Composer

:

Anton Webern

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1903

Average_duration

:

3:00

Anton Webern's "Sommerabend" is the fifth of his "8 Early Songs," composed between 1901 and 1903. The song was premiered in Vienna in 1905, with Webern himself accompanying on the piano. "Sommerabend" is a short, delicate piece, lasting just over a minute. It is written for a solo voice and piano, and features Webern's characteristic use of atonality and sparse, fragmented melodies. The text, written by Richard Dehmel, describes a peaceful summer evening, with the speaker observing the beauty of nature and feeling a sense of contentment. The song is divided into two sections, with the first featuring a slow, flowing melody in the piano accompanied by the voice singing long, sustained notes. The second section is more lively, with the piano playing a series of quick, staccato notes while the voice sings a short, fragmented melody. The song ends abruptly, with the voice and piano both stopping suddenly. Overall, "Sommerabend" is a prime example of Webern's early style, which was heavily influenced by the Second Viennese School and the atonal music of Arnold Schoenberg. The song's use of sparse, fragmented melodies and atonal harmonies would go on to influence many other composers in the 20th century.

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