Composer

:

Richard Wagner

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1857 - 1858

Average_duration

:

3:57

"Stehe still!" is a choral work composed by Richard Wagner in 1849. It was premiered on August 28, 1850, in Dresden, Germany, as part of a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Dresden Singakademie. The work is a setting of a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and it is scored for four-part mixed choir and piano. The piece consists of three movements, each of which is characterized by a different mood and tempo. The first movement, marked "Langsam und feierlich" (slow and solemn), is a somber and reflective meditation on the transience of life. The second movement, marked "Lebhaft und frisch" (lively and fresh), is a more upbeat and optimistic reflection on the joys of life. The final movement, marked "Langsam und ruhig" (slow and calm), returns to the somber mood of the first movement, but with a sense of acceptance and resignation. The work is notable for its use of chromaticism and dissonance, which were innovative for the time. Wagner's use of these techniques creates a sense of tension and unease that is appropriate for the subject matter of the poem. The work also features a number of dynamic contrasts, with sudden shifts from loud to soft and vice versa. Overall, "Stehe still!" is a powerful and moving work that showcases Wagner's skill as a composer of choral music. Its themes of mortality and the fleeting nature of life are timeless and universal, and its musical language is both innovative and expressive.

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