Composer

:

Franz Schubert

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1828

Average_duration

:

4:26

"Der Doppelgänger, D. 957/13" is a Lied composed by Franz Schubert in 1828, just a few months before his death. It is part of his song cycle "Schwanengesang" (Swan Song), which was published posthumously in 1829. The premiere of "Schwanengesang" took place in Vienna in 1830, with the tenor Johann Michael Vogl and the pianist Franz Schubert's brother, Ferdinand Schubert. "Der Doppelgänger" is the thirteenth and final song of the cycle, and it is based on a poem by Heinrich Heine. The poem tells the story of a man who revisits the house of his former lover, only to find that she has moved on and is now with another man. The protagonist sees his own reflection in the window of the house, and he imagines that it is his doppelgänger, a ghostly double that represents his own despair and loneliness. The song is in the key of C minor and has a slow, mournful tempo. It is divided into three sections, each with a different mood and character. The first section is marked "Langsam" (slowly) and is sung in a quiet, introspective manner. The second section is marked "Etwas rasch" (somewhat fast) and is more agitated and intense. The final section returns to the slow tempo of the beginning, but with a more dramatic and powerful expression. The piano accompaniment is sparse and haunting, with a repetitive pattern that creates a sense of unease and tension. The vocal line is highly expressive, with long, sustained notes and sudden shifts in dynamics and phrasing. The song requires a skilled singer who can convey the emotional depth and complexity of the text. "Der Doppelgänger" is a masterpiece of Romantic music, with its themes of love, loss, and the supernatural. It is a haunting and unforgettable work that captures the essence of Schubert's genius as a composer of Lieder.

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