Heine-Lieder : Berg' und Burgen schaun herunter / Schumann

Composer: Schumann, Robert
Dates: 1810-1856
Song title: Berg' und Burgen schaun herunter
Opus, no., etc.: op.24, Nr. 7
Music collection title: Liederkreis nach Gedichten von Heinrich Heine für eine Singstimme mit Klavier
Imprint(s): Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1840
Source(s) for score: Schumann, Sämtliche Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung, Bd. II, ed. Friedländer -- Originalausgabe (hohe Stimme) -- NY : C.F. Peters (Pl. no.9559)
1st line of poem: Berg' und Burgen schaun herunter (Go to text and translation)
Source of poem: Buch der Lieder: Junge Leiden: Lieder, Nr.7
Date of composition: 1840
Nationality of composer: German
Language(s) of text: German
Tempo marking: Ruhig, nicht zu schnell
Key: original key A major (several others available in various editions)
Time signature: 3/8
No. of measures: 57 written (105 if all 4 verses are done)
Approximate duration: 4 min.
Form: strophic
Vocal range: f to f' [f' to f"]
Vocal tessitura: fairly high (Go to chart)
Vocal rhythms: mostly quarter/eighth-note patterns, with occasional siciliano measures; each stanza has slight rhythmic variations
Vocal intervals: mostly stepwise motion, especially in first half of each stanza; a few wider intervals, including a descending diminished 7th in the final stanza
Vocal comments: relatively high tessitura for four successive strophes at slow tempo makes this among the more vocally challenging songs in this cycle; great attention must be paid (as in any strophic song) to subtly differentiate volume, tone color and accentuation between stanzas; the slight rhythmic variations notated by Schumann make this a little easier
Textual variants, etc.: "The last line of the third stanza, in the first edition of the poem which Schumann used, begins with the word 'bringt' (brings). Schumann corrected this to read 'birgt' (harbors)" - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Robert Schumann, Words and Music : the vocal compositions, trans. Reinhard G. Pauly -- Portland, Ore. : Amadeus Press, 1988) Some editions, including Peters, perpetuate the error by printing "bringt." Schumann also repeats the last line of each stanza
Instrumental part(s): not technically difficult, but Schumann's typically intricate voice-leadings, plus the need to differentiate stanzas, necessitate careful preparation
Summary: This is the only truly strophic song in the Liederkreis, op. 24. It boasts a gently flowing melody of narrow compass and rather high tessitura, generally expressive of nostalgic longing, with an equally gentle wave-like accompaniment. Does not go very far in expressing some of the darker emotions hinted at, but rather serves as a respite from the "Sturm und Drang" of surrounding settings. (Go to analysis) For a fascinating analysis of the entire Heine Liederkreis see Berthold Hoeckner's "Poet's Love and Composer's Love" in Music Theory Online, Volume 7, Number 5, October 2001.