Composer

:

Johannes Brahms

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song: Art Song

Compose Date

:

1864

Average_duration

:

3:17

"An die Nachtigall, Op. 46/4" is a Lied composed by Johannes Brahms in 1868. It was premiered in Vienna on January 22, 1869, with the composer himself at the piano and the baritone Julius Stockhausen as the singer. The song is part of a collection of six Lieder, Op. 46, which Brahms composed between 1868 and 1869. The song is set to a poem by Johann Ludwig Uhland, a German poet and playwright from the Romantic era. The poem is a dialogue between the poet and a nightingale, in which the poet asks the bird to sing a song of love and longing. The nightingale responds by singing a melancholic tune, which the poet interprets as a reflection of his own sorrow. The song is in the key of G minor and has a moderate tempo. It is divided into three sections, each with a different mood and character. The first section is marked "Andante con moto" and is characterized by a flowing melody in the piano accompaniment, which sets the mood for the dialogue between the poet and the nightingale. The second section is marked "Poco più lento" and is more introspective, with the singer expressing his own feelings of sadness and longing. The third section is marked "Tempo I" and returns to the opening melody, with the nightingale's song becoming more intense and passionate. The song is notable for its use of chromaticism and modulations, which create a sense of tension and release throughout the piece. The piano accompaniment is also highly expressive, with Brahms using a variety of textures and dynamics to convey the mood of the poem. Overall, "An die Nachtigall, Op. 46/4" is a beautiful and poignant Lied that showcases Brahms' mastery of the genre. Its combination of expressive melody, rich harmonies, and evocative text make it a beloved piece in the Lieder repertoire.

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