Composer

:

Robert Schumann

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1840

Average_duration

:

0:54

"Anfangs wollt' ich fast verzagen" is a Lied composed by Robert Schumann in 1840 as part of his song cycle "Liederkreis, Op. 24". The song was premiered in Leipzig on December 1, 1840, with the tenor Julius Stockhausen and Schumann himself at the piano. The song is set to a poem by Heinrich Heine, which tells the story of a young man who is initially full of hope and confidence, but gradually becomes disillusioned and despairing as he realizes the futility of his dreams. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which is set to a different musical theme. The first stanza is marked "Ziemlich langsam" (quite slow) and begins with a gentle, flowing melody in the piano. The vocal line is initially hesitant and uncertain, reflecting the young man's initial doubts and fears. As the stanza progresses, however, the melody becomes more confident and assertive, reflecting the young man's growing sense of hope and determination. The second stanza is marked "Etwas rasch und sehr markiert" (somewhat fast and very marked) and begins with a bold, declamatory melody in the piano. The vocal line is similarly forceful and assertive, as the young man declares his determination to achieve his goals. However, the melody soon becomes more agitated and fragmented, reflecting the young man's growing sense of frustration and despair. The third stanza is marked "Langsam" (slowly) and begins with a mournful, melancholy melody in the piano. The vocal line is similarly mournful and despairing, as the young man reflects on the futility of his dreams and the inevitability of his own mortality. The melody gradually fades away, leaving the piano to play a haunting, melancholy coda. Overall, "Anfangs wollt' ich fast verzagen" is a powerful and emotionally charged song that captures the complex and conflicting emotions of the young man in Heine's poem. Schumann's music is highly expressive and nuanced, with each musical theme reflecting a different aspect of the young man's journey from hope to despair.

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