This lied comes from the Danish legend of Erlkönig which has been translated into German:
Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind. Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm, Er fasst ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm. Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht? Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht? Den Erlenkönig mit Kron und Schweif Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif. "Du liebes Kind, komm, geh' mit mir, Gar schoene Spiele spiele ich mit dir, Manch bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand, Mein Mutter hat manch guelden Gewand." Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hoerest du nicht, Was Erlenkoenig mir leise verspricht? Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind, In duerren Blattern saeuselt der Wind. "Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn'? Meine Töchter sollen dich warten shoen. Meine Töchter fuehren den nachtlichen Rehn, Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein." Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehtst du nicht dort, Erlkönigs Toechter am duesteren Ort? Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh' es genau, Es sheinen die alten Weiden so grau. "Ich liebe dich, mich reitzt deine shoene Gestalt, Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch ich Gewalt!" Vater, mein Vater! Jetzt fasst er mich an! Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan! Der Vater grauset's, er reitet geschwind, Er haelt in den Armen das aechzende Kind, Erreicht den Hof mit Muehe und Not, In seinen Armen das Kind war tot.
Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear? The father it is, with his infant so dear; He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm, He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm. "My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide?" "Look, father, the Elf King is close by our side! Dost see not the Elf King, with crown and with train?" "My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain." "Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh come thou with me! For many a game I will play there with thee; On my beach, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold, My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold." "My father, my father, and dost thou not hear The words that the Elf King now breathes in mine ear?" "Be calm, dearest child, thy fancy deceives; the wind is sighing through withering leaves." "Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there? My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care My daughters by night on the dance floor you lead, They'll cradle and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep." "My father, my father, and dost thou not see, How the Elf King is showing his daughters to me?" "My darling, my darling, I see it aright, 'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sight." "I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear boy! And if thou aren't willing, then force I'll employ." "My father, my father, he seizes me fast, For sorely the Elf King has hurt me at last." The father now gallops, with terror half wild, He holds in his arms the shuddering child; He reaches his farmstead with toil and dread, The child in his arms lies motionless, dead.
Use of Piano Accompaniment and Melodic Qualities
This lied was written for piano and voice
Introduction of the piece is piano
Sets the tone in a minor key (G minor)
Repeating triplets in 12/8 time
Rapid tempo (allegro or vivace)
Is used to depict the galloping horse
When the Erlkönig tries to persuade the son to go away with it, the piano theme (galloping horse) fades away, and transitions into the relative major (B flat Major)
Many key changes throughout the melody
B flat Major (1:40) --> B minor (2:05) --> C Major (2:30) --> C# minor (2:45)--> D minor (3:10) --> E flat major (3:15)
Key changes are chromatic, creating suspense
Piano cadences in G minor at end (Authentic Cadence)
1. Find
all iterations of the subject and identify their key. Put keys in terms of
their function (i, III, iv, etc.) in relation to the tonic.
m. 1 d minor (i)
m. 6 a minor (v)
m. 15 d minor (i)
m. 24 C Major (VII)
m. 32 E flat M (flat II)
m. 36 B flat M (flat VI)
m. 50 (sequence) g minor (iv)
m. 54 g minor (iv)
m. 57 d minor (I)
2. Do
a comparative analysis of the LG Fugue and the Bach “Little Fugue” in G minor.
Consider the form of the piece and key areas explored, as well as stylistic
elements.
Similarities
Both begin in minor keys, eventually modulate into a major key, and then back into minor
Their first modulation is to v and then back to i
Both trade off the subject between the treble and bass lines
Both finish in tonic key
Differences
In Bach's Little Fugue, there is a more frequently seen relationship between the tonic and dominant keys when modulating (more common to see i to v and v to i modulations)
When the Little Fugue modulates into a major key, it modulates to its relative major, whereas the LG Fugue modulates to flat II
3. Try and answer the following question: What would musicians during the baroque era think of this piece?
Most musicians would have a general acceptance of this piece. It is similar in style to other fugues such as Bach's Little Fugue, and both the LG Fugue and the Little Fugue are strongly rhythmic. However, some may not enjoy the frequent modulations to keys such as the flat II or VII versus modulating to keys such as v.
The piece I have chosen to analyse is the Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia written by George Frederic Handel. Originally composed as a harpsichord suite and published in 1720, the piece is now more commonly heard as the arrangement done by Norwegian violinist Johan Halvorsen for violin and viola. Here is a link to the score: http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/9/96/IMSLP23970-PMLP29933-IMSLP12367-Passaglia_score.pdf
Step 2: Aural Analysis
General Texture - The piece is mainly homophonic, with the melody being handed off between the violin and viola throughout the piece.
Tonality - The piece is written in the key of G minor
Meter - The meter is in duple simple
Tempo - The tempo changes throughout the piece with every section, ranging from a largo to an allegro moderato.
Instrumentation - Violin and viola (chordophones)
Overall Structure - This piece is composed of variations on the same main theme, often separated by ritardandos and fermatas.
Step 3: Deciphering the Score
Passacaglia - A continuousvariationform. The basis for theformis a four barostinatoover whichvariationsare written in the othervoices
Suite
– A set of dances. Usually contains an optionalprelude, followed by theallemande, thecourante, thesarabande, theintermezzi, and thegigue. Theintermezziconsisted of two to fourdances, containing aminuet, agavotte, or other styles ofdances
Largamente - A directive toperformdesignatedpassageof acompositionwith a broad, full sound
Decrescendo: A directive to aperformerto smoothly decrease thevolumeof the specificpassage
Accent: moderately sharp attack that
can be used at any dynamic level from pianissimo to fortissimo
Crescendo: A directive to aperformerto smoothly increase thevolumeof a particularphraseorpassage
Espress. – Espressivo; A directive to amusiciantoperforma certainpassagewith expression.
Dolce
- A directive tomusicianstoperformthe indicatedpassageof acompositionsweetly, softly, or with tender emotion.
tr. – Trill; Anornamentthat consists of rapid alternation between
onetoneand anothertoneeither astepor asemitoneaway from the firsttone
Con agilitá – with liveliness/agility
Legato line - A directive toperforma certainpassageof acompositionin a smooth, graceful, connected style
indicated as accentmark with a line over thenotesto beperformed
Staccato mark - A style of playingnotesin a detached, separated, distinct manner
indicated bydotsdirectly above or below thenote head.
Spiccato
- Separated or detached. Typically referring to aperformancetechnique on abowedstringed
instrument. The directive implies
that thenotesare to be played in the middle of the bowwith thebowbouncing naturally off thestring. This produces a fast and lightstaccatoeffect.
Slur
- Asignin musicalnotationconsisting of a curved line drawn over or
under a series ofnotes, indicating that thosenotesshould be playedlegato. Thesluralso indicates the grouping and phrasingof apassagein acomposition.
Con
grazie – with grace
Section
repeat sign - Arepeatedsectionin acompositionis designated with arepeat
signat the beginning and end of thesectionto berepeated
Arco - Directive
for amusicianto play astringed instrumentwith abow
Pizz. –
Pizzicato; A directive to abowedstring
instrumentperformerthat the indicatednotesare to bepluckedwith the fingers
Fermata
- Anotationmarking directing theperformer orensembleto sustain thenoteof acompositionaffecting allpartsand lasting as long as the artistic
interpretation of theconductorallows. The fermatais marked above thenoteorrestto be held.
Un poco marc. Ma espr. – A little accent, but with expression
Sim.
– Simile; A directive toperformthe indicatedpassageof acompositionin a similar manner as the previouspassage; similarly
Mordent
– A series of two or moregrace
notesplayed
before the principal note. This ornament usually consists of the principalnote, thenotebelow, and the principalnoteagain.
rit –
Ritardando; A directive toperforma certainpassageof acompositionwith aritardthetempo, to gradually delay thetempo.
Ardante
- A moderatetempomarking
betweenLargoandModerato. Thistempotypically has between 76 and 108beatsper minute
Breath
mark - A directive to theperformerto break thephraseat that point in thecompositionand breathe, thus assisting in the
production of a smoothphraseconsistent with thecomposer'swishes
Broken
chord – Achordin which thenotesare not played simultaneously but rather they are played
successively
Capriccioso
– lively and free
Sul
ponticello – At the bridge
Flautato
- Atechnique in which the sound
of a flute is imitated by bowing near the end of the fingerboard
Saltando
sempre - To always use a technique of bouncing thebowacross thestrings, producing a rapid,staccatoarpeggio
Molto energico – very energetic/strong
Ottava - When written above apassagein acomposition, this term indicates that thepassageshould beperformedoneoctavehigher than written. When written below apassagein a composition, this
term indicates that thepassageshould beperformedoneoctavelower than written.
Poco
a poco spicc. Sempre al. – little by little, always spiccato
Allegro
con fuoco - A fasttempomarking
betweenAllegrettoandVivace;
with fire
cresc. molto e
stringendo – big crescendo and stringendo (A
directive toperformthe indicatedpassageof acompositionwith a pressing forward oraccelerationof thetempo)
Step 4: Harmonic Analysis
Link to PDF: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qytQMyrE1uTi1Xa0I2OUVsZk0/edit
Step 5: Communicating
Your Discoveries
This duo
for violin and viola is a passacaglia, meaning that its form is a continuous
variation. The chord progressions are the same in each phrase, yet are
presented differently each time (i.e. rhythm changes, tempo changes, which part
carries the melody, dynamic differences). Each phrase also repeats the same
patterns, such as omitting the 5th of every other chord. This piece
presents different elements from what we analyzed in class because it is not in
SATB style. However, it seems to follow the same elements of 17th
Century part-writing that we studied. The most enjoyable aspect of this piece
was its structure. Although each phrase has the same chord progression as its
previous, the way that the phrase is written helps to avoid sounding
repetitive. Each phrase also ends in a half cadence, leaving it to sound
incomplete, which helps the piece to move along.
