Composer

:

Robert Schumann

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1849

Average_duration

:

4:18

"Kennst du das Land?" is a Lied composed by Robert Schumann in 1840. It is the first of six songs in his song cycle "Liederkreis, Op. 39". The song is based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which describes a longing for a distant and idyllic land. The song is written for a solo voice and piano accompaniment. The song premiered in Leipzig on December 5, 1842, with the tenor Julius Stockhausen and Schumann himself at the piano. The song is in A minor and has a moderate tempo. It is divided into three sections, with the first and third sections being in the same key and the middle section modulating to the relative major key of C major. The first section of the song begins with a simple and melancholic melody in the piano, which is then taken up by the voice. The melody is characterized by its descending intervals and its use of chromaticism. The text of the first section describes the speaker's longing for a distant land, which is described as a place of peace and happiness. The middle section of the song begins with a sudden change in tempo and key. The piano plays a lively and playful melody in C major, which is then taken up by the voice. The text of the middle section describes the speaker's desire to leave behind the troubles of the world and escape to the idyllic land. The final section of the song returns to the melancholic melody of the first section. The text describes the speaker's sadness at being unable to reach the distant land and his longing to be reunited with it. Overall, "Kennst du das Land?" is a beautiful and poignant song that captures the longing for a distant and idyllic place. Schumann's setting of Goethe's poem is masterful, with its use of chromaticism and sudden changes in tempo and key. The song is a testament to Schumann's skill as a composer of Lieder and his ability to capture the emotional depth of a text through music.

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