Composer

:

Hugo Wolf

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

Jan 21, 1889

Average_duration

:

3:39

Hugo Wolf's 'Erschaffen und Beleben (Goethe Lieder)' is a song cycle composed in 1888. The premiere of the cycle took place in Vienna in 1891. The cycle consists of six songs, each of which is based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The first song, 'Ganymed', is a setting of Goethe's poem of the same name. The song is characterized by its soaring melodies and lush harmonies, which evoke the sense of ecstasy and rapture expressed in the poem. The second song, 'Anakreons Grab', is a more somber piece, with a mournful melody and melancholy harmonies that reflect the poem's themes of loss and mortality. The third song, 'Der Rattenfänger', is a lively and playful piece, with a jaunty melody and sprightly rhythms that capture the whimsical spirit of the poem. The fourth song, 'Der Schatzgräber', is a more dramatic piece, with a brooding melody and dark harmonies that reflect the poem's themes of greed and obsession. The fifth song, 'Prometheus', is a powerful and intense piece, with a driving rhythm and soaring melodies that capture the defiant spirit of the poem. The final song, 'Gesang Weylas', is a haunting and ethereal piece, with a delicate melody and shimmering harmonies that evoke the otherworldly beauty of the poem. Overall, 'Erschaffen und Beleben (Goethe Lieder)' is a masterful example of Hugo Wolf's skill as a composer of lieder. The cycle showcases his ability to capture the emotional depth and complexity of Goethe's poetry through his use of melody, harmony, and rhythm.

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