Der Tod und das Mädchen
Death and the Maiden, was composed by Franz Schubert for voice and piano in D minor, composed in 1817 and was published in 1822 as No. 3 of the songs booklet Opus 7. Textual basis is the same poem by Matthias Claudius, based on the well-known since the 15th century ad The Death and the Maiden. The range extends from small up to a two-lined what the mezzo- soprano or ( octave ) corresponds to the baritone. So the song is singable also for ambitious laymen.
Shaping
From the dialogue of original text of Claudius created by Schubert prelude and postlude a small scene, the stronger highlights a revaluation of death as a friend, as it is the case with Claudius.
The 43 -bar song begins with an eight-bar introduction, the first four bars ( = first half-sentence: first cadence in D minor, then oscillation between tonic and dominant ) are repeated and so an eight-bar period arises due since the classical its symmetry expression of balance, rounding harmony and consistency is. The five parts set chords are consistently kept the rhythm of the Pavane (half, quarter, quarter). Pavanen are initially slow walking dances of the Renaissance, were also used as an expression of melancholy and world-weariness in 1600 but, as with John Dowland. In addition, they also found as mourning and funeral music in the sense of Tombeaus use. In this semantics Schubert uses the Pavanenrhythmus for the characterization of death.
The fear and the girl hurriedness reflected not only in the odd number of 13 cycles that undermines any periodicity ( without piano postlude 11 bars without repetition of the last verse 9 bars). " Minor - fast, irregular rhythm - restless jagged, mostly ascending melody - forte - high position " and constantly changing between the right and left hand chord repetition in quavers in the piano accompaniment characterize the plight of the girl.
The 16 bars of death are, however, two by turning point ( long notes, pause) defined periods which coincide half-sentences ( 4 bars ) with the verses of the poem. Already by this symmetry and the unswerving progress in Pavanenrhythmus death radiates calm, along with the other parameters, confidence and friendliness: " Major - quiet, steady rhythm - immovable melody - repeated notes - piano - deep position " ".
The sequel repeats the prelude, but shortened in D major, and because of twice Takterstickung on six measures: The first bar of the postlude overlaps with the final bar of the vocal part and the last bar of the first half of the sentence with the first of the second half-sentence. In addition, each half set the melody remains up to the cadential point at the end of constant d, the bass remains primarily on d Both aims, together with chordal harmony and cadence steady Pavanenrhythmus on static in the sense of peace, gentleness and safety.
In the fine analysis, two interesting observations arise. Death has except for the small end turns at the end of each period constant only the sound d or in the setting of the third verse of the death stanza the tone f This " reciting, psalm- end way of singing ", plus a " chorale -like chordal compact set ", " simple cadence harmony " and even speed characterize the spread of the death of aura as a" gentle, serious, solemn, ritual, quiet, implacable; lifeless, ecclesiastical, sure. " It is with the modulation at the end of the first period ( " not come to punish " on ) the change after major instead, which is highlighted by the temporary increase in the recitation Stones by f and maintained until the end.
The second observation concerns the insertion of Pavanenrhythmus in the girls' verse at the beginning of the fourth verse ("and do not touch me "). Trigger is the word dear before. Would it be an issue, it meant "go better ", writ large, it is the place, " the girl in the collapse of their resistance as a last resort uses flattery " is at or already succumbed in a semantic compression of the aura of death. The last verse of the girls now following verse is the Pavanenrhythmus of death among sets, the melody is a downward line from repeating even forced, which is one third lower and ends at the lowest sound the girl sings. This show and the wordless two-bar postlude that the girl addicted to death and has rather given up after Schubert's design. This is reflected in the music, the reaction of the girl that is missing in Claudius ' poem.
Of the 43 cycles so do not show only seven bars the Pavanenrhythmus that dominates as a symbol of death the song. His appearance in the prelude and postlude sets a framework both externally in terms of rounding ( by the change from minor to major, also in terms of development ) as well as internally in the sense of an aura, within which the action takes place. So the song is also an expression of closeness to death, which is not negatively perceived in the romance, but often as a redemption of unresolvable tensions in life. Thomas Mann's assertion that the romance "their innermost essence of seduction is, namely seduction to death ", this song can be tracked using. This is all the more remarkable, as the poem template from the 18.th century and still shows significant features of the fighting of the Romantic Enlightenment. Schubert succeeds through the music, the facility of composition and taking the above details, a spiritual penetration which can not have the short dialogue of the original.
Continued use of the melody in classical music
In 1824, Franz Schubert composed his String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D 810 In the second set overwritten with Andante con moto is a series of variations on the introduction to Schubert's art song, which is why the Quartet under the title Death and the girl is known.
Peter Cornelius used Schubert's composition for the fourth of his five mourning choirs op 9, which he wrote in the fall of 1869. He knew the melody it with a new, self-written text "Pilgrim on earth, raced at the goal ."
Left
- Schubert's setting of the song. Free recording (mp3 ) and a free download of the notes
- Accompaniment to sing along to Impresario
- Bacio di Tosca - The Death and the Maiden at youtube.com