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Franz schubert music9/15/2023 ![]() ![]() The "Mein Vater, mein Vater" music appears three times on a prolonged dominant seventh chord that slips chromatically into the next key. The song has a tonal scheme based on rising semitones which portrays the increasingly desperate situation: The resolution of C ♯ to D major implies a "submission to the daemonic forces", followed by the final cadence delivering "a perfect consummation to the song". The recitative, in absence of the piano, draws attention to the dramatic text and amplifies the immense loss and sorrow caused by the Son's death. Before this chord is resolved, the triplet motif stops, and the final rendition of the "passing note motif" in the bass seems to seal the fate of the boy. ![]() A final allusion to the father's tonality of C minor is followed by the Neapolitan chord of A ♭ major, as the father spurs his horse to go faster and then arrives at his destination. The grace notes in the voice line suggest the father's horror, and the music accelerates on the words "er reitet geschwind" (he swiftly rides on). The music intensifies further, Schubert once again creating tension through the "galloping motif". It horrifies the father, he swiftly rides on, It also introduces a chromatic "passing note motif" consisting of C–C ♯-D that represents a daemonic force, and used throughout the work. In the introduction, the left hand of the piano part introduces an ominous bass motif composed of rising scale in triplets and a falling arpeggio, pointing to the background of the scene and suggesting the urgency of the father's mission. The moto perpetuo triplets continue throughout the entire song except for the final three bars and mostly comprise the uninterrupted repeated chords or octaves in the right hand that were established at the opening. "Erlkönig" begins with the piano playing rapid triplets to create a sense of urgency and simulate the horse's galloping. Schubert places each character largely in a different tessitura, and each has his own rhythmic and harmonic nuances in addition, most singers endeavor to use a different vocal coloration for each part.Ī fifth character, the horse on which the father and boy are riding, is implied in rapid triplet figures played by the pianist throughout the work, mimicking hoof beats. The Erlking's vocal line, in the major mode, provides the only break from the ostinato bass triplets in the accompaniment until the boy's death. The son lies in a higher range, also in the minor mode. The father lies in the lower range and sings in both minor and major mode. The narrator lies in the middle range and begins in the minor mode. The four characters in the song – narrator, father, son, and the Erlking – are all sung by a single vocalist. Its form is the through-composed song although the melodic motives recur, the harmonic structure is constantly changing and the piece modulates within the four characters. Schubert's adaptation of "Erlkönig" is a romantic musical realization that represents the various rational and irrational elements of Goethe's ballad by contrasting yet unifying musical elements. However, after his death his works were championed by a number of prominent German and French Romantic composers, bringing them very much in to the public eye and in the modern day, he is seen as one of the most significant composers of the late Classical era and early Romantic era, with many of his works seeing regular performances in the modern day.Problems playing this file? See media help. During his short lifetime, his works saw relatively little public acclaim and popularity, save a small group of supporters in Vienna. This large output is made all the more impressive by Schubert’s relatively short lifespan – he died aged 31 on November 19th 1828. His output is impressively prolific, consisting of some 600 secular works for voice, seven completed symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music and a substantial output of chamber and solo piano music. After some time, he was given private tuition in music theory and composition by Salieri. He went on to study at the Stadtkonvikt after obtaining a choral scholarship. He eventually came to the attention of Antonia Salieri, who was one of the leading musicians in Vienna at the time. He was initially taught the piano by members of his family before learning with the choirmaster and organist of the local parish church. Austrian composer Franz Schubert was born in Himmelpfortgrund on January 31st 1797. ![]()
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