Heine-Lieder : Der arme Peter, 1 (Der Hans und die Grete tanzen herum) / Söderman

Composer: Söderman, Johan August
Dates: 1832-1876
Song title: Der Hans und die Grete tanzen herum = Och Hans med sin Greta till dansen nu går
Opus, no., etc.: 1
Music collection title: "Der arme Peter" für eine Singstimme und Orchester
Imprint(s): Stockholm: Lundquist, 1870
Source(s) for score: Sånger med piano = Lieder mit Klavierbegleitung / August Söderman ; hrsg. Axel Helmer -- Stockholm : Edition Reimers, 1981. Pl. no. ER 40110
1st line of poem: Der Hans und die Grete tanzen herum (Go to text and translation)
Source of poem: Buch der Lieder: Junge Leiden: Romanzen, Nr.4a
Date of composition: 20. April 1857
Nationality of composer: Swedish
Language(s) of text: German, Swedish
Tempo marking: Moderato
Key: E major
Time signature: common time
No. of measures: 38
Approximate duration: 2 min., 20 sec.
Form: through-composed
Vocal range: c-sharp to f-sharp' [c-sharp to f-sharp"]
Vocal tessitura: middle to slightly low (Go to chart)
Vocal rhythms: mostly quarter and eighth notes; a few sixteenth-note melismas
Vocal intervals: quite variable; many leaps of fourth or fifth within phrases moving mainly by step or third
Vocal comments: very singable; most phrases follow the classic "arch" pattern, except for one which rises an octave; good song for all but the lowest voices
Textual variants, etc.: other than contracting "täte" to "tät'" in the final line, Söderman is faithful to Heine's latest version, with no textual repetition
Instrumental part(s): quite easy but playful and interesting piano part; lengthy prelude and interludes; four- to five-voice texture thinning occasionally even to one voice; rhythmic variability and harmonic surprises sustain interest; intermittent vocal doubling
Summary: A playful dancing motif permeates this changeable setting which captures well both the tenderness and cruelty of Heine's poem. Constant shifts between major and minor (in all the obvious places), and frequent changes in texture, tessitura and tempo all contribute to an interesting and successful song. Reminiscent of Liszt in some of its harmonic touches, but less overwrought, and with a slight Scandinavian flavor.