Heine-Lieder : Ich wandelte unter den Bäumen / Crabtree

Composer: Crabtree, Leslie
Dates: 1941-
Song title: Ich wandelte unter den Bäumen
Opus, no., etc.: Nr.3
Music collection title: Lieder
Imprint(s): -
Source(s) for score: unpublished, acquired from composer; not listed in Metzner
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: Canadian
Language(s) of text: German
Tempo marking: Slowly
Key: G-flat major
Time signature: 4/4
No. of measures: 38
Approximate duration: 2 min., 15 sec.
Form: Modified strophic (AA'BA")
Vocal range: d-flat to e-flat' [d-flat' to e-flat"]
Vocal tessitura: mostly medium (see Vocal comments below) (Go to chart)
Vocal rhythms: mostly in eighth and quarter notes, with occasional half notes
Vocal intervals: pitches usually change by third, or stepwise
Vocal comments: melody centers around b-flat through most of song, often not moving more than a third up or down; second stanza gradually increases intervals in both directions, culminating in a skip of a ninth from lowest to highest notes; tessitura of D-major third stanza, where the birds speak, generally stays about a third lower; male voice (tenor or baritone) more appropriate to text
Textual variants, etc.: -
Instrumental part(s): Piano part is very easy, characterized by syncopated quarter note chords over left-hand octave half notes, which often descend stepwise. The third stanza is differentiated by arpeggiated right-hand chords and a slower-moving bass line.
Summary: A simple but expressive melody forms the basis for what is overall an appropriate and effective setting. Very diatonic overall, but the sudden shifts to and from the third stanza's distant D major, although they quite clearly demarcate the birds' reply to the protagonist, seem somewhat jarring in this context. (Go to analysis)