Composer

:

Hugo Wolf

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song Collection

Compose Date

:

Apr 14, 1890

Average_duration

:

3:34

Hugo Wolf's "Komm, o Tod, von Nacht umgeben" is a song from his "Spanisches Liederbuch," a collection of 44 songs based on Spanish poetry. The song was composed in 1890 and premiered in Vienna in the same year. The song is in the key of F minor and is marked "sehr langsam" (very slow). It is a solo vocal piece with piano accompaniment. The song is divided into three distinct sections, each with its own character and mood. The first section begins with a somber and mournful melody in the piano, which sets the tone for the entire song. The vocal line enters with the text "Komm, o Tod, von Nacht umgeben" (Come, o Death, surrounded by night), sung in a low and mournful register. The melody is characterized by long, sustained notes and a sense of resignation and acceptance. The second section begins with a sudden change in mood and tempo. The piano plays a lively and rhythmic accompaniment, while the vocal line becomes more urgent and passionate. The text "Komm, o Tod, und löse" (Come, o Death, and release) is repeated several times, each time with increasing intensity and urgency. The final section returns to the somber and mournful mood of the opening. The piano plays a descending chromatic line, while the vocal line repeats the text "Komm, o Tod, von Nacht umgeben" in a higher register. The melody becomes more fragmented and disjointed, as if the singer is struggling to hold on to life. The song ends with a final, mournful chord in the piano. Overall, "Komm, o Tod, von Nacht umgeben" is a powerful and emotional song that explores themes of death, acceptance, and release. The use of contrasting moods and tempos, as well as the expressive vocal line and piano accompaniment, create a sense of drama and intensity that is characteristic of Wolf's style.

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