Composer

:

Robert Schumann

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1847

Average_duration

:

2:31

"Das verlassne Mägdlein" (The Forsaken Maiden) is a Lied composed by Robert Schumann in 1848. It is the second song in his Opus 64, a collection of six Lieder. The song is set to a poem by Ludwig Uhland, a German poet and literary historian. The premiere of "Das verlassne Mägdlein" is not well-documented, but it is likely that it was first performed in a private setting, as was common for Lieder during Schumann's time. The song is written for a solo voice and piano accompaniment. The song is divided into three distinct sections or movements. The first movement is marked "Langsam" (slow) and is in a mournful, melancholic mood. The piano accompaniment is sparse and simple, with a repeating pattern that creates a sense of emptiness and loneliness. The vocal melody is also simple, with long, sustained notes that convey the sadness of the forsaken maiden. The second movement is marked "Etwas bewegter" (somewhat more animated) and is more agitated than the first. The piano accompaniment becomes more complex, with a faster, more rhythmic pattern that suggests the maiden's growing anxiety and desperation. The vocal melody is also more varied, with shorter, more fragmented phrases that convey the maiden's confusion and distress. The third movement is marked "Immer noch bewegter" (still more animated) and is the most dramatic and intense of the three. The piano accompaniment is now in a full frenzy, with fast, swirling arpeggios that suggest the maiden's complete emotional breakdown. The vocal melody is also highly dramatic, with wide leaps and sudden shifts in dynamics that convey the maiden's despair and hopelessness. Overall, "Das verlassne Mägdlein" is a powerful and emotional Lied that showcases Schumann's skill at setting poetry to music. The song's three movements create a powerful narrative arc that takes the listener on a journey through the maiden's emotional turmoil, from sadness to desperation to complete despair.

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