Composer

:

Felix Mendelssohn

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

Nov 3, 1842

Publication Date

:

1847

Average_duration

:

3:19

Schilflied, Op. 71/4 is a song composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1847. It was premiered in Leipzig on January 22, 1848, with the composer himself at the piano and the tenor Julius Stockhausen as the soloist. The song is part of a collection of six songs for voice and piano, collectively known as Sechs Gesänge, Op. 71. Schilflied, which translates to "Reed Song," is the fourth song in the collection. It is a setting of a poem by Nikolaus Lenau, a German poet known for his melancholic and introspective works. The poem describes the sound of reeds swaying in the wind, and the emotions it evokes in the speaker. The song is in A-flat major and has a moderate tempo. It is in a simple A-B-A form, with the A sections featuring a flowing melody that imitates the sound of the reeds, and the B section providing a contrast with a more dramatic and intense melody. The piano accompaniment is also evocative of the sound of the reeds, with arpeggios and tremolos that create a sense of movement and fluidity. One of the characteristics of Schilflied is its use of chromaticism, which adds a sense of tension and unease to the melody. This is particularly evident in the B section, where the melody rises and falls in a series of half-steps. The song also features Mendelssohn's signature use of counterpoint, with the piano and voice weaving in and out of each other in a complex and intricate interplay. Overall, Schilflied is a beautiful and evocative song that showcases Mendelssohn's skill as a composer. Its use of chromaticism and counterpoint, combined with its flowing melody and evocative piano accompaniment, make it a standout piece in the Sechs Gesänge collection.

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