Composer

:

Franz Schubert

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

Oct 19, 1815

Average_duration

:

3:14

Schwanengesang, D. 318 is a song cycle composed by Franz Schubert in 1828, just a few months before his death. The cycle consists of 14 songs, set to poems by three different poets: Ludwig Rellstab, Heinrich Heine, and Johann Gabriel Seidl. The title of the cycle, which translates to "Swan Song," was not given by Schubert himself, but was added by his publisher after his death. The premiere of Schwanengesang took place in Vienna in 1829, a year after Schubert's death. The cycle was performed by baritone Johann Michael Vogl, who had been a close friend and frequent collaborator of Schubert's. The 14 songs in Schwanengesang are divided into two parts, with the first seven set to poems by Rellstab and the second seven set to poems by Heine and Seidl. The cycle as a whole is characterized by its melancholic and introspective tone, reflecting Schubert's own struggles with illness and mortality. The first seven songs, set to Rellstab's poems, are generally more lyrical and romantic in nature. The opening song, "Liebesbotschaft" (Love's Message), is a tender love song in which the narrator sends a message to his beloved through the rustling leaves of a tree. Other highlights from this section include "Ständchen" (Serenade), a lively and playful song in which the narrator serenades his beloved, and "In der Ferne" (In the Distance), a hauntingly beautiful song in which the narrator reflects on his loneliness and longing for home. The second half of the cycle, set to poems by Heine and Seidl, is generally darker and more introspective. The ninth song, "Der Doppelgänger" (The Double), is one of the most famous and haunting songs in the cycle, in which the narrator sees his own ghostly double walking the streets at night. Other highlights from this section include "Die Stadt" (The City), a bleak and desolate song in which the narrator wanders through a deserted city, and "Der Atlas" (Atlas), a powerful and dramatic song in which the narrator compares himself to the mythological figure who bears the weight of the world on his shoulders. Overall, Schwanengesang is a deeply moving and introspective work that reflects Schubert's own struggles with illness and mortality. The cycle is characterized by its beautiful melodies, rich harmonies, and poignant lyrics, and remains one of the most beloved song cycles in the classical repertoire.

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