Heine-Lieder : Anfangs wollt' ich fast verzagen / Crabtree

Composer: Crabtree, Leslie
Dates: 1941-
Song title: Anfangs wollt' ich fast verzagen
Opus, no., etc.: Nr.8
Music collection title: Lieder
Imprint(s): -
Source(s) for score: unpublished, acquired from composer; not listed in Metzner
1st line of poem: Anfangs wollt' ich fast verzagen (Go to text and translation)
Source of poem: Buch der Lieder: Junge Leiden: Lieder, Nr.8
Date of composition: -
Nationality of composer: Canadian
Language(s) of text: German
Tempo marking: Lento e molto rubato
Key: B-flat major
Time signature: 4/4
No. of measures: 32
Approximate duration: 2 min.
Form: Through-composed
Vocal range: B-flat to g' [b-flat to g"]
Vocal tessitura: somewhat high at beginning (long-held d's and e's) but after that evenly wide-ranging. (Go to chart)
Vocal rhythms: mostly half-notes; first phrase starts with 4 measures of whole notes
Vocal intervals: little stepwise motion other than first phrase; descending thirds and ascending sixths predominate
Vocal comments: at the slow tempo indicated the first phrase (six measures, the first four being whole notes on d' and e') will be difficult to do in one breath; the rest of the song has shorter, wider-ranging phrases
Textual variants, etc.: -
Instrumental part(s): almost continuous slow eighth-note motion; most measures have ascending arpeggios followed by a three-note accentuated descending motive (usually stepwise); "molto rubato marking should be taken to heart, without forgetting that this part provides the rhythmic impetus which keeps the some from dying on the vine; some discreet vocal doubling mixed with counter-melodies towards the end; texture gradually thickens with added chords, culminating in the relatively long postlude, leading attacca into the next song
Summary: An effective setting of this text, more expansive than Schumann's austere version, yet not as overblown as others. The expressive upward leaps help make this a very gratifying song to sing, especially after the challenging first phrase. One hears vague echoes of the fifth song of this cycle ("Schöne Wiege").