Composer

:

Felix Mendelssohn

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

Sep 22, 1847

Publication Date

:

1847

Average_duration

:

1:24

"An die Entfernte, Op. 71/3" is a song composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1845. It was premiered in Leipzig on January 22, 1846, with the composer himself at the piano and the tenor Julius Stockhausen as the soloist. The song is part of a set of six songs for voice and piano, collectively known as "Sechs Gesänge, Op. 71." "An die Entfernte" is a lyrical and expressive song that showcases Mendelssohn's gift for melody and his ability to create a mood of longing and nostalgia. The text, written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is a poem addressed to a distant lover. The music captures the sense of yearning and the bittersweet emotions of separation and longing. The song is in A-flat major and is marked "Andante con moto." It has a simple and elegant piano accompaniment that supports the vocal line without overpowering it. The vocal melody is lyrical and expressive, with long phrases and subtle shifts in dynamics and tempo. The song is divided into three sections, each with its own character and mood. The first section begins with a gentle and flowing piano introduction that sets the mood for the song. The vocal line enters with the first verse, which expresses the speaker's longing for the distant lover. The melody is simple and elegant, with a rising and falling contour that reflects the emotional content of the text. The second section is more agitated and intense, with a faster tempo and more dramatic vocal line. The text expresses the speaker's frustration and impatience with the distance between them. The music reflects this mood with a more urgent and passionate melody that builds to a climax before returning to the gentler mood of the opening section. The final section is a reprise of the first, with a slight variation in the melody and a more subdued mood. The text expresses the speaker's resignation to the distance between them and the hope that they will one day be reunited. The music reflects this mood with a more introspective and contemplative melody that fades away to a gentle conclusion. Overall, "An die Entfernte" is a beautiful and poignant song that showcases Mendelssohn's gift for melody and his ability to capture the emotional content of a text in music. It is a testament to his skill as a composer and his deep understanding of the human experience.

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