In his thirty-one short years, Franz Schubert composed about 1,500 pieces. A good number are lieder, about 800, for one voice or for several voices, accompanied by piano or other instruments. The word lied (lieder is the plural in German) has no translation into English, but it can be roughly likened to "art song". Discounted the artistic and musical value, the difference with our "songs" is that the verses come from great poets (Göethe, Heine, Schiller) or from Franz's friends who at that time could exhibit certain renown as such.
In less than four or five minutes, they could be sung one after the other in social gatherings around good wine, music and literature, at Schubert's friend houses, friendly get-togethers that later were called "Schubertiades".
Setting Goethe to music
In 1814, at age 17, young Franz had begun to perform as an assistant at the school his father was managing in those days. In charge of the kindergarten class, he was certainly not a great teacher. By then, his soul and spirit were definitely with poetry and music. The second half of 1814 and the whole year 1815 are fertile in the production of works. He met the poet Mayrhofer, whom he had already "musicalized"; also wrote one of the most brilliant works of the period with text by Goethe, who Franz deeply admired.
One of his friends came to the decision of making contact with Goethe to let him know about this lad who, based on his verses, did compose wonderful music. He sent to the German poet a series of lieder inspired by his texts, requesting their approval so that they could be dedicated to him:
"The undersigned allows himself to steal with these lines some moments of your precious time ... the poems ... have been put into music by a 19-year-old composer ... (and he wishes that) he was allowed to humbly consecrate this collection to Your Excellency ... the young artist would be happy to deserve approval ... I beg you to be extremely polite to favour me with your response ".
Goethe did not respond.
Ten years later, in 1825, the composer himself did send to Goethe his poems translated into the pentagram. The poet turned a deaf ear to it anew. Little Franz had only three years to live.
"Ständgen" –Serenade– from the Schwanengesang cycle, D. 957
Schubert's famous Serenade is one of the 14 lieder that make up the Schwanengesang cycle (The Swan Song), 1828, and published posthumously (hence the title of the cycle). It bears the number four and is composed of verses from the poet Rellstab, the same one that reportedly gave the sobriquet to the sonata "Moonlight", by Beethoven.
This is a version for violin and piano with the masterful performance of the violinist of Ukrainian origin Mischa Elman (1891-1967). We assume this is a recording from the twenties or thirties, for the rare flavor of the background noise on a format prior to vinyl.
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