Feuer Und Eis: A Study of Duality in the Life and Lieder of Franz Schubert

By James Vernon Ivey IV

This text examines the confluence of Schubert’s compositions, mental state, and illness during the twilight of his life. The author goes into depth, especially concerning the Goethe songs of Mignon and Winterreise. By probing into the mind of composer, along with textual and musical analysis, we can understand the conflicts and dualities within the man and his music.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546255536

James Vernon Ivey IV

Jay Ivey is on the faculty of the College of Fine Arts at Jacksonville University, where he teaches studio voice, diction, literature, and musical theatre history. This marks his first publication. As a performer he has performed roles such as Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, Gianni Schicchi, and Sharpless. He also serves as an active singer, director, pianist in Jacksonville, Florida.

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© 2018 James (Jay) Vernon Ivey, IV. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/10/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-5554-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-5552-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-5553-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018909609

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Schubert’s Inner Struggle

Chapter Two: Schubert’s Fascination with Mignon

Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister

Reichardt, Zelter, and Beethoven

How well did Schubert know Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister?

Mignon and the Harper

The Last Goethe Settings: Opus 62

Chapter Three: Dualities of Winterreise

Metaphysical Polarities

Closing Words

Bibliography

Lists: All examples are by Schubert unless otherwise noted

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Trock’ne Blumen, measures 48-57.

Example 2: Der Müller und der Bach, measures 77-89.

Example 3: Des Baches Wiegenlied, measures 1-4.

Example 4: Der Wegweiser, measures 62-83.

Example 5: Der Tod und das Mädchen, measures 26-end.

Example 6: Das Wirtshaus, measures 1-3.

Example 7: Sonata D. 959, II, measures 139-161.

Example 8: String Quintet in C, D. 956, II, measures 57-68. Return to E major.

Example 9: The Trio of the String Quintet in C, D. 956, III, measures 212-214.

Example 10: String Quintet in C, D. 956, IV, measures 411-end.

Example 11: Zelter’s setting of Nur wer die Sehnsucht Kennt, measures 26-end.

Example 12: Beethoven’s fourth and final setting of Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt.

Example 13: Beethoven’s first setting of Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt.

Example 14a: Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt, D.325 (1815), measures 1-14.

Example 14b: 1816 version, D. 478, measures 1-6.

Example 14c: 1822 version, D. 478, No. 1, measures 1-11.

Example 15a: Schubert’s setting of So lasst mich scheinen (1821), measures 1-24.

Example 15b: So lasst mich scheinen (1826), measures 1-20.

Example 16: So laßt mich scheinen, first fragment. D. 469.

Example 17: So laßt mich scheinen, D. 877, no. 3.

Example 18: Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt, D. 310 (second version), measures 12-20.

Example 19a: Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt, D. 481, measures 12-22.

Example 19b: Mignon und der Harfner(duet), D. 877, no. 1, measures 31-34.

Example 20: Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt (male chorus), D. 656, measures 17-38.

Example 21: The final setting of Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt, measures 27-41. This example shows the resolution (or lack thereof) of the B-section and the return of A.

Example 22a: Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt (1815), measures 1-20.

Example 22b: The previously seen duet version from 1822, measures 30-38.

Example 23: Gefrorne Tränen, introduction and vocal entrance, measures 1-12.

Example 24: Gefrorne Tränen, measures 19-22. This is the first mention of the word tears

Example 25: The apostrophe of Gefrorne Tränen. measures 12-16.

Example 26: Gefrorne Tränen, measures 36-49. This exhibits Schubert’s first setting of the third stanza ending in the diminished-seventh chord at measure 39 and his prolongation of the apostrophe.

Example 27: The rustling motif in Der Lindenbaum and its relation to the main accompanimental motif of Wasserflut. The genesis of the triplet trope is also shown in Erstarrung. Motives of Der Lindenbaum, Wasserflut, and Erstarrung

Example 28: The stark contrast between the same utterance in Wasserflut.

Example 29: Auf dem Flusse, measures 46-59.

Example 30: The introduction of Rückblick, measures 1-12.

Example 31: Der Lindenbaum, measures 45-62.

Example 32: Frühlingstraum, measures 13-21.

Example 33: Der greise Kopf, measures 10-21.

Example 34: Schubert’s Alfonso und Estrella, Act II, measures 58-65. This example is in 12/8 meter.

Example 35: Täuschung, measures 5-14.

Example 36: Täuschung, measures 20-33.

Example 37: Täuschung, measures 1-19.

TABLES

Table 1: Key progressions in Die schöne Müllerin.

Table 2: Schubert’s Settings from Wilhelm Meister.

IMAGES

Image 1: Caspar David Friedrich’s The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog.

To my loving wife and dearest friend—meine liebes Bächlein, Brooke, without whom none of this would be possible.

Introduction

When considering the music of Franz Schubert, one must almost immediately take into account the striking contrasts that are made within his compositions. In fact, in most of his compositions Schubert relied on a certain duality of sorts. Whether it be a duality of texture, key, meter, or tempo, Schubert was a master at manipulating these media into impressive works of art. Even Schubert’s life explores these realms of polarities. Schubert’s most impressive use of juxtapositions is best expressed when he set music to text in the form of Lieder. Moreover, Schubert’s setting of Wilhelm Müller’s Winterreise is a remarkably outstanding example of the genius and depth of his compositional abilities. Winterreise is arguably the most well-known and certainly the most complex and extensive out of the entire song-cycle genre. The level of mystery, musical and textual depth, and breadth is uncontestable in comparison with other cyclic works of this period, or any period for that matter. Although the poet has been criticized by some, his poetry is well suited to be set to music—in fact, it almost begs to be sung. The poet himself in many accounts wrote that he was dissatisfied in some respect in the writing of his poetry because he could not set it to music. In fact, he wrote in his diary in 1815 the following words:

I can neither play nor sing, yet when I write verses, I sing and play after all. If I could produce the melodies, my songs would be more pleasing than they are now. But courage! Perhaps there is a kindred spirit somewhere who will hear the tunes behind the words and give them back to me.¹

That kindred spirit proved to be Franz Schubert, who set not only Winterreise (he removed the article from the title) but also the earlier cycle, Die schöne Müllerin.

It seems that especially in this particular cycle, Winterreise, Schubert and Müller reached beyond dualities and strived to create a different world of polar opposites. This idea of polarities was not an uncommon one, however. Polarities in literature can be traced back as far as Dante, Petrarch, or even in biblical accounts. According to the biblical narrative, Peter and the disciples were baptized by fire during the first Pentecost. Petrarch often used polarities in his poetry. For instance, he was particularly fond of the polar opposites of hot and cold, or fire and ice. The following sonnet is a classic example of Petrarchian polarity.

Sonnet 132