Heine-Lieder : Es treibt mich hin, es treibt mich her! / Franz

Composer: Franz, Robert
Dates: 1815-1892
Song title: Es treibt mich hin, es treibt mich her! = I pace along here to and fro
Opus, no., etc.: op.34, Nr.4
Music collection title: Sechs Lieder nach Gedichte von Heinrich Heine
Imprint(s): Leipzig : F.E.C. Leuckart
Source(s) for score: Franz-Album, Band 4 -- Edition Peters (Pl. no. 1427) = Franz-Album : 24 Lieder und Gesänge -- Leuckart
1st line of poem: Es treibt mich hin, es treibt mich her (Go to text and translation)
Source of poem: Buch der Lieder: Junge Leiden: Lieder, Nr.2
Date of composition: -
Nationality of composer: German
Language(s) of text: German and English; no translator given
Tempo marking: Allegro molto agitato
Key: E minor
Time signature: common time
No. of measures: 35
Approximate duration: 1 min., 30 sec.
Form: Through-composed, ABA' form, corresponding to stanzas
Vocal range: B to f-sharp' [b to f-sharp"]
Vocal tessitura: consistently wide-ranging (Go to chart)
Vocal rhythms: mainly in eighth and quarter notes
Vocal intervals: many skips, mostly thirds but some fourths and fifths
Vocal comments: some phrases have several skips in succession, encompassing up to a tenth in a single measure; this motion combined with accidentals resulting from several sudden modulations could make this song somewhat challenging, especially for a novice; male singer (tenor or high baritone) more appropriate to text
Textual variants, etc.: -
Instrumental part(s): piano part of mild difficulty, most of it in the rather martial modulatory interlude
Summary: Overall an equally agitated but more "interventionist" setting than Schumann's, attempting to set each line to its own appropriately expressive music. Although somewhat episodic, including some sudden harmonic excursions, if performed enough intensity this song would be very effective. It is notated in common time, but would work better with a feeling of two beats to the bar. (Go to analysis)