Composer

:

Franz Schubert

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1815

Average_duration

:

4:30

"Erlkönig, D. 328, Op. 1" is a famous lied composed by Franz Schubert in 1815. The piece is based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which tells the story of a father and his son who are riding through the forest at night. The son is frightened by the Erlking, a supernatural being who is trying to lure him away. The father tries to reassure his son, but in the end, the boy dies in his arms. The piece premiered in Vienna in 1821, and it quickly became one of Schubert's most popular works. It is written for a solo voice and piano, and it is divided into three distinct sections. The first section is sung by the father, who is trying to calm his son's fears. The second section is sung by the son, who is terrified by the Erlking's presence. The third section is sung by the Erlking himself, who is trying to seduce the boy. The piece is known for its dramatic intensity and its use of musical motifs to represent the different characters. The father's music is calm and reassuring, while the son's music is frantic and fearful. The Erlking's music is dark and seductive, with a driving rhythm that suggests his power over the boy. Overall, "Erlkönig, D. 328, Op. 1" is a masterpiece of the lied genre, and it showcases Schubert's skill as a composer and his ability to capture the emotional depth of a literary work in music.

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