An die Musik
Encyclopedia
Franz Schubert
composed his lied
"An die Musik" (German
for "To Music") in March 1817 for solo voice and piano, with text from a poem by his friend Franz von Schober
. In the Deutsch
catalog of Schubert's works it is number 547, or D547. The original key is D major. It was published in 1827 as Opus
88 No. 4 by Weigl. Schubert dedicated the song to the Viennese piano virtuoso Albert Sowinsky on April 24th, 1827, a decade after he composed it.
A hymn to the art of music
, it is one of the best-known songs by Schubert. Its greatness and popularity are generally attributed to its harmonic simplicity, sweeping melody, and a strong bass line that effectively underpins the vocal line.
The poem was not included in the collected editions of Schober's poems, but there is a handwritten copy of it in Vienna. It resembles the second canto of Ernst Schulze's poem Die bezauberte Rose (The Enchanted Rose), a poem also known to Schubert as a possible basis for an opera; however, it was published in 1818, so it is unlikely that there was any connection between them for the composer.
's farewell concert in London's Royal Festival Hall
in 1967, in which he accompanied Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
, Victoria de los Ángeles
and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
, he came out onto the stage alone and played the piano part of An die Musik as his parting gift.
This song is sung in unison by all of the members of the National Association of Teachers of Singing
(NATS) who are present at the end of each of its national conventions.
It was also performed by Garrett Morris
on Saturday Night Live
on May 22, 1976.
The opening track of folk artist Josephine Foster
's 2006 album, A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing, is a rendition of the lied.
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
composed his lied
Lied
is a German word literally meaning "song", usually used to describe romantic songs setting German poems of reasonably high literary aspirations, especially during the nineteenth century, beginning with Carl Loewe, Heinrich Marschner, and Franz Schubert and culminating with Hugo Wolf...
"An die Musik" (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for "To Music") in March 1817 for solo voice and piano, with text from a poem by his friend Franz von Schober
Franz von Schober
Franz Adolf Friedrich Schober, since 1801 von Schober was an Austrian poet, librettist, lithographer, actor in Breslau and Legationsrat in Weimar....
. In the Deutsch
Otto Erich Deutsch
Otto Erich Deutsch was an Austrian musicologist. He is known for compiling the first comprehensive catalogue of the works of Franz Schubert, first published in 1951 in English, new edition in 1978 in German...
catalog of Schubert's works it is number 547, or D547. The original key is D major. It was published in 1827 as Opus
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
88 No. 4 by Weigl. Schubert dedicated the song to the Viennese piano virtuoso Albert Sowinsky on April 24th, 1827, a decade after he composed it.
A hymn to the art of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, it is one of the best-known songs by Schubert. Its greatness and popularity are generally attributed to its harmonic simplicity, sweeping melody, and a strong bass line that effectively underpins the vocal line.
Text
| Original German German language German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union.... |
English Translation |
|---|---|
Du holde Kunst, in wieviel grauen Stunden, Wo mich des Lebens wilder Kreis umstrickt, Hast du mein Herz zu warmer Lieb' entzunden, Hast mich in eine beßre Welt entrückt! Oft hat ein Seufzer, deiner Harf' entflossen, Ein süßer, heiliger Akkord von dir Den Himmel beßrer Zeiten mir erschlossen, Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir dafür! |
Oh lovely Art, in how many grey hours, When life's fierce orbit ensnared me, Have you kindled my heart to warm love, Carried me away into a better world! How often has a sigh escaping from your harp, A sweet, sacred chord of yours Opened up for me the heaven of better times, Oh lovely Art, for that I thank you! |
The poem was not included in the collected editions of Schober's poems, but there is a handwritten copy of it in Vienna. It resembles the second canto of Ernst Schulze's poem Die bezauberte Rose (The Enchanted Rose), a poem also known to Schubert as a possible basis for an opera; however, it was published in 1818, so it is unlikely that there was any connection between them for the composer.
Other
At the end of Gerald MooreGerald Moore
Gerald Moore CBE was an English pianist best known for his career as one of the most in-demand accompanists of his day, accompanying many of the world's most famous musicians...
's farewell concert in London's Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
in 1967, in which he accompanied Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is a retired German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music, one of the most famous lieder performers of the post-war period and "one of the supreme vocal artists of the 20th century"...
, Victoria de los Ángeles
Victoria de los Ángeles
Victoria de los Ángeles was a Spanish Catalan operatic soprano and recitalist whose career began in the early 1940s and reached its height in the years from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. Her obituary in The Times noted that she must be counted “among the finest singers of the second half...
and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, DBE was a German-born Austrian/British soprano opera singer and recitalist. She was among the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century, much admired for her performances of Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, and Wolf.-Early life:Olga Maria Elisabeth Friederike...
, he came out onto the stage alone and played the piano part of An die Musik as his parting gift.
This song is sung in unison by all of the members of the National Association of Teachers of Singing
National Association of Teachers of Singing
The National Association of Teachers of Singing is a professional organization for singing teachers, and is the largest association of its kind in the world. There are more than 6,500 members mostly from the United States...
(NATS) who are present at the end of each of its national conventions.
It was also performed by Garrett Morris
Garrett Morris
Garrett Gonzalez Morris is an American comedian and actor from New Orleans. He was part of the original cast of the sketch comedy program Saturday Night Live, appearing from 1975 to 1980.-Early life and career:...
on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
on May 22, 1976.
The opening track of folk artist Josephine Foster
Josephine Foster
Josephine Foster is an American modern folk and psychedelic rock singer-songwriter and musician from Colorado. As an adolescent she worked as a funeral and wedding singer, and aspired to become an opera singer...
's 2006 album, A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing, is a rendition of the lied.