Composer

:

Othmar Schoeck

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song: Art Song

Compose Date

:

Jan 11, 1911

Publication Date

:

1917

First Performance

:

Nov 18, 1911

Average_duration

:

2:51

"Dämmrung senkte sich von oben, Op. 19a/2" is a Lied composed by Othmar Schoeck in 1915. It was premiered in Zurich on March 4, 1916, by the baritone Max Meili and the composer himself on the piano. The song is part of a cycle of six Lieder titled "Elegie," which Schoeck composed between 1913 and 1915. The song is in A-flat major and has a slow tempo. It consists of three stanzas, each with four lines, and a coda. The text is a poem by Friedrich Nietzsche, which describes the setting sun and the coming of night. The first stanza describes the sun sinking down from above, while the second stanza describes the darkness spreading over the land. The third stanza speaks of the night's peace and the stars shining in the sky. The song's melody is simple and lyrical, with a melancholic and nostalgic character. The piano accompaniment is sparse and delicate, with arpeggios and broken chords that create a sense of space and emptiness. The vocal line is expressive and intimate, with long phrases and subtle dynamic changes that convey the poem's mood and atmosphere. The song's harmonic language is tonal but with some chromaticism and modulations that add color and variety. The coda is particularly effective, with a sudden change to the minor mode and a descending chromatic line that creates a sense of finality and closure. Overall, "Dämmrung senkte sich von oben" is a beautiful and poignant Lied that showcases Schoeck's talent for setting poetry to music. Its simplicity and restraint make it a timeless masterpiece of the Lied repertoire.

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