Composer

:

Franz Schubert

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1816

Average_duration

:

3:40

"Der König in Thule" is a Lied composed by Franz Schubert in 1816, based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's poem of the same name. It is the fifth song in Schubert's Opus 5, a collection of settings of Goethe's poems. The song premiered in Vienna in 1821, performed by the tenor Johann Michael Vogl and Schubert himself on the piano. It quickly became one of Schubert's most popular Lieder, and has since been performed and recorded by countless singers and pianists. The song is in A minor and has a simple, strophic structure, with three verses and a refrain. The piano accompaniment is sparse and melancholic, with a descending bass line that underscores the song's mournful tone. The first verse describes the king of Thule, who is said to have loved a woman so deeply that he gave her a golden cup as a token of his love. The second verse tells of the woman's death, and how the king mourned her passing. In the final verse, the king drinks from the golden cup one last time before throwing it into the sea, symbolizing his acceptance of his beloved's death and his own impending demise. The song's simple melody and poignant lyrics have made it a favorite of singers and audiences alike. Its melancholic tone and themes of love and loss are characteristic of Schubert's early Lieder, which often explore the darker aspects of human emotion.

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