Composer

:

Richard Wagner

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1832

Average_duration

:

14:44

Movement_count

:

7

Movement ....

Richard Wagner's "Faust Lieder" is a song cycle consisting of seven songs, with the catalogue number WWV 15 and Opus 5. The cycle was composed in 1831-1832, when Wagner was only 19 years old. The premiere of the cycle took place in Leipzig in 1833, with Wagner himself accompanying the singer on the piano. The seven songs in the cycle are based on texts from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's "Faust", a play that Wagner was deeply influenced by throughout his life. The songs are: 1. "Dich teure Halle" (You dear hall) - This song is sung by the character of Faust as he enters the hall of the castle of the beautiful and seductive Helen of Troy. The music is grand and majestic, with a soaring melody that reflects Faust's awe and wonder. 2. "Blick ich umher" (When I look around) - This song is sung by Faust as he reflects on the transience of life and the fleeting nature of beauty. The music is melancholy and introspective, with a haunting melody that captures the mood of the text. 3. "Ein Schwert verhiess mir der Vater" (My father promised me a sword) - This song is sung by the character of Mephistopheles, who tempts Faust with promises of power and glory. The music is sly and sinister, with a playful melody that belies the dark nature of the text. 4. "Meine Ruh' ist hin" (My peace is gone) - This song is sung by the character of Gretchen, who has been seduced and abandoned by Faust. The music is heart-wrenching, with a mournful melody that captures Gretchen's despair and anguish. 5. "Was machst du mir vor Liebchens Tür" (What are you doing at my love's door) - This song is sung by the character of Martha, who confronts Mephistopheles when he comes to seduce her. The music is lively and energetic, with a jaunty melody that reflects Martha's feisty personality. 6. "Gretchen am Spinnrade" (Gretchen at the spinning wheel) - This song is sung by Gretchen as she spins wool and reflects on her love for Faust. The music is delicate and intimate, with a gentle melody that captures the tenderness of the text. 7. "Es war einmal ein König" (Once there was a king) - This song is sung by Mephistopheles as he tells Faust a story about a king who was seduced by a beautiful woman. The music is playful and whimsical, with a lively melody that reflects the humor of the text. Overall, the "Faust Lieder" cycle is characterized by its rich and varied musical language, which ranges from grand and majestic to intimate and delicate. The songs are deeply expressive and capture the emotional complexity of Goethe's text. Despite being one of Wagner's earliest works, the cycle already shows the composer's mastery of the art song form and his ability to create music that is both beautiful and deeply meaningful.

More....