Composer

:

Franz Schubert

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1827

Average_duration

:

2:24

"Letzte Hoffnung" (Last Hope) is a lied composed by Franz Schubert in 1828, just a few months before his death. It is the sixteenth song in his song cycle "Die Winterreise" (The Winter Journey), Op. 89, D. 911. The song cycle consists of 24 songs, all set to poems by Wilhelm Müller. "Letzte Hoffnung" is the second-to-last song in the cycle and is sung by the protagonist, a wanderer who has been rejected by his lover and is now wandering through a cold and desolate winter landscape. The song is in the key of A-flat major and is marked "Andante con moto" (moderately slow with motion). The song is divided into three stanzas, each with its own melody. The first stanza begins with the line "In tiefer Ruh liegt um mich her" (Around me lies deep peace), and the music is calm and peaceful, with a gentle rocking rhythm in the piano accompaniment. The second stanza begins with the line "Ich kann noch weiter wandern" (I can still wander further), and the music becomes more agitated, with a faster tempo and more complex piano accompaniment. The third stanza begins with the line "Und wenn du mich liebst, Kindchen" (And if you love me, little one), and the music returns to the calm and peaceful mood of the first stanza. The song is characterized by its simple, yet powerful melody and its poignant lyrics. The wanderer sings of his last hope, which is to be reunited with his lover, but he knows that this hope is fading. The music reflects the wanderer's emotional state, with the peaceful opening giving way to a more agitated middle section before returning to the peaceful mood of the beginning. "Letzte Hoffnung" was first performed in Vienna in 1828, just a few months after Schubert's death. It has since become one of the most beloved songs in the "Winterreise" cycle and is often performed as a stand-alone piece. Its haunting melody and poignant lyrics continue to resonate with audiences today.

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