Composer

:

Franz Schubert

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song Cycle

Compose Date

:

1828

Average_duration

:

45:36

Movement_count

:

14

Movement ....

Schwanengesang, D. 957 is a song cycle composed by Franz Schubert in 1828, just a few months before his death. The cycle consists of 14 songs, set to poems by three different poets: Ludwig Rellstab, Heinrich Heine, and Johann Gabriel Seidl. The title of the cycle, which translates to "Swan Song," was not given by Schubert himself, but was added by his publisher after his death. The premiere of Schwanengesang took place in Vienna in 1829, a year after Schubert's death. The cycle was performed by baritone Johann Michael Vogl, who had been a close friend and frequent collaborator of Schubert's. The 14 songs in Schwanengesang are divided into two parts, with the first seven set to poems by Rellstab and the second seven set to poems by Heine and Seidl. The songs cover a range of emotions and themes, from love and longing to death and despair. One of the most famous songs in the cycle is "Ständchen" (Serenade), which is the seventh song in the Rellstab section. The song is known for its beautiful melody and romantic lyrics, which describe a lover serenading his beloved beneath her window. Another notable song in the cycle is "Der Doppelgänger" (The Double), which is the thirteenth and penultimate song. Set to a poem by Heinrich Heine, the song is a haunting meditation on loneliness and despair, with the narrator encountering his own ghostly double in the streets at night. Overall, Schwanengesang is characterized by Schubert's gift for melody and his ability to capture a wide range of emotions in his music. The cycle is a testament to his genius as a composer and his enduring legacy in the world of classical music.

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