Composer

:

Arnold Schoenberg

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

4:14

Arnold Schoenberg composed "Schilflied: Drüben geht die Sonne scheiden" in 1909. The piece premiered in Vienna in 1910. It is a song for voice and piano, with lyrics by the German poet Nikolaus Lenau. The piece is part of Schoenberg's early atonal period, where he was experimenting with breaking away from traditional tonality. "Schilflied" is a prime example of this, as it lacks a clear tonal center and uses dissonant harmonies throughout. The song is divided into three movements, each with its own distinct character. The first movement is slow and mournful, with the voice and piano weaving in and out of each other's lines. The second movement is faster and more agitated, with the piano playing a driving rhythm while the voice sings a melody that is constantly shifting and changing. The final movement returns to the slow, mournful character of the first, with the voice and piano once again intertwining in a haunting melody. The lyrics of "Schilflied" are about a lover who has left and the pain and longing that the speaker feels. The imagery of the reeds swaying in the wind is used to represent the speaker's emotions, as they too are constantly shifting and changing. Overall, "Schilflied: Drüben geht die Sonne scheiden" is a powerful and emotional piece that showcases Schoenberg's early experimentation with atonality. Its haunting melodies and dissonant harmonies make it a challenging but rewarding piece for both performers and listeners.

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