Composer

:

Richard Wagner

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1857

Average_duration

:

1:23

Richard Wagner composed the "Notenbrief für Mathilde Wesendonck" in 1858, during his stay in Switzerland. The work is a collection of five songs, which were originally written as musical settings of poems by Mathilde Wesendonck, a poet and the wife of Wagner's patron, Otto Wesendonck. The songs were later arranged for piano and published as a song cycle. The premiere of the "Notenbrief für Mathilde Wesendonck" took place in 1862, in Leipzig, Germany. The songs were performed by the famous soprano, Malvina Schnorr von Carolsfeld, who was also the first performer of the role of Isolde in Wagner's opera, "Tristan und Isolde". The five songs in the cycle are "Der Engel" (The Angel), "Stehe still!" (Stand Still!), "Im Treibhaus" (In the Greenhouse), "Schmerzen" (Pains), and "Träume" (Dreams). The songs are characterized by their lyrical melodies, rich harmonies, and expressive use of chromaticism. The piano accompaniment is also notable for its virtuosic figurations and dramatic contrasts. The first song, "Der Engel", is a gentle and ethereal piece, with a soaring melody that evokes the image of an angel. The second song, "Stehe still!", is more dramatic, with a restless and agitated piano accompaniment that underscores the text's plea for stillness and peace. The third song, "Im Treibhaus", is a lush and romantic piece, with a flowing melody that suggests the growth and blooming of plants in a greenhouse. The fourth song, "Schmerzen", is the most intense and dramatic of the cycle, with a turbulent piano accompaniment that reflects the text's depiction of pain and suffering. The final song, "Träume", is a dreamy and introspective piece, with a haunting melody that suggests the fleeting nature of dreams. Overall, the "Notenbrief für Mathilde Wesendonck" is a beautiful and evocative song cycle, which showcases Wagner's mastery of melody, harmony, and dramatic expression. The cycle is also notable for its close association with Wagner's opera, "Tristan und Isolde", which was inspired by Wagner's relationship with Mathilde Wesendonck.

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