Composer

:

Franz Schubert

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1827

Average_duration

:

4:09

"Das Wirtshaus" is the 21st song in Franz Schubert's song cycle "Winterreise," Op. 89, D. 911. The song cycle was composed in 1827, just a year before Schubert's death, and premiered in Vienna in 1828. "Winterreise" consists of 24 songs, all of which are set to poems by Wilhelm Müller. "Das Wirtshaus" is the eleventh song in the second half of the cycle, which is characterized by a sense of resignation and despair. The song tells the story of a wanderer who comes across an inn in the middle of the night, hoping to find rest and comfort. However, upon entering the inn, he realizes that it is a place for the dead, and that he is not welcome there. The song is set in a minor key, which adds to the sense of sadness and despair. The song is composed in a slow, mournful tempo, with a simple, repetitive piano accompaniment. The vocal line is characterized by long, sustained notes, which convey the sense of the wanderer's exhaustion and despair. The melody is simple and haunting, with a descending chromatic line that adds to the sense of sadness and hopelessness. The song is divided into three stanzas, each of which is set to the same melody. The first stanza describes the wanderer's arrival at the inn, and his realization that it is a place for the dead. The second stanza describes his attempt to find rest, and his realization that he is not welcome there. The third stanza describes his resignation to his fate, and his decision to continue his journey. Overall, "Das Wirtshaus" is a powerful and haunting song that captures the sense of despair and hopelessness that characterizes the second half of "Winterreise." Schubert's simple, repetitive melody and mournful accompaniment create a sense of sadness and resignation that is both beautiful and heartbreaking.

More....