Composer

:

Hugo Wolf

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

Nov 15, 1888

Average_duration

:

3:03

Hugo Wolf's 'Sankt Nepomuks Vorabend (Goethe Lieder)' is a song cycle composed in 1888. The premiere of the work took place in Vienna in the same year. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which is based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The first movement, 'Gesang Weylas,' is a melancholic and introspective piece that sets the tone for the rest of the cycle. The second movement, 'Der Rattenfänger,' is a lively and playful piece that tells the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The third movement, 'Prometheus,' is a powerful and dramatic piece that explores the theme of rebellion against authority. The fourth movement, 'Ganymed,' is a tender and romantic piece that expresses the joy and ecstasy of love. The fifth movement, 'Anakreons Grab,' is a mournful and reflective piece that contemplates the transience of life. The final movement, 'Sankt Nepomuks Vorabend,' is a haunting and atmospheric piece that evokes the mystical and supernatural. The characteristics of the cycle are typical of Wolf's style, which is characterized by its intense emotional expressiveness and its use of chromatic harmonies and complex textures. The cycle is also notable for its use of word painting, which is the technique of using music to depict the meaning of the words. Overall, 'Sankt Nepomuks Vorabend (Goethe Lieder)' is a masterful work that showcases Wolf's skill as a composer and his deep understanding of Goethe's poetry. It remains a popular and influential work in the repertoire of art song.

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