Composer

:

Richard Wagner

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1857 - 1858

Average_duration

:

20:26

Movement_count

:

5

Movement ....

Wesendonk Lieder, WWV 91 is a song cycle composed by Richard Wagner between 1857 and 1858. The cycle consists of five songs, which were set to poems by Mathilde Wesendonk, a poet and friend of Wagner's. The songs were originally composed for voice and piano, but Wagner later orchestrated them for a small ensemble. The premiere of the Wesendonk Lieder took place in 1862, with the singer Karl von Illies and pianist Hans von Bülow performing the cycle in a private concert. The songs were later performed publicly in 1870, with the singer Hermine Schröder-Devrient and pianist Franz Liszt. The five songs in the cycle are "Der Engel" (The Angel), "Stehe still!" (Stand still!), "Im Treibhaus" (In the Greenhouse), "Schmerzen" (Pains), and "Träume" (Dreams). The songs are characterized by their lush harmonies, chromaticism, and Wagner's use of leitmotifs, which are musical themes associated with specific characters or ideas. "Der Engel" is a gentle and ethereal song, with a soaring melody and delicate piano accompaniment. "Stehe still!" is a more dramatic and intense song, with a driving rhythm and powerful vocal lines. "Im Treibhaus" is a lush and atmospheric song, with a dreamy quality and rich orchestration. "Schmerzen" is a dark and brooding song, with a haunting melody and dissonant harmonies. "Träume" is a tender and introspective song, with a simple and beautiful melody. Overall, the Wesendonk Lieder are a beautiful and evocative cycle of songs, showcasing Wagner's skill as a composer and his ability to create powerful emotional landscapes through music.

More....