What forms are found in the songs of Schubert. In the history of vocal music, Schubert occupies the same position as Beethoven in the field of instrumental music.
Franz Peter Schubert was born on January 31, 1797 in a suburb of Vienna. His musical abilities showed up quite early. He received his first music lessons at home. He was taught to play the violin by his father, and the piano by his older brother.
At the age of six, Franz Peter entered the Lichtental parish school. The future composer had an amazingly beautiful voice. Thanks to this, at the age of 11 he was accepted as a "singing boy" in the capital's court chapel.
Until 1816, Schubert studied for free with A. Salieri. He learned the basics of composition and counterpoint.
Composer talent manifested itself already in adolescence. Studying the biography of Franz Schubert , you should know that in the period from 1810 to 1813. he composed several songs, piano pieces, a symphony and an opera.
mature years
The path to art began with Schubert's acquaintance with the baritone I.M. Fogle. He performed several songs by the novice composer, and they quickly gained popularity. The first serious success for the young composer was brought by Goethe's ballad "The Forest King", which he set to music.
January 1818 was marked by the publication of the first composition of the musician.
The short biography of the composer was rich in events. He met and became friends with A. Huttenbrenner, I. Mayrhofer, A. Milder-Hauptmann. Being devoted fans of the musician's work, they often helped him with money.
In July 1818 Schubert left for Zeliz. Teaching experience allowed him to get a job as a music teacher to Count I. Esterhazy. In the second half of November the musician returned to Vienna.
Features of creativity
Getting to know short biography Schubert , you should know that he was primarily known as a songwriter. Music collections based on W. Muller's verses are of great importance in vocal literature.
Songs from latest collection composer, "Swan Song", gained fame throughout the world. An analysis of Schubert's work shows that he was a bold and original musician. He did not follow the path blazed by Beethoven, but chose his own path. This is especially noticeable in the Trout Quintet for piano, as well as in the B-minor Unfinished Symphony.
Schubert left many church writings. Of these, Mass No. 6 in E-flat major has gained the most popularity.
Illness and death
1823 was marked by the election of Schubert as an honorary member of the musical unions in Linz and Styria. IN summary The biography of the musician says that he applied for the position of court fitse-kapellmeister. But J. Weigl got it.
Schubert's only public concert took place on March 26, 1828. It was a huge success and brought him a small fee. Works for pianoforte and songs of the composer were published.
Schubert died of typhoid fever in November 1828. He was less than 32 years old. For my short life the musician was able to do the most important thing – realize your amazing gift.
Chronological table
Other biography options
- For a long time after the death of the musician, no one could put together all his manuscripts. Some of them have been lost forever.
- One of interesting facts is that most of his writings began to be published only at the end of the 20th century. In terms of the number of works created, Schubert is often compared with
(Schubert) Franz (1797-1828), Austrian composer. Creator of romantic songs and ballads, vocal cycle, piano miniature, symphony, instrumental ensemble. Song permeates the compositions of all genres. Author of about 600 songs (to the words of F. Schiller, J. W. Goethe, G. Heine), including from the cycles "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" (1823), "The Winter Road" (1827, both to the words of W. Müller ); 9 symphonies (including "Unfinished", 1822), quartets, trios, piano quintet "Trout" (1819); piano sonatas (St. 20), impromptu, fantasies, waltzes, landlers.
SHUBERT (Schubert) Franz (full name Franz Peter) (January 31, 1797, Vienna - November 19, 1828, ibid.), Austrian composer, the largest representative of early romanticism.
Childhood. Early works
Born in the family of a school teacher. Schubert's exceptional musical abilities manifested themselves in early childhood. From the age of seven, he studied playing several instruments, singing, and theoretical disciplines. In 1808-12 he sang in the Imperial Court Chapel under the direction of the outstanding Viennese composer and the teacher A. Salieri, who, drawing attention to the boy's talent, began to teach him the basics of composition. By the age of seventeen, Schubert was already an author piano pieces, vocal miniatures, string quartets, symphony and opera "Devil's Castle". Working as a teacher's assistant at his father's school (1814-18), Schubert continued to compose intensively. Numerous songs belong to 1814-15 (including such masterpieces as “Margarita at the Spinning Wheel” and “Forest Tsar” to the words of J. V. Goethe, 2nd and 3rd symphonies, three masses and four singspiel. Musician career
At the same time, Schubert's friend J. von Spaun introduced him to the poet I. Mayrhofer and law student F. von Schober. These and other friends of Schubert - the educated, musically and poetic members of the new Viennese middle class - regularly met at home evenings of Schubert's music, later called "Schubertiades". Communication with this friendly and receptive audience finally assured the young composer of his vocation, and in 1818 Schubert left work at the school. At the same time, the young composer became close to the famous Viennese singer I. M. Fogle (1768-1840), who became an ardent propagandist of his vocal work. During the second half of the 1810s. Numerous new songs came out from Schubert's pen (including the most popular "Wanderer", "Ganymede", "Trout"), piano sonatas, 4th, 5th and 6th symphonies, elegant overtures in the style of G. Rossini , piano quintet "Trout", including variations on the song of the same name. His singspiel The Twin Brothers, written in 1820 for Vogl and staged at the Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna, was not particularly successful, but brought fame to Schubert. A more serious achievement was the melodrama The Magic Harp, staged a few months later at the Theater An der Wien.
The variability of fortune
The years 1820-21 were successful for Schubert. He enjoyed the patronage of aristocratic families, made a number of acquaintances among influential people in Vienna. Schubert's friends published 20 of his songs by private subscription. Soon, however, a less favorable period came in his life. The opera "Alfonso and Estrella" on the libretto by Schober was rejected (Schubert himself considered it his great success), material circumstances worsened. In addition, at the end of 1822, Schubert became seriously ill (apparently, he contracted syphilis). Nevertheless, this complex and difficult year was marked by the creation of outstanding works, including songs, the piano fantasy "Wanderer" (this is almost the only example of Schubert's bravura-virtuoso piano style) and the full of romantic pathos "Unfinished Symphony" (composing two parts of the symphony and having sketched out the third, the composer for some unknown reason left the work and never returned to it).
Life cut short in its prime
Soon the vocal cycle “The Beautiful Miller’s Woman” (20 songs to words by W. Müller), the singspiel “The Conspirator” and the opera “Fierabras” appeared. In 1824 were written string quartets A-moll and D-moll (its second movement is variations on Schubert's earlier song "Death and the Maiden") and a six-hour Octet for winds and strings, modeled after the then very popular Septet Op. 20 by L. van Beethoven, but surpassing him in scale and virtuoso brilliance. Apparently, in the summer of 1825 in Gmunden near Vienna, Schubert sketched or partially composed his last symphony (the so-called "Big", C-dur). By this time, Schubert already enjoyed a very high reputation in Vienna. His concerts with Fogle attracted large audiences, and publishers willingly published his new songs, as well as pieces and piano sonatas. Among the works of Schubert 1825-26, the piano sonatas A-moll, D-dur, G-dur, the last G-dur string quartet and some songs, including "The Young Nun" and Ave Maria, stand out. In 1827-28, Schubert's work was actively covered in the press, he was elected a member of the Vienna Society of Friends of Music, and on March 26, 1828, he gave an author's concert in the Society's hall, which was a great success. This period includes the vocal cycle "Winter Way" (24 songs to the words of Muller), two impromptu notebooks for piano, two piano trios and masterpieces recent months Schubert's life - Es-dur Mass, the last three piano sonatas, the String Quintet and 14 songs published after Schubert's death in the form of a collection called "Swan Song" (the most popular are "Serenade" to the words of L. Relshtab and "Double" to the words of G Heine). Schubert died of typhus at the age of 31; contemporaries perceived his death as the loss of a genius who managed to justify only a small part of the hopes placed on him. Songs of Schubert
For a long time, Schubert was known mainly for his songs for voice and piano. In essence, Schubert began a new era in the history of German vocal miniature, prepared by the flourishing of German lyric poetry in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Schubert wrote music to poems by poets of various levels, from the great J. W. Goethe (about 70 songs), F. Schiller (over 40 songs) and G. Heine (6 songs from the Swan Song) to relatively little-known writers and amateurs (for example, Schubert composed about 50 songs to the verses of his friend I. Mayrhofer). In addition to a huge spontaneous melodic gift, the composer had a unique ability to convey with music both the general atmosphere of the poem and its semantic shades. Starting from the earliest songs, he inventively used the possibilities of the piano for sound-pictorial and expressive purposes; Thus, in Margarita at the Spinning Wheel, the continuous figuration in sixteenths represents the spinning of the spinning wheel and at the same time is sensitive to all changes in emotional tension. Schubert's songs are exceptionally varied in form, from simple strophic miniatures to free-form vocal scenes that often consist of contrasting sections. Having discovered Muller's lyrics, which tells about the wanderings, sufferings, hopes and disappointments of a lonely romantic soul, Schubert created the vocal cycles "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" and "Winter Road" - in essence, the first large series of monologue songs in history connected by a single plot.
In other genres
Schubert strove for success in theatrical genres all his life, but his operas, for all their musical merits, are not dramatic enough. Of all Schubert's music directly related to the theatre, only a few numbers for W. von Chesy's play "Rosamund" (1823) gained popularity.
Church compositions by Schubert, with the exception of Masses As-dur (1822) and Es-dur (1828), are little known. Meanwhile, Schubert wrote for the church all his life; in his spiritual music, contrary to a long tradition, a homophonic texture prevails (polyphonic writing did not belong to strengths compositional technique of Schubert, and in 1828 he even intended to take a course in counterpoint from the authoritative Viennese teacher S. Zechter). Schubert's only and unfinished oratorio Lazarus is stylistically related to his operas. Among Schubert's secular choral and vocal-ensemble works, plays for amateur performance predominate. Serious, sublime character stands out "Song of the Spirits over the Waters" for eight male voices and low strings to the words of Goethe (1820).
Instrumental music
Creating music of instrumental genres, Schubert, naturally, was guided by the Viennese classical samples; even the most original of his early symphonies, the 4th (with the author's subtitle "Tragic") and 5th, are still marked by the influence of Haydn. However, already in the Trout Quintet (1819), Schubert appears as an absolutely mature and original master. In his major instrumental opuses, lyrical song themes (including those borrowed from own songs Schubert - as in the "Trout" quintet, "Death and the Maiden" quartet, "Wanderer" fantasies), rhythms and intonations of everyday music. Even Schubert's last symphony, the so-called "Great", is based mainly on the theme of the song and dance type, which is developed in it on a truly epic scale. Stylistic features, originating from the practice of everyday music-making, are combined in the mature Schubert with detached prayerful contemplation and sudden tragic pathos. IN instrumental works Schubert is dominated by a calm pace; referring to his penchant for a leisurely presentation of musical thoughts, R. Schumann spoke of his "divine lengths." The features of Schubert's instrumental writing were most impressively embodied in his last two major works - the String Quintet and the Piano Sonata in B-dur. important area instrumental creativity Schubert are composed of musical moments and impromptu for pianoforte; the history of the romantic piano miniature actually began with these pieces. Schubert also composed many piano and ensemble dances, marches, and variations for home music-making.
Franz Schubert's vocal cycle "Winter Journey"
to the verses of Wilhelm Müller, translated by Sergei Zayaitsky.
Performed by:
Eduard Khil (baritone),
Semyon Skigin - (piano).
History of creation
Schubert created his second vocal cycle in the penultimate year of his life, full of sad events. The composer lost all hope of publishing his works in Germany and Switzerland. In January, he learned that another attempt to get a permanent place in order to have a solid income and create freely was unsuccessful: in the position of court vice-captain Vienna Opera someone else was preferred to him. Deciding to participate in the competition for the much less prestigious position of second vice-capella master of the theater of the Viennese suburb "At the Carinthian Gate", he could not get it either - either because the aria he composed turned out to be too difficult for the singer participating in the competition, and Schubert refused that -either change, or because of theatrical intrigues.
A consolation was the recall of Beethoven, who in February 1827 got acquainted with more than fifty Schubert songs. Here is how Beethoven's first biographer Anton Schindler described it: Great master, who did not even know five of Schubert's songs before, was amazed at their number and did not want to believe that Schubert had already created more than five hundred songs by that time ... With joyful enthusiasm, he repeatedly repeated: "Indeed, God's spark lives in Schubert !" " However, the relationship between the two great contemporaries did not develop: a month later, Schubert stood at Beethoven's coffin.
All this time, according to the memoirs of one of the composer's friends, Schubert “was gloomy and seemed tired. When I asked what was wrong with him, he only answered: "You will soon hear and understand." One day he told me: “Come today to Schober (Schubert's closest friend. - A.K.). I'll sing you some awful songs. They bored me more than any other song." And he sang the whole "Winter Way" to us in a touching voice. Until the end, we were completely puzzled by the dark mood of these songs, and Schober said that he liked only one song - "Linden". Schubert only objected to this: "I like these songs the most."
Like The Beautiful Miller's Woman, The Winter Road was written to the verses of the famous German romantic poet Wilhelm Müller (1794-1827). The son of a tailor, he discovered his poetic gift so early that by the age of 14 he compiled the first collection of poems. His freedom-loving views also appeared early: at the age of 19, interrupting his studies at the University of Berlin, he volunteered to participate in the war of liberation against Napoleon. Glory to Muller was brought by "Greek Songs", in which he sang the struggle of the Greeks against Turkish oppression. Muller's poems, often called songs, are distinguished by their great melodiousness. The poet himself often represented them with music, and his "Drinking Songs" were sung throughout Germany. Müller usually combined poems into cycles connected by the image of a heroine (a beautiful waiter, a beautiful miller's woman), a certain area, or a favorite theme of wanderings by romantics. He himself loved to travel - he visited Vienna, Italy, Greece, every summer he made hiking trips to different parts of Germany, imitating medieval wandering apprentices.
The original plan for the "Winter Way" came from the poet, probably as early as 1815-1816. At the end of 1822, Wilhelm Müller's Wandering Songs were published in Leipzig. Winter path. 12 songs. Another 10 poems were published in the Breslau newspaper on March 13 and 14 next year. And finally, in the second book of “Poems from Papers Left by a Wandering Horn Player” published in Dessau in 1824 (the first, 1821, included “The Beautiful Miller’s Girl”), “The Winter Road” consisted of 24 songs arranged in a different sequence than before ; the last two written became #15 and #6.
Schubert used all the songs of the cycle, but their order is different: the first 12 exactly follow the first publication of the poems, although the composer wrote them much later than the last publication - they are marked in the Schubert manuscript in February 1827. Having become acquainted with the complete edition of the poems, Schubert continued to work on the cycle in October. He still managed to see the published 1st part, published by the Vienna publishing house in January of the following year; the announcement announcing the release of the songs said: “Every poet can wish himself the happiness of being so understood by his composer, to be conveyed with such a warm feeling and bold imagination ...” Schubert worked on proofreading the 2nd part in last days life, using, according to the memoirs of his brother, "short gaps of consciousness" during a fatal illness. Part 2 of The Winter Road was published a month after the composer's death.
Even during Schubert's lifetime, the songs of The Winter Road were heard in the homes of music lovers, where, like his other songs, they were popular. The public performance took place only once, a few days before publication, on January 10, 1828 (Vienna, Society of Music Lovers, song No. 1, “Sleep in Peace”). It is significant that the performer was not a professional singer, but a university professor.
Schubert: Two song cycles written by the composer in the last years of his life ( "Beautiful Miller" in 1823, "Winter Way"- in 1827), constitute one of the culminations of his work. Both are based on the words of the German romantic poet Wilhelm Müller. "Winter Way" is, as it were, a continuation of "The Beautiful Miller's Woman".
Common are:
the theme of loneliness, unfulfilled hopes common man for luck;
· related to this theme, the motive of wandering, characteristic of romantic art. In both cycles, the image of a lonely wandering dreamer appears;
There is a lot in common in the character of the characters - timidity, shyness, slight emotional vulnerability. Both are “monogamous”, therefore the collapse of love is perceived as the collapse of life;
Both cycles are monological in nature. All songs are expressions one hero;
· in both cycles, images of nature are revealed in many ways.
· in the first cycle there is a clearly outlined plot. Although there is no direct demonstration of the action, it can be easily judged by the reaction of the protagonist. Here, the key points associated with the development of the conflict (exposition, plot, climax, denouement, epilogue) are clearly distinguished. There is no plot action in "Winter Journey". Love drama played out before first song. Psychological conflict does not occur in development, and exists from the very beginning. The closer to the end of the cycle, the clearer the inevitability of the tragic denouement;
· The cycle of "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" is clearly divided into two contrasting halves. In a more detailed first, joyful emotions dominate. The songs included here tell about the awakening of love, about bright hopes. In the second half, mournful, woeful moods intensify, dramatic tension appears (starting from the 14th song - "Hunter" - the drama becomes obvious). The miller's short-term happiness comes to an end. However, the grief of the "Beautiful Miller's Woman" is far from acute tragedy. The epilogue of the cycle reinforces the state of light peaceful sadness. In The Winter Journey, the drama is sharply increased, tragic accents appear. Songs of a mournful nature clearly prevail, and the closer the end of the work, the more hopeless the emotional coloring becomes. Feelings of loneliness and longing fill the entire consciousness of the hero, culminating in the very last song and "The Organ Grinder";
different interpretations of images of nature. In The Winter Journey, nature no longer sympathizes with man, she is indifferent to his suffering. In The Beautiful Miller's Woman, the life of a stream is inseparable from the life of a young man as a manifestation of the unity of man and nature (such an interpretation of the images of nature is typical of folk poetry).
· In "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" other characters are indirectly outlined along with the main character. In the "Winter Journey" up to last song no real acting characters besides the hero, no. He is deeply lonely and this is one of the main thoughts of the work. The idea of the tragic loneliness of a person in a world hostile to him is the key problem of all romantic art.
· “Winter Way” has a much more complicated structure of songs compared to the songs of the first cycle. Half of the songs of the "Beautiful Miller's Woman" are written in couplet form (1,7,8,9,13,14,16,20). Most of them reveal some one mood, without internal contrasts. In "Winter Way", on the contrary, all songs, except for "The Organ Grinder", contain internal contrasts.
Schuman: Along with piano music vocal lyrics belong to the highest achievements of Schumann. She matched him perfectly. creative nature, since Schumann possessed not only musical, but also poetic talent.
Schumann knew well the work of contemporary poets. But the composer's favorite poet was Heine, on whose verses he created 44 songs, without paying such great attention to any other author. In the richest poetry of Heine, Schumann the lyricist found in abundance the theme that always worried him - love; but not only that.
Most of Schumann's chamber-vocal compositions date back to 1840 ("the year of songs"), however, vocal creativity was replenished in the future.
The main features of Schumann's vocal music:
· greater subjectivity, psychologism, a variety of shades of lyrics (up to bitter irony and gloomy skepticism, which Schubert did not have);
· heightened attention to the text and the creation of maximum conditions for the disclosure of the poetic image. The desire to "transmit the thoughts of the poem almost verbatim", emphasize every psychological detail, every stroke, and not just the general mood;
In musical expression, this manifested itself in the strengthening of declamatory elements;
exact match of music and words. Schumann's songs to the words of one poet always differ from his own songs associated with another source. For the composer, the nature of the text itself, its psychological complexity, multidimensionality, and the subtext that is present in it, which sometimes turns out to be more important for him than the words themselves, are very significant;
The huge role of the piano part (it is the piano that usually reveals the psychological overtones in the poem).
Vocal cycle "Poet's Love"
The central work of Schumann associated with Heine's poetry is the cycle "The Love of a Poet". In Heine, the most typical romantic idea of "lost illusions", "discord between dream and reality" is presented in the form of diary entries. The poet described one of the episodes own life, calling it "Lyrical Intermezzo". Of the 65 poems by Heine, Schumann chose 16 (including the first and last) - the closest to himself and the most essential for creating a clear dramatic line. In the title of his cycle, the composer directly named the main character of his work - the poet.
Compared to the Schubert cycles, Schumann enhances the psychological principle, focusing all attention on the "suffering of the wounded heart." The events, the meetings, the background against which the drama takes place, are removed. The emphasis on spiritual confession causes a complete "disconnection from the outside world" in the music.
Although the "Love of the Poet" is inseparable from the images of the spring flowering of nature, here, unlike the "Beautiful Miller's Woman", there is no depiction. So, for example, "nightingales", which are often found in Heine's texts, are not reflected in music. All attention is focused on the intonation of the text, which results in the dominance of the declamatory beginning.
Schubert belongs to the first romantics (the dawn of romanticism). In his music, there is still no such condensed psychologism as that of later romantics. This composer is a lyricist. The basis of his music is inner experiences. It conveys love and many other feelings in music. In the last work main topic- loneliness. It covered all genres of the time. He brought in a lot of new things. The lyrical nature of his music predetermined him main genre creativity - a song. He has over 600 songs. Songwriting has influenced the instrumental genre in two ways:
The use of song themes instrumental music(the song “Wanderer” became the basis of the piano fantasy, the song “The Girl and Death” became the basis of the quartet).
The penetration of songwriting into other genres.
Schubert is the creator of the lyric-dramatic symphony (unfinished). The theme is song, the presentation is song (unfinished symphony: I-th part - pp, pp. II-th part - pp), the principle of development is the form, like the verse, finished. This is especially noticeable in symphonies and sonatas. In addition to the lyrical song symphony, he also created an epic symphony (C-dur). He is the creator of a new genre - the vocal ballad. Creator romantic miniature(impromptu and musical moments). Created vocal cycles (Beethoven had an approach to this).
Creativity is enormous: 16 operas, 22 piano sonatas, 22 quartets, other ensembles, 9 symphonies, 9 overtures, 8 impromptu, 6 musical moments; music related to everyday music-making - waltzes, langlers, marches, more than 600 songs.
Life path.
Born in 1797 on the outskirts of Vienna - in the city of Lichtental. Father is a school teacher. A large family, all were musicians, played music. Franz's father taught him to play the violin, and his brother taught him the piano. Familiar regent - singing and theory.
1808-1813
Years of study in Konvikt. This is a boarding school that trained court choristers. There, Schubert played the violin, played in the orchestra, sang in the choir, and participated in chamber ensembles. There he learned a lot of music - the symphonies of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven's 1st and 2nd symphonies. Favorite work- Mozart's 40th symphony. In Konvikt, he became interested in creativity, so he abandoned the rest of the subjects. In Convict, he took lessons from Salieri from 1812, but their views were different. In 1816, their paths parted. In 1813 he left Konvikt because his studies interfered with his creativity. During this period he wrote songs, fantasy in 4 hands, 1st symphony, wind works, quartets, operas, piano works.
1813-1817
He wrote the first song masterpieces (“Margarita at the Spinning Wheel”, “Forest King”, “Trout”, “Wanderer”), 4 symphonies, 5 operas, many instrumental and chamber music. After Convict, Schubert, at the insistence of his father, finishes teaching courses and teaches arithmetic and the alphabet at his father's school.
In 1816 he left school and tried to get a position as a music teacher, but failed. The connection with the father was severed. A period of disasters began: he lived in a damp room, etc.
In 1815 he wrote 144 songs, 2 symphonies, 2 masses, 4 operas, 2 piano sonatas, string quartets and other works.
Fell in love with Teresa Coffin. She sang in the Lichtental church in the choir. Her father married her to a baker. Schubert had a lot of friends - poets, writers, artists, etc. His friend Shpaut wrote about Schubert Goethe. Goethe did not answer. He had a very bad temper. He did not like Beethoven. In 1817 Schubert met famous singer- Johann Vogl, who became an admirer of Schubert. In 1819 he made a concert tour of Upper Austria. In 1818 Schubert lived with his friends. For several months he served as a home teacher for Prince Esterhazy. There he wrote a Hungarian Divertimento for piano 4 hands. Among his friends were: Spaun (he wrote memoirs about Schubert), the poet Mayrhofer, the poet Schober (Schubert wrote the opera Alphonse and Estrella based on his text).
Often there were meetings of Schubert's friends - Schubertiades. Vogl often attended these Schubertiades. Thanks to the Schubertiads, his songs began to spread. Sometimes his individual songs were performed at concerts, but operas were never staged, symphonies were never played. Schubert was published very little. The first edition of the songs was published in 1821 at the expense of admirers and friends.
Early 20s.
The dawn of creativity - 22-23. At this time he wrote the cycle “The Beautiful Miller”, a cycle of piano miniatures, musical moments, the fantasy “Wanderer”. The everyday side of Schubert continued to be difficult, but he did not lose hope. In the mid-20s, his circle broke up.
1826-1828
Last years. The hard life is reflected in his music. This music has a dark, heavy character, the style changes. IN
songs appear more declamatory. Less roundness. The harmonic basis (dissonances) becomes more complicated. Songs on poems by Heine. Quartet in D minor. At this time, the C-dur symphony was written. During these years, Schubert once again applied for the post of court bandmaster. In 1828, the recognition of Schubert's talent finally began. His author's concert took place. In November he died. He was buried in the same cemetery as Beethoven.
Songwriting by Schubert
600 Songs Late Songs Collection Compilation latest songs. The choice of poets is important. Started with the work of Goethe. Finished with a tragic song on Heine. Wrote "Relshtab" for Schiller.
Genre - vocal ballad: "Forest King", "Grave Fantasy", "To the Murderer's Father", "Agaria's Complaint". The genre of the monologue is “Margarita at the spinning wheel”. Genre of the folk song "Rose" by Goethe. Song-aria - "Ave Maria". The genre of the serenade is “Serenade” (Serenade Relshtab).
In his melodies, he relied on the intonation of an Austrian folk song. The music is clear and sincere.
Relationship between music and text. Schubert conveys the general content of the verse. Melodies are wide, generalized, plastic. Part of the music marks the details of the text, then there is more recitativeness in the performance, which later becomes the basis of Schubert's melodic style.
For the first time in music, the piano part acquired such a meaning: not an accompaniment, but a carrier of a musical image. Expresses an emotional state. There are musical moments. “Margarita at the Spinning Wheel”, “Forest King”, “Beautiful Miller”.
The ballad "The Forest King" by Goethe is built as a dramatic refrain. It pursues several goals: dramatic action, expression of feelings, narration, voice of the author (narration).
Vocal cycle “The Beautiful Miller’s Woman”
1823. 20 songs to verses by W. Müller. Cycle with sonata development. The main theme is love. In the cycle there is a hero (miller), an episodic hero (hunter), the main role (stream). Depending on the state of the hero, the stream murmurs either joyfully, lively, or violently, expressing the pain of the miller. On behalf of the stream sounds the 1st and 20th song. This joins the cycle. The last songs reflect peace, enlightenment in death. The overall mood of the cycle is still bright. The intonation system is close to everyday Austrian songs. It is wide in intonation of chants and in the sounds of chords. In the vocal cycle there is a lot of song, chant and little recitation. The melodies are wide, generalized. Basically, the forms of songs are couplet or simple 2 and 3 partial.
1st song - "Let's hit the road". B-dur, cheerful. This song is on behalf of the stream. He is always portrayed in the piano part. Accurate couplet form. The music is close to folk everyday Austrian songs.
2nd song - "Where". The miller sings, G-dur. The piano has a gentle murmur of a stream. The intonations are wide, singsong, close to Austrian melodies.
6th song - Curiosity. This song has a quieter, more subtle lyrics. More detailed. H-dur. The form is more complex - a non-reprise 2-part form.
Part 1 - "Neither stars nor flowers."
Part 2 is bigger than part 1. A simple 3-part form. Appeal to the stream - 1st section of the 2nd part. The murmur of the stream reappears. Here comes the major-minor. This is characteristic of Schubert. In the middle of the 2nd part, the melody becomes recitative. An unexpected turn in G-dur. In the reprise of the 2nd section, the major-minor appears again.
Song form outline
A-C
CBC
11 song - "My". There is a gradual increase in a lyrical joyful feeling in it. It is close to Austrian folk songs.
12-14 songs express the fullness of happiness. A turning point in development occurs in song No. 14 (Hunter) - c-moll. Folding reminds of hunting music (6/8, parallel sixth chords). Further (in the following songs) there is an increase in sadness. This is reflected in the piano part.
15 song “Jealousy and Pride.” Reflects despair, confusion (g-moll). 3-part form. The vocal part becomes more declamatory.
16 song - "Favorite color". h-moll. This is the mournful climax of the whole cycle. There is stiffness in the music (astinate rhythm), constant repetition of fa#, sharp delays. The juxtaposition of h-moll and H-dur is characteristic. Words: "In the green coolness ...". In the text for the first time in the cycle, the memory of death. Further, it will permeate the entire cycle. Cuplet form.
Gradually, towards the end of the cycle, a sad enlightenment occurs.
19 song - "The miller and the stream." g-moll. 3-part form. It is like a conversation between a miller and a stream. Middle in G-dur. The murmur of the brook at the piano appears again. Reprise - again the miller sings, again g-moll, but the murmur of the stream remains. At the end, enlightenment is G-dur.
20 song – “Lullaby stream." The stream calms the miller at the bottom of the stream. E-dur. This is one of Schubert's favorite keys ("Linden's Song" in "The Winter Journey", 2nd movement of the unfinished symphony). Cuplet form. Words: “Sleep, sleep” from the face of the stream.
Vocal cycle “Winter Way”
Written in 1827. 24 songs. Just like “The Beautiful Miller's Woman”, to the words of V. Muller. Despite 4 years of difference, they are strikingly different from each other. The 1st cycle is light in music, but this one is tragic, reflecting the despair that seized Schubert.
The theme is similar to the 1st cycle (also the theme of love). The action in the 1st song is much less. The hero leaves the city where his girlfriend lives. His parents leave him and he (in winter) leaves the city. The rest of the songs are lyrical confession. Minor predominance. Tragic songs. The style is completely different. If we compare the vocal parts, then the melodies of the 1st cycle are more generalized, reveal the general content of the poems, are wide, close to the Austrian folk songs, and in the “Winter Way” the vocal part is more declamatory, there is no song, much less close folk songs becomes more individualized.
The piano part is complicated by sharp dissonances, transitions to distant keys, and enharmonic modulations.
Forms are also getting more complex. Forms are saturated with cross-cutting development. For example, if the couplet form, then the couplet varies, if it is 3-part, then the reprises are greatly changed, dynamized (“By the brook”).
There are few major songs, and even minor penetrates into them. These bright islands: "Linden", "Spring Dream" (the culmination of the cycle, No. 11) - romantic content and harsh reality are concentrated here. Section 3 - laugh at yourself and your feelings.
1 song – “Sleep well” in d-moll. Measured rhythm of July. “I came in a strange way, I will leave a stranger.” The song begins with a high climax. Couplet-variation. These couplets are varied. 2nd verse - d-moll - "I mustn't hesitate to share." Verse 3-1 - "You shouldn't wait here anymore." 4th verse - D-dur - "Why disturb peace." Major, as the memory of the beloved. Already inside the verse, the minor returns. End in minor.
3rd song – “Frozen Tears” (f-moll). Oppressive, heavy mood - "Tears flow from the eyes and freeze on the cheeks." In the melody, an increase in recitativeness is very noticeable - “Oh, these tears.” Tonal deviations, complicated harmonic warehouse. 2-part form of end-to-end development. There is no reprise as such.
4th song – “Stupor”, c-moll. A very well developed song. Dramatic, desperate character. "I'm looking for her traces." Complicated 3-part form. The last parts consist of 2 topics. 2nd theme in g-moll. “I want to fall to the ground.” Interrupted cadences prolong development. Middle part. Enlightened As-dur. “Oh, where were the flowers?” Reprise - 1st and 2nd theme.
5th song - "Linden". E-dur. E-moll penetrates the song. Couplet-variation form. The piano part depicts the rustling of leaves. Verse 1 - "At the entrance to the city of linden." Calm, peaceful melody. There are very important piano moments in this song. They are pictorial and expressive. The 2nd verse is already in e-moll. "And hastening on a long way." A new theme appears in the piano part, the theme of wanderings with triplets. Major appears in the 2nd half of the 2nd verse. "Here the branches rustled." The piano fragment draws gusts of wind. Against this background, a dramatic recitative sounds between the 2nd and 3rd verses. "Wall, cold wind." 3rd couplet. “Now I am already wandering far in a foreign country.” The features of the 1st and 2nd verse are combined. In the piano part, the theme of wanderings from the 2nd verse.
7th song - "At the brook." An example of a through dramatic development of form. It is based on a 3-part form with strong dynamization. E-moll. The music is stagnant and sad. "O my turbulent stream." The composer strictly follows the text, there are modulations in cis-moll on the word “now”. Middle part. “I am a sharp stone on ice.” E-dur (talking about the beloved). There is a rhythmic revival. Pulse acceleration. Triplets appear in sixteenths. “I will leave the happiness of the first meeting here on the ice.” The reprise has been heavily modified. Strongly expanded - in 2 hands. The theme goes into the piano part. And in the vocal part, the recitative “I recognize myself in a stream that has frozen itself.” Rhythmic changes appear further. 32 durations appear. Dramatic climax towards the end of the play. Many deviations - e-moll, G-dur, dis-moll, gis-moll - fis-moll – g-moll.
11 song - "Spring dream". Meaningful climax. A-dur. Light. It has 3 areas:
memories, dream
sudden awakening
mocking your dreams.
1st section. Waltz. Words: "I dreamed of a merry meadow."
2nd section. Sharp contrast (e-moll). Words: "Cock crowed suddenly." The rooster and raven are a symbol of death. This song has a rooster, and song #15 has a raven. The juxtaposition of keys is characteristic - e-moll - d-moll - g-moll - a-moll. Harmony of the second low level sounds sharply on the tonic organ point. Sharp intonations (there are nones).
3rd section. Words: “But who decorated all my windows with flowers there.” A minor dominant appears.
Cuplet form. 2 verses, each consisting of these 3 contrasting sections.
14 song - "Gray hair". tragic character. C-moll. A wave of hidden drama. dissonant harmonies. There is a similarity with the 1st song (“Sleep well”), but in a distorted, aggravated version. Words: "Hoarfrost adorned my forehead ...".
15 song - "Crow". C-moll. Tragic enlightenment from-
for triplets figurations. Words: “The black raven set off on a long journey for me.” 3-part form. Middle part. Words: "Raven, strange black friend." Declamatory melody. Reprise. It is followed by a piano conclusion in a low register.
20 song - "Waypost". The step rhythm appears. Words: "Why did it become difficult for me along big roads go?". Distant modulations - g-moll - b-moll - f-moll. Couplet-variation form. Comparison of major and minor. 2nd verse - G-dur. 3rd verse - g-moll. Important code. The song conveys stiffness, numbness, the breath of death. This is manifested in the vocal part (constant repetition of one sound). Words: "I see a pillar - one of many ...". Distant modulations - g-moll - b-moll - cis-moll - g-moll.
24 song - "The organ grinder." Very simple and deeply tragic. A-moll. The hero meets an unfortunate organ grinder and invites him to endure grief together. The entire song is on a fifth tonic organ point. Quints depict a hurdy-gurdy. Words: “Here stands an organ grinder sadly outside the village.” Constant repetition of phrases. Cuplet form. 2 couplets. There is a dramatic climax at the end. Dramatic recitative. It ends with the question: “Do you want us to endure grief together, do you want us to sing together under the hurdy-gurdy?” There are diminished seventh chords on the tonic organ point.
Symphonic creativity
Schubert wrote 9 symphonies. During his lifetime, none of them was performed. He is the founder of the lyric-romantic symphony (unfinished symphony) and the lyrical-epic symphony (No. 9 - C-dur).
Unfinished symphony
Written in 1822 in h-moll. Written at the time of creative dawn. Lyric-dramatic. First time personal lyrical theme became the basis for the symphony. Song pervades it. It pervades the entire symphony. It manifests itself in the character and presentation of topics - melody and accompaniment (as in a song), in form - a complete form (as a couplet), in development - it is variational, the proximity of the sound of the melody to the voice. The symphony has 2 parts - h-moll and E-dur. Schubert began to write the 3rd movement, but gave up. It is characteristic that before that he had already written 2 piano 2-part sonatas - Fis-dur and e-moll. In the era of romanticism, as a result of free lyrical expression, the structure of the symphony changes (a different number of parts). Liszt has a tendency to compress the symphonic cycle (Faust symphony in 3 parts, Dont's symphony in 2 parts). Liszt created a one-movement symphonic poem. Berlioz has an extension of the symphonic cycle (Fantastic symphony - 5 parts, symphony "Romeo and Juliet" - 7 parts). This happens under the influence of software.
Romantic traits are manifested not only in song and 2-particular, but also in tonal relationships. This is not a classic ratio. Schubert takes care of the colorful tonal ratio (G.P. - h-moll, P.P. - G-dur, and in P.P.'s reprise - in D-dur). The tertian ratio of tonalities is characteristic of the romantics. In the II part of G.P. – E-dur, P.P. - cis-moll, and in the reprise P.P. - a-moll. Here, too, there is a tertian correlation of tonalities. The variation of themes is also a romantic feature - not the fragmentation of themes into motives, but the variation of the whole theme. The symphony ends in E-dur, and it ends in h-moll (this is also typical for romantics).
I part – h-moll. The opening theme is like a romantic question. She is in lower case.
G.P. – h-moll. Typical song with melody and accompaniment. Clarinet and oboe soloist, and strings accompany. The form, like that of the couplet, is finished.
P.P. - no contrast. She is also a songwriter, but she is also a dancer. The theme takes place at the cello. Dotted rhythm, syncopation. Rhythm is, as it were, a link between the parts (because it is also in P.P. in the second part). A dramatic change occurs in the middle of it, it is sharp in autumn (transition to c-moll). At this turning point, the G.P. theme intrudes. This is a classic feature.
Z.P. – built on the theme of P.P. G-dur. Canonical holding of the theme in different instruments.
The exposition is repeated - like the classics.
Development. On the verge of exposition and development, the theme of the introduction arises. Here it is in e-mall. The theme of the introduction (but dramatized) and the syncopated rhythm from the accompaniment of P.P. participate in the development. The role of polyphonic techniques is huge here. 2 sections are under development:
1st section. The theme of the introduction to e-moll. The ending has been changed. The theme comes to a climax. Enharmonic modulation from h-moll to cis-moll. Next comes the syncopated rhythm from P.P. Tonal plan: cis-moll - d-moll - e-moll.
2nd section. This is a modified intro theme. Sounds ominous, commanding. E-moll, then h-moll. The theme is first with the copper ones, and then it passes as a canon in all voices. A dramatic culmination built on the theme of the introduction by the canon and on the syncopated rhythm of P.P.. Next to it is the major culmination - D-dur. Before the reprise, there is a roll call of the woodwinds.
Reprise. G.P. – h-moll. P.P. - D-dur. In P.P. again there is a change in development. Z.P. – H-dur. Calls between different instruments. The canonical performance of P.P. On the verge of a reprise and coda, the theme of the introduction sounds in the same key as at the beginning - in h-moll. All code is based on it. The topic sounds canonical and very mournful.
II part. E-dur. Sonata form without development. There is landscape poetry here. In general, it is light, but there are flashes of drama in it.
G.P.. Song. The theme is for violins, and for basses - pizzicato (for double basses). Colorful harmonic combinations - E-dur - e-moll - C-dur - G-dur. The theme has lullaby intonations. 3-part form. She (the form) is finished. The middle is dramatic. Reprise G.P. abbreviated.
P.P.. The lyrics here are more personal. The theme is also song. In it, just like in P.P. Part II, syncopated accompaniment. He connects these themes. Solo is also a romantic trait. Here the solo is first at the clarinet, then at the oboe. The tonalities are chosen very colorfully - cis-moll - fis-moll - D-dur - F-dur - d-moll - Cis-dur. 3-part form. Variation middle. There is a reprise.
Reprise. E-dur. G.P. - 3 private. P.P. - a-moll.
code. Here all the themes seem to dissolve one by one. Elements of G.P.
