Composer

:

Johannes Brahms

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1861 - 1868

Average_duration

:

4:47

"Treue Liebe dauert lange" (True love lasts a long time), Op. 33/15, is a lied composed by Johannes Brahms in 1869. It was premiered in Vienna on January 17, 1870, with the composer at the piano and the baritone Julius Stockhausen as the singer. The song is part of Brahms' collection of 15 Lieder, Op. 33, which he composed between 1864 and 1869. The collection is based on poems by various authors, including Heinrich Heine, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Friedrich Rückert. "Treue Liebe dauert lange" is set to a poem by Ludwig Uhland, a German poet and politician of the Romantic era. The poem tells the story of a knight who leaves his beloved to go to war, promising to return to her. The knight is wounded in battle and taken prisoner, but he manages to escape and make his way back to his beloved. When he arrives, he finds that she has died of grief, but he remains faithful to her memory. The song is in A-flat major and has a slow tempo. It is divided into three sections, each with a different melody and mood. The first section is in a minor key and has a mournful, introspective quality. The second section is in a major key and has a more hopeful, optimistic tone. The third section returns to the minor key and has a sense of resignation and acceptance. Brahms' setting of the poem is characterized by its rich harmonies, expressive melodies, and subtle use of rhythm and dynamics. The piano accompaniment is particularly noteworthy, with its flowing arpeggios and dramatic chords. "Treue Liebe dauert lange" is a quintessential example of Brahms' artistry as a composer of Lieder. It showcases his ability to capture the emotional depth and complexity of a poem through music, and his mastery of the Romantic style.

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