Heine-Lieder : Bergstimme (Ein Reiter durch das Bergtal zieht) / Roos

Composer: Roos, Robert de
Dates: 1907-1976
Song title: Bergstimme
Opus, no., etc.: Nr.1
Music collection title: Drei romantische Lieder (H. Heine) Sopran, Klavier, 1975
Imprint(s): Amsterdam: Donemus, c1975
Source(s) for score: loan from Northwestern University Library; also at New York Public Library for the Performing Arts; both locations also own version with orchestral accompaniment (it is unclear which is the original or preferred version)
1st line of poem: Ein Reiter durch das Bergtal zieht (Go to text)
Source of poem: Buch der Lieder: Junge Leiden: Romanzen, Nr.2
Date of composition: ca. 1975?
Nationality of composer: Dutch
Language(s) of text: German
Tempo marking: Ruhig gehend (quarter note = +-50) (tempo molto flessibile)
Key: N/A (atonal)
Time signature: predominantly 4/4, but constantly changing to 2/4, 3/4, and 5/4
No. of measures: 59
Approximate duration: 5 min.
Form: through-composed
Vocal range: d to g' [d' to g"]; intended for soprano
Vocal tessitura: medium (Go to chart)
Vocal rhythms: mostly eighth and quarter note motion, with a few sixteenth note and triplet eighth note figures; much written and implied rubato
Vocal intervals: practically every type and permutation imaginable; many difficult skips
Vocal comments: typical atonal vocal writing, with many difficult intervals, but not as jagged in aspect as many works in this style; piano part is only occasionally helpful in finding pitches; lies quite well in the voice otherwise; text-setting is effective and dramatic
Textual variants, etc.: -
Instrumental part(s): fairly difficult piano part with lengthy postlude and interludes; does not fall under the hand easily; texture quite variable: three-voice contrapuntal in eighth or sixteenth notes, four-voice homophonic in quarter or eighth notes, etc.; constant accidentals
Summary: A slow-moving but dramatic and expressionistic setting, which eschews "tone-painting" (i.e. no echoes) for heightened prosody. Occasional reappearances of the piano's opening measures help to unify this rather long song. Due to Roos' skilled and comparatively lyrical vocal writing, and despite its atonality, if sung with great expression and intensity this could be very effective in performance.