Schubert, Franz : Winterreise D 911 Op. 89
Work Overview
Publication Year：1828
Instrumentation：Lied
Genre：pieces
Total Playing Time：1 hr 10 min 00 sec
Copyright：Public Domain
Additional Notes：作詞： Wilhelm Müller (1794–1827)
Commentary (1)
Author : Takamatsu, Yusuke
Last Updated: April 4, 2019
[Open]
Author : Takamatsu, Yusuke
A song cycle of 24 songs based on poems by Wilhelm Müller (1794–1827), composed in the winter of 1822–1823. The original poems were first published with only the initial 12 pieces in the literary magazine Urania in 1823. After the poet himself rearranged the poems, the complete 24-piece final version was published in 1824. In February 1827, Schubert set 12 of the poems to music, following the Urania publication. Realizing this was not the complete version, he set the remaining 12 poems to music in October 1827, adding them as a second part.
The poems depict the protagonist's inner landscape, who, heartbroken, embarks on a solitary journey on a winter night. Although the title uses the word "Reise" (journey), which implies a destination, the actual theme is aimless "Wanderung" (wandering). The most prominent characteristic of this poetry collection, and consequently this song cycle, is the absence of a clear plot or narrative. In contrast to Müller/Schubert's other song cycle, Die schöne Müllerin, where a story unfolds through the sequence of poems, in Winterreise, the protagonist is already in a state of heartbreak at the outset, and the poetry collection merely chronicles the wandering protagonist's inner landscape in a detached manner. Thus, the protagonist's self-alienation, isolated from society, is highlighted throughout the entire work.
As the composer himself is said to have described it as a "horrifying song cycle," minor keys are dominant throughout the entire work, corresponding to the themes of the poetry collection. Minor keys are primarily used for depicting reality, and even when ideals are expressed in major keys, they are often pulled back into minor by the end. In his later years, Schubert directly engaged with works in minor keys, such as placing all movements in minor in the String Quartet D 810, known as Death and the Maiden, leaving no doubt that this poetry collection was a source of great interest for him.
Befitting its title as a "song cycle," the individual songs are interconnected in various ways. For instance, regarding motives, examples include the continuity between the end of the 4th song and the beginning of the 5th, and the return of the sixth-interval leap from the 1st song in the 11th song. The key relationships between the songs are also intricately designed.
Movements (24)
No.1 Gute Nacht D 911/1 Op. 89-1
Total Performance Time: 5 min 40 sec
No.2 Die Wetterfahne D 911/2 Op. 89-2
Total Performance Time: 2 min 00 sec
No.3 Gefrorne Tranen D 911/3 Op. 89-3
Total Performance Time: 2 min 10 sec
No.4 Erstarrung D 911/4 Op. 89-4
Total Performance Time: 3 min 00 sec
No.5 Der Lindenbaum D 911/5 Op. 89-5
Total Performance Time: 5 min 00 sec
No.6 Wasserflut D 911/6 Op. 89-6
Total Performance Time: 4 min 20 sec
No.7 Auf dem Flusse D 911/7 Op. 89-7
Total Performance Time: 3 min 10 sec
No.8 Ruckblick D 911/8 Op. 89-8
Total Performance Time: 2 min 30 sec
No.9 Irrlicht D 911/9 Op. 89-9
Total Performance Time: 2 min 50 sec
No.11 Fruhlingstraum D 911/11 Op. 89-11
Total Performance Time: 4 min 00 sec
No.12 Einsamkeit D 911/12 Op. 89-12
Total Performance Time: 2 min 50 sec
No.13 Die Post D 911/13 Op. 89-13
Total Performance Time: 3 min 15 sec
No.14 Der greise Kopf D 911/14 Op. 89-14
Total Performance Time: 3 min 00 sec
No.15 Die Krahe D 911/15 Op. 89-15
Total Performance Time: 2 min 00 sec
No.16 Letzte Hoffnung D 911/16 Op. 89-16
Total Performance Time: 2 min 30 sec
No.17 Im Dorfe D 911/17 Op. 89-17
Total Performance Time: 3 min 00 sec
No.18 Der sturmische Morgen D 911/18 Op. 89-18
Total Performance Time: 1 min 00 sec
No.19 Tauschung D 911/19 Op. 89-19
Total Performance Time: 1 min 20 sec
No.20 Der Wegweiser D 911/20 Op. 89-20
Total Performance Time: 4 min 00 sec
No.21 Das Wirtshaus D 911/21 Op. 89-21
Total Performance Time: 4 min 00 sec
No.23 Die Nebensonnen D 911/23 Op. 89-23
Total Performance Time: 2 min 50 sec
No.24 Der Leiermann D 911/24 Op. 89-24
Total Performance Time: 3 min 30 sec
