joyous interlude that returns to the mood of the
beginning and even re-introduces the original left hand drone in
the syncopated leaps. The right hand chords leap downward
twice with a sense of rapturous delight.
0:42 [m. 36]--Strophe 2, stanza 3, lines 1-2. The
end of the interlude coincides with the beginning of the next
verse, closing on the first half of the bar before the voice
enters halfway through. When the voice comes in, it sings
the lines to the same music as the opening, with the “snapping”
rhythms, the drone, and the piano echo of the second line.
“Ruhm” is sung to two notes previously used for two syllables to
accommodate this stanza’s deviations in declamation from the
first stanza.
0:48 [m. 43]--Strophe 2, stanza 3, lines 3-4. Music
is as at 0:08 [m. 8]. A long note on “laut” replaces a
dotted rhythm previously used for “bin ich.” The whole
fourth line, which is two syllables shorter than the one in
stanza 1, is repeated at the motion to G major. The
interlude with dotted rhythms follows.
0:57 [m. 50]--Strophe 2, stanza 4, lines 1-2. Music
is as at 0:17 [m. 15]. Since each line has an additional
syllable, two short notes that previously extended a syllable
are now given their own. The pause on the “dominant” chord
comes on the word “Mann.”
1:06 [m. 57]--Strophe 2, stanza 4, lines 3-4. Music
is as at 0:26 [m. 22]. The last line is two syllables
longer than its earlier counterpart, so the three-syllable word
repetition is dispensed with, and two short repeated notes are
combined into a single longer note (on the second syllable of
“feurig”), causing the declamation to neatly fit the existing
music.
1:11 [m. 61]--Brief piano interlude and repetition, as at
0:31 [m. 26]. The first three syllables, “er soll sehn,”
are omitted, and the same “combined” note (on the second
syllable of “feurig”) is retained to accommodate the
declamation. The long syncopated note approaching the
cadence is on the first syllable of “werden.”
1:18 [m. 67]--The piano interlude at the cadence from
0:37 [m. 32] is extended three bars to create an emphatic
postlude. The extension reverses the direction of the
chords in the measure replacing the one where the second strophe
began. The drone continues in this measure, as it did
before. These new ascending chords lead to series of three
final cadence chords, which also emerge from the drone.
The last chord forcefully leaps downward.
1:29--END OF SONG [73 mm.]
9. Mädchenfluch (A Maiden’s Curse).
Text by Siegfried Kapper, after a Serbian folk text.
Belebt (Lively); Schnell und sehr lebhaft (Fast and very
lively); Wenig langsamer (A little slower); Schnell
(Fast). Combination of strophic and ternary form. A
MINOR/MAJOR, 3/4 and 2/4 time (Low key F minor/major).
German Text:
Ruft die Mutter, ruft der Tochter
Über drei Gebirge:
“Ist, o Mara, liebe Tochter,
Ist gebleicht das Linnen?”
Ihr zurück die junge Tochter
Über neun Gebirge:
“Nichts in’s Wasser, liebe Mutter,
Taucht’ ich noch das Linnen,
Denn, o sieh’, es hat das Wasser
Jawo mir getrübet. -
Wie dann erst, o liebe Mutter,
Hätt’ ich es gebleicht schon!
Fluch’ ihm, Mutter, liebe Mutter!
Ich auch will ihm fluchen.
Gäbe Gott im hellen Himmel,
Daß er sich erhänge -
An ein böses Bäumchen hänge,
An den weißen Hals mir!
Gäbe Gott im hellen Himmel,
Daß er lieg’ gefangen -
Lieg’ gefangen tief im Kerker,
An der weißen Brust mir!
Gäbe Gott, der Herr im Himmel,
Daß er Ketten trage -
Ketten trage, festgeschlungen,
Meine weißen Arme!
Gäbe Gott im hellen Himmel,
Daß ihn nähm’ das Wasser -
Daß ihn nähm’ das wilde Wasser,
Mir in’s Haus ihn bringe!”
English
Translation
Original Serbian Text with Kapper’s longer
German adaptation to the right
First Section--A minor/major, Belebt, 3/4 time.
0:00 [m. 1]--Lines 1-4. The piano provides a brief
two-bar introduction. The two hands play in octaves,
winding downward in triplets, using some chromatic notes and
establishing the A-minor key. The voice enters with
arching lines on a solid rhythm, a short dotted figure preceding
a longer one in the 3/4 meter. The piano accompanies with
wide, harp-like rolled chords. The second syllable of
“Gebirge” in line 2 is held over a bar line. The beginning
of the third line, with the girl’s name, introduces new
harmonies emphasizing F-sharp, a key center that plays a large
role in the middle section. The text and music of the
fourth line, which presents the mother’s question, are repeated.
0:25 [m. 13]--Lines 5-6. The opening introduction
in octave triplets is repeated, changing only the first note,
which is a step lower. The music for lines 1-2 is then
presented for the narrative introducing the daughter’s speech,
which takes up the rest of the text. The end of the line
is altered so that the singer reaches up a step higher for the
word “neun” (“nine”) than she did for “drei” (“three”).
The piano chords there are also changed somewhat, the harmony on
“neun” and the orientation of chords around it.
0:37 [m. 19]--Lines 7-8. The key signature changes
to major at this point. The music resembles the mother’s
question, and the text is in fact the answer to that question,
but it now moves toward the major key with chromatic harmonies
and has wider vocal leaps upward. The eighth line
introduces yearning chromatic motion and a held note over the
bar line on “Linnen.” The line is repeated at a higher
level, even more longingly. The piano continues its rolled
chords. Brahms marks this entire passage più dolce
sempre.
0:49 [m. 25]--Lines 9-12. With the major key
established, Brahms introduces new music. The singer very
gently invokes the name of the boy who troubles the water, Javo,
still using a dotted rhythm and some arching lines, which are
anticipated by the piano. The colorful piano chords are no
longer rolled. After line 10, which contains Javo’s name,
the piano echoes the long-short dotted rhythm as the singer
pauses for one bar. The daughter’s question/exclamation in
lines 11-12 is very hushed and enraptured, with tender
syncopation. The piano anticipates the dotted leap in its
tenor range. The singer soars up to the end of the line,
and the piano trails down with dotted rhythms. These
become syncopated, then slow to a brief pause, hinting at the
minor key in the last chords.
1:20 [m. 39]--Lines 13-14. Back in minor, the girl
forcefully invokes the curse. The music is very similar to
that used for the expository lines 1-2 and 5-6, with rolled
piano chords, but the vocal lines in dotted rhythm now move
downward instead of arching. The word “fluchen” is held
across the bar line. After this statement in minor, the
two lines are repeated with altered harmonies. Line 13
moves back to A major, then the repetition of line 14 changes to
a new minor key, F-sharp minor, which is the “relative” key of A
major. Brahms indicates that the repetition should
steadily build in speed and volume, leading directly into the
passionate strophic middle section in 2/4 time. The word
“fluchen” is stretched out, ending as the new section begins.
Second Section (3 strophes)--F-sharp minor/A major,
Schnell und sehr lebhaft, 2/4 time.
1:34 [m. 47]--The piano introduces the new section,
breaking into the breathless tremolo that dominates much
of it. Upper thirds alternate with single lower notes,
moving down to a half-close in F-sharp minor. The left
hand plays solid octaves, gradually speeding up. This
brief introduction, with some alteration, is used to close off
each strophe and introduce the next one.
1:37 [m. 51]--Strophe 1. Lines 15-16. The
passionate vocal line in F-sharp minor works down, then back up,
ending with a chromatic approach to a half-close in A. In
the first line (line 15), the rhythm and some of the melody from
the vocal line are mirrored in the low bass, harmonized in
thirds and fifths. The right hand tremolo is now
in single notes, in the tenor range and mostly in thirds.
(Note that in the low key version, both hands are in a higher
register here.) At the second line (line 16), when the
voice is introducing its chromatic line, the left hand changes
to a leaping staccato pattern and the right to rapid
arching arpeggios in a higher range. The harmony moves to
E, the “dominant” of A major.
1:44 [m. 59]--Lines 17-18. Line 17 is set to
similar music as line 15, but now in A minor and with the right
hand tremolo in the treble range. Line 18 is also
similar to line 16 in the voice and the piano, but at the word
“Hals,” instead of moving to a new key, the harmony simply
changes to major over exciting upward piano arpeggios. The
line is repeated, soaring to a climactic high note on an extra
statement of the word “weißen” over another arpeggio. The
voice then descends to a joyous cadence. At the cadence,
the introduction from 1:34 [m. 47] is repeated, but with a more
active, bouncing left hand at the beginning. The harmony
of the opening is also different, beginning in A major instead
of F-sharp minor, but quickly moving there.
1:58 [m. 76]--Strophe 2. Lines 19-20. The
music is as in strophe 1, lines 15-16 from 1:37 [m. 51], except
for the bass of the second line (line 20), where the leaping staccato
notes are moved to a lower octave with slightly different
orientation. This line also has new, more forceful sforzando
markings. The bass leaps to the original octave in the
last measure. (In the low key version, the bass register
does not change from strophe 1.)
2:05 [m. 84]--Lines 21-22. Music as in strophe 1,
lines 17-18 from 1:44 [m. 59]. The bass is in a lower
octave at line 22 and its repetition, and there are added sforzando
markings. In a neat parallel, the repeated word is again
“weißen.” The interlude/introduction is repeated as it was
before the strophe. (In the low key version, the bass
register only moves lower in the repetition, not in the first
statement of the line.)
2:18 [m. 76]--Strophe 3. Lines 23-24. This
time, the strophic repetition is indicated with repeat
signs. The music is as at 1:58, lines 19-20.
2:25 [m. 84]--Lines 25-26. Music as at 2:05, lines
21-22. The repeated word is once again “weißen.” The
interlude/introduction is repeated. There is a second
ending on the last measure, where the bass and harmony are
subtly altered to stay in A instead of moving to F-sharp.
Third Section (Combination of elements from the two
previous sections)--A minor/major, Wenig langsamser—Schnell, 3/4
and 2/4 time.
2:39 [m. 101]--Lines 27-28. This final curse
suddenly returns to music from the first section, specifically
the first four A-minor bars of the invocation of the curse from
1:20 [m. 39].
2:47 [m. 105]--Lines 29-30. These last lines are
sung to the music of the girl’s answer about the linen from 0:37
[m. 19], complete with the repetition of the last line and the
motion to major. The seam between these two different
areas from the first section is remarkably clean. Unlike
the previous dolce statement of this material, this time
it builds inexorably toward the final flourish.
2:58 [m. 111]--The tempo changes to the rapid 2/4
motion. The last two lines are sung to the music in A
minor/major from the end of the strophe as heard for lines
17-18, 21-22, and 25-26, specifically as at 2:05 and 2:25 [m.
84]. To increase intensity, sforzando markings are
added to the first measures. The clinching final line is,
of course, repeated, as this music demands, and is thus heard a
total of four times (no other line is heard more than
twice). The repeated syllables at the climax are the
significant “ins Haus,” replacing the “weißen” of the three
strophes. The introduction/interlude is played as a
postlude, diverted after its first three measures into a final
and emphatic cadence in A major.
3:18--END OF SONG [128 mm.]
END OF SET
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