Composer

:

Anton Webern

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1904

Average_duration

:

2:11

Anton Webern's "Bild der Liebe" is the fourth of his "Eight Early Songs" composed between 1901 and 1903. The song was premiered in Vienna in 1905. The piece is a setting of a poem by Richard Dehmel, a German poet known for his erotic and sensual themes. The song is in a slow tempo and is marked "sehr zart" (very tender). It is written for a solo voice and piano accompaniment. The piano part is sparse and delicate, with simple arpeggios and occasional dissonant chords. The vocal line is similarly sparse, with long, sustained notes and occasional melodic leaps. The text of the poem is a meditation on the nature of love, with the speaker describing the beloved as a "picture of love" that he carries with him always. The music reflects the poem's themes of tenderness and longing, with a sense of yearning conveyed through the sustained vocal lines and the delicate piano accompaniment. Overall, "Bild der Liebe" is a beautiful example of Webern's early style, which was characterized by a focus on small-scale forms and a highly refined sense of harmony and texture. The piece is a testament to Webern's ability to create deeply expressive music with a minimum of means, and it remains a beloved work in the art song repertoire.

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