Heine-Lieder : Ich wandelte unter den Bäumen = Out in the deep woodlands / Carmichael

Composer: Carmichael, Mary Grant
Dates: 1851-1935
Song title: Ich wandelte unter den Bäumen = Out in the deep woodlands
Opus, no., etc.: op.8, Nr.2
Music collection title: Three Lyrics (second set) from Heine's Book of Songs
Imprint(s): London: Stanley, Lucas, Weber & Co., 187-?; London: Schott, 1878
Source(s) for score: original publication, at Boston Public Library
1st line of poem: Ich wandelte unter den Bäumen (Go to text and translation)
Source of poem: Buch der Lieder: Junge Leiden: Lieder, Nr.3
Date of composition: -
Nationality of composer: English
Language(s) of text: German and English; English translation as alternate text, no translator given
Tempo marking: Allegretto
Key: D-flat major
Time signature: common time
No. of measures: 40
Approximate duration: 2 min. 35 sec.
Form: Varied strophic (actually ABAC)
Vocal range: A-flat to e-flat' [a-flat to e-flat"]
Vocal tessitura: stays mostly between f and c'; solid low A-flat needed for last note (Go to chart)
Vocal rhythms: mainly eighth and quarter note motion
Vocal intervals: mostly by step with frequent short skips of up to a fourth, and a few descending fifths and sixths
Vocal comments: male singer (baritone) more appropriate to text
Textual variants, etc.: -
Instrumental part(s): piano part quite easy, but with interesting and varied accompanimental figures, mostly eighth notes in right hand, and a well-written bass line in quarter and half notes providing a solid harmonic underpinning. No doubling of the voice.
Summary: Pretty melody and an appropriate mood for the text. Little overt text-painting, but some nice subtle touches. However, overall it is rather pale, sentimental and forgettable compared with Schumann's and Hensel's settings. Conservative mid-nineteenth-century chromaticism and modulations. (Go to analysis)