The document discusses Franz Schubert's style of song composition. It notes that after Beethoven's influential song cycle An die ferne Geliebte, Schubert aimed to further elevate the genre of art song. The document analyzes several of Schubert's songs in detail, praising his refinement of melody, harmony, rhythm, mood, and sincerity. It highlights how Schubert's songs are miniature masterpieces that encapsulate the essence of Romantic nostalgia through their atmospheric and impressionistic qualities.

1. Schubert’s
Style of Song

2. I n 1 8 1 6 ,
V a n B e e t h o v e n
p u b l i s h e d
[ T o t h e D i s t a n t
B e l o v e d ] - - t h e
a r c h e t y p i c a l
R o m a n t i c
s o n g c y c l e
( vo i c e a n d p i a n o )
o f i n n o v a t i v e
ima gi native value
v i s - à - v i s s h a p e
a n d s t y l e , f o r m
a n d c o n t e n t .

3. W i t h V a n
B e e t h o v e n ’ s
An die ferne Geliebte
a s m o d e l ,
S c h u b e r t
a s p i r e d t o
further elevate
t h e g e n r e o f
s o n g i n t o a n
i m p o r t a n t
v e h i c l e o f
e x p r e s s i o n .

4. I n h i s s o n g s ,
S c h u b e r t
concentrated to
t h e p u r e s t
distillated essence
his refinement of
melody, harmony,
r h y t h m , m o o d ,
s y m b o l , a n d
heart-felt
sincerity.

5. As highl y-polished gem-stones, Schuber t’s
songs ar e mi niatur e master pieces for the
d i o r a m a - s t a g e o f t h e s m a l l e r s e t t i n g .

6. Nähe des Geliebten [Nearness of the Beloved] (Gb-major) D162
[1815]--“An unassailable masterpiece, perfectly balanced; a
perfection of form and expression, with complete integration of
p i a n o a n d v o i c e ; a g r e a t a c h i e v e m e n t . ” §

7. Die Forelle [The Trout] (Db-major) D550 [1817]--displays
Schubert’s “instinctive feeling for folksong melody with its
rounded inevitability, while the pictorial quality of the piano
w r i t i n g g i v e s i t i t s i r r e s i s t i b l e v i v a c i t y. ” §

8. “T he unit y of
m o o d i s
c o m p l e t e ;
m e l o d i c a n d
h a r m o n i c
s t r u c t u r e
impressive; rich
a n d v a r i e d
s y m b o l i c
associations...a
locus classicus
of Schuber t’s
m u s i c a l
l a n g u a g e :
e n c a p s u l a t e s
the essence of
R o m a n t i c
n o s t a l g i a . ” §
Erlafsee
[ L a k e E r l a f ]
(F-major) D586
[ 1 8 1 7 ] - -
“atmospheric
a n d
impressionistic
. . . h e r e t h e
e s s e n t i a l l y
p i c t o r i a l
q u a l i t i e s o f
S c h u b e r t ’ s
m u s i c a l
language are
w o n d e r f u l l y
demonstrated.”

9. Der Fluß [The River] (B-major) D693 [1820]--“marks a new stage in
the evolution of Schubert’s art...the long-breathing melodic line,
the rhapsodic key, the unexpected emotional weight...contribute to
the realisation of a single moment and a single mood.” §

10. Nachtviolen
[ D a m e ’ s V i o l e t s ]
(C-major) D752
[ 1 8 2 2 ] - - “ A
‘ m a s t e r p i e c e
o f m y s t e r i o u s
i n t i m a cy ’ w i t h
o v e r t o n e s o f
y e a r n i n g
t e n d e r n e s s
t h a t s o u n d s o
i n e v i t a b l e . ” §

11. Auf dem Wasser zu Singen [Song of the Water] (ab-minor)
D774 [1823]--Each “line, with its heart-easing shift to the major,
brings a sensuous shock of delight, so that each verse increases
our pleasure and sense of anticipation. As always, it is a sensuous
i m a g e w h i c h f i r e s S c h u b e r t ’ s i m a g i n a t i o n
a n d g i v e s h i m t h e r h y t h m i c a l f i g u r e . ” §

12. Nacht und Träume [Night and Dreams] (B-major)
D827 [1822]--“the unconscious, and [cognizance] of
the night, with mystery and with dreams is here in
this most Romantic song [with] gibbous moons
and moon-haunted...imagination [and] deeply felt
ex p r e s s i o n o f s e n s e o f t h e i n f i n i t e . ” §

13. Das Zügenglöcklein [The Tolling Bell] (Ab-major) D871 [1826]--
“ S c h u b e r t k e e p s t h e b e l l t o l l i n g t h r o u g h o u t t h e s o n g ,
while the ‘melody and very choice harmony move on quite freely’.
Within this unifying figure, the melodic and harmonic variations reach
o u t b e y o n d t o a d e e p e r h u m a n i t y a n d c o m p a s s i o n . ” §

14. Das Lied im Grünen [Song of the Greenwood]
(A-major) D917 [1827]--“This is Schubert’s loveliest spring song.
T he steady, unhur ried movement gives an ef fect of
timelessness that matches the mood of the song.Ӥ

15. Des Fischers
Liebesglück
[F i s h e r ' s L ove -
B l i s s ]
(a-minor) D933
[ 1 8 2 7 ] - - T h e
“long-breathed
strophe moves
with sensuous
[delight] from
minor to major
[ w i t h ] a n
evocative tune
that matches
t h e b l i s s o f
the lovers in
their private
h e a v e n . ” §

16. §All quotations
from John Reed,
The Schubert
Song Companion
(Palgrave: New
York NY USA,
1997).