Working within the structural framework of the poem, the music portrays several main subjects in the piano part through a characteristic use of rhythm, harmony, and dynamic. Most prominent of these textual subjects is that of the wind, musically expressed by successive triplet figures (mm. 1, 31) that rise and fall from beat to beat in mostly step-wise motion, and by accompanying pinpoint crescendos and descrescendos (m. 3), such elements being used in every piano interlude, prelude, and postlude. The wind subject is almost entirely absent from the setting of stanzas 1 and 2 (mm. 8-24), which do not involve strong winds (only reminisce on happy summer days); it is present in stanzas 3 and 4 (mm. 28-44) (in the minor mode in stanza 3 and major mode in stanza 4) on the first beat of each measure (m. 29) and, in certain measures, on every beat (m. 31), to suggest the slight wind encountered while wandering near that “rustling” tree; it is constant and almost entirely unbroken in stanza 5 (mm. 45-53) in the minor mode to suggest the constancy of the fierce wind during a storm; and again present only on the first beat of every measure in stanza 6 and its repetition (mm. 59-76), though in contrast to stanza 3, it is this time in the major mode, and there are no interceding measures with triplet figures on every beat. Here, the pattern is unbroken in its lilting consistency, suggesting a relative calmness and serenity as the wanderer finds himself far away from the linden tree and windy storm.


Another general textual subject portrayed in the music is the narrator’s listless wandering at the dead of night described in stanzas 3-4. Almost every measure is ended with an eighth-note rest in both hands of the piano part (mm. 29, 30) and the harmonies hardly change from measure to measure (and indeed many of these measures are exactly the same – compare mm. 29, 30, 32, 33, etc), creating an emotional atmosphere of uncertainty (rest at the end of every measure) and aimless wandering (little harmonic change). By contrast, however, the narrator feels much more comfortable and guided during the sixth stanza, and there the rest at the end of each measure is filled in with an eighth-note in the bass (mm. 59, 60, etc), and the mode has then switched to the major.


The frigid cold, unceasing confusion, and storming winds are musically expressed in the setting of stanza 5 (mm. 45-58) not only through the constancy of “wind” triplet-figures, virtually unbroken by rests, as mentioned above, but also through the use of the minor mode; the lack of any cadences (only frequent deceptive cadences) as the harmonies alternate between V (mm. 46, 48) and VI (mm. 47, 49); the use of an entirely new vocal strophe; the vast dynamic range, punctuated by sforzandos and piano markings guided by steep decrescendos; frequent chromaticism in every measure, particularly in the scalar chromatic rise and fall of the triplet figures in mm. 53-54; the bare, “frigid” octaves in the right hand of the piano part in mm. 46 and 48; the drone of the submediant C-natural in the bass of mm. 49-52 and the dominant B-natural in mm. 53-58; and the oscillating harmonic and melodic constancy in the treble of the piano part in mm. 49 (oscillating G-natural to E (beats 1 and 3) and F# to D# (beats 2 and 4)), 50, 51, and 52.


The repetition of stanza 6 (mm. 66-76) marks an important arrival in both the music and the text: because this is the only place where a poetic stanza is repeated (in the music); and even more so because one of the lines that is repeated (twice! mm. 72-74 and 74-76) is a slight alteration of a line from earlier in the text. The imagined beckoning of the linden tree, “come and find your rest here” (an invitation) in stanza 4, becomes “you would have found your rest there” (a regret) in stanza 6 and its repetition. This dramatic transformation, as shown above in the poetic text, is seen through a comparison of the musical settings of these two stanza-groupings, 3 and 4 (mm. 37-44) and 6 and its reptition (mm. 58-76). As mentioned earlier, almost every measure in the setting of stanzas 3 and 4 ends with a rest in both hands of the piano part – that rest is filled in every measure of stanza 6 (and its repetition) by an eighth note in the bass. Almost every measure in stanzas 3 and 4 has an accent on the second beat (accenting the weak beat, creating a syncopation of the natural rhythmic flow, suggesting uncertainty and unrest) – that accent has moved in every measure of stanza 6 to the first beat (accenting the strong beat, reinforcing the natural rhythmic flow, suggesting an arrival at relative calmness and decision). Stanza 3 is in E Minor (although stanza 4 is in E Major), but both stanza 6 and its repetition are in E Major. The single-note melodic line in the right hand of the piano part is emphasized in octaves during the repetition of stanza 6 (m. 67) and the broken figure of the left hand is there played as solid chords (m. 68). While there are no unique punctuating figures in the musical setting of stanza 3 (denying rest to the listless wanderer), both of these punctuations from stanzas 1 and 2 (the eighth note thirds and dotted figures) return in the repetition of stanza 6 (compare mm. 12 and 69, 20 and 70). Interestingly enough, the change in the textual line seems to suggest that the narrator should feel pangs of regret for not having stopped and rested by the tree. On the other hand, the change in the music seems to portray an arrival at calmness and serenity, a reinforced confidence at having survived the icy storm. This is a dramatic dialectic so characteristic of the romantic (and classical) ideal: the narrator is shown to feel great relief and confidence, and at the same time grief and remorse – both sets of contrasting emotions – for having pushed on his own, not stopping to rest by his beloved Lindenbaum.

This is a dramatic dialectic so characteristic of the romantic (and classical) ideal: the narrator is shown to feel great relief and confidence, and at the same time grief and remorse – both sets of contrasting emotions – for having pushed on his own, not stopping to rest by his beloved Lindenbaum.[/b]

Would you say Schubert was using “Word Painting” in this lied?

Originally posted by Minaku:
Might as well ask why rainbows make people smile or nails on a chalkboard make people flinch. [/b]

Originally posted by Cultor:
Do you hear the soft feathers of the death angel touching here? Two versions to compare.

Can loneliness, melancholy, sadness and finally death be portrayed in music?
How? Why?

Originally posted by Cultor:
Dear pianojerome:
Although I don’t want this topic to concentrate in Schubert work (it was just an example), your analysis is excellent. Would you say Schubert was using “Word Painting” in this lied? [/b]