Composer

:

Franz Schubert

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1827

Average_duration

:

5:24

"Gute Nacht" is the first movement of Franz Schubert's song cycle "Winterreise," Op. 89, D. 911. The cycle was composed in 1827, just a year before Schubert's death, and premiered in Vienna in 1828. "Winterreise" consists of 24 songs, all set to poems by Wilhelm Müller, and tells the story of a young man who has been rejected by his lover and sets out on a journey through the winter landscape, experiencing loneliness, despair, and ultimately, acceptance of his fate. "Gute Nacht" sets the tone for the entire cycle, with its haunting melody and melancholy lyrics. The song begins with a simple piano introduction, followed by the singer's first words: "Fremd bin ich eingezogen, / Fremd zieh' ich wieder aus" ("As a stranger I arrived, / As a stranger I depart again"). The singer is leaving his lover's house, and the cold, dark winter night mirrors his inner turmoil. The piano accompaniment is sparse and repetitive, with a descending motif that suggests the singer's descent into despair. As the song progresses, the singer reflects on his lost love and the memories they shared. He sees her face in the moon and hears her voice in the wind, but he knows that she is gone forever. The piano accompaniment becomes more complex, with arpeggios and chromatic harmonies that reflect the singer's emotional turmoil. The final stanza of the song is particularly poignant: "Und die Liebe, Schnee und Eis / Zerfliesst zu Wasser / Doch ich sehne mich nach dir / Ohne Mass und Ziel" ("And love, like snow and ice, / Melts into water / But I long for you / Without measure or end"). The singer knows that his love is gone, but he cannot help but long for her. Overall, "Gute Nacht" is a powerful and emotional song that sets the stage for the rest of "Winterreise." Schubert's use of melody, harmony, and text painting create a vivid portrait of a man in despair, and the song remains one of his most beloved and enduring works.

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