Composer: Stern, Julius
Dates: 1820-1883
Song title: Wasserfahrt
Opus, no., etc.: op.1, Nr.4
Music collection title: Fünf Gesänge für eine
Singstimme mit Klavier
Imprint(s): Leipzig: Klemm
Source(s) for score: OCLC#25930106 (Boston Public Library,
microfilm)
1st line of poem: Ich stand gelehnet an den Mast (Go
to text and translation)
Source of poem: Buch der Lieder: Junge Leiden: Romanzen,
Nr.14
Date of composition: -
Nationality of composer: German
Language(s) of text: German
Tempo marking: Allegro
Key: A minor
Time signature: 2/4
No. of measures: 32 (88 with all three strophes)
Approximate duration: 1 min., 30 sec.
Form: strophic
Vocal range: e to e' [e'to e"]
Vocal tessitura: medium (Go to
chart)
Vocal rhythms: mostly quarter notes, occasional shorter and
longer values
Vocal intervals: mostly stepwise motion with a few thirds,
fourths, tritones, and one octave skip
Vocal comments: no technical challenges; male singer (baritone
or tenor) more appropriate to text
Textual variants, etc.: in each of the three stanzas the first
word or two of the third line and the entire fourth line is
repeated
Instrumental part(s): continuous sixteenth-note motion in the
right-hand: octave tremolos introduce each verse and conclude the
song, other varied figurations accompany the voice; left hand mostly
a legato bass line of quarter and half notes; unusually, the postlude
ends on a first inversion minor chord
Summary: A competent and satisfactory strophic version in a
rather Mendelssohnian harmonic and melodic style, but despite its
tremolo crescendos and constant forward motion it is lacking in the
drive and excitement of the best settings (including Mendelssohn's)
Go to other settings of this poem
Go to Index of first lines and titles
Go to Listing of poems in published order
Copyright © 2000, Peter W. Shea
