Liederkreis Op. 39

This semester I have made it a priority to learn Schumann's Liederkreis Op. 39. As you might expect from the title, Liederkreis is a song cycle (the title Lieder = song, kreis = circle) which is based on poetry by Joseph von Eichendorff. Although I am still slogging through learning all 12 songs in the cycle, this week I decided to do some research as to the origins to, and the history behind the songs.

Schumann wrote Liederkreis songs after spending time with his beloved Clara (who acted as a muse for many of his compositions) and her Mother in Berlin. In Berlin, Schumann watched Felix Mendelssohn (one of Schumann's musical and personal idols) sing some of his songs accompanied by Clara. Still in awe of the wonderful performance, Schumann wrote Liederkreis immediately upon his return to Leipzig. Mendelssohn was friends with and a great admirer of Eichendorff, which is probably why he is the sole poet of this song cycle.

Unlike many of Schumann's works, op. 39 bears no title page dedication. Upon completing the song cycle, Schumann sent the work to Clara with the note "there is much about you written in it." In many of the poems Eichendorff refers to a girl. For example, in Mondnacht [Moonlight Night] Eichendorff writes "Dass sie in Blutenschimmer/Von im nur traumen musst'. [That she in the shimmer of blossoms/Could only dream of him]. The quiet introspective voice of the poems is reflected by the dynamic markings: piano is by far the prevailing indication and forte only occurs as a device to emphasize particularly vivid poetic imagry, to characterize speech, or to accentuate dramatic contrasts.

Enjoy the wonderful Bryn Terfel sing some Liederkreis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY2pN-8P2vs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1GDk4etmmg&feature=related

See y'all morgen!