Composer

:

Fanny Mendelssohn

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1836

Average_duration

:

2:30

"Suleika Ach! um deine feuchten Schwingen" is a song composed by Fanny Mendelssohn in 1846. It is based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which tells the story of Suleika, a young woman who longs for her lover to return to her. The song is part of a larger collection of songs by Mendelssohn, which were published posthumously under the title "Gartenlieder" (Garden Songs). The song is written for a solo voice and piano accompaniment, and is in the key of E-flat major. It is divided into three distinct sections, or movements, each of which reflects a different aspect of the poem. The first movement is slow and mournful, with the singer expressing her longing for her lover. The second movement is faster and more energetic, with the singer imagining the return of her lover and the joy that it would bring. The final movement returns to the slower, more mournful tone of the first, as the singer realizes that her lover may never return. One of the most striking characteristics of the song is its use of chromaticism, which creates a sense of tension and longing throughout. Mendelssohn also employs a variety of vocal techniques, including melismatic passages and sudden shifts in dynamics, to convey the emotional depth of the poem. The piano accompaniment is similarly expressive, with sweeping arpeggios and delicate trills adding to the overall sense of longing and melancholy. Overall, "Suleika Ach! um deine feuchten Schwingen" is a powerful and evocative song that showcases Mendelssohn's skill as a composer and her ability to capture the emotional essence of a poem through music.

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