Der Musikant
Music: Hugo Wolf (1860-1903)
Words: Josef Karl Benedikt von Eichendorff (1788-1857)
The wandering minstrel is a character that often appears in the work of Eichendorff. Wolf sets Der Musikant in a playful, almost whimsical way. The words come from the mouth of a minstrel who’s true spouse is his art. No woman can come between him and his mistress of music. This flighty free spirit lifestyle is echoed in the lighthearted accompaniment, that darkens only momentarily in the second stanza where we hear, “I know lovely old songs, in the cold, without shoes.” This brief downturn is immediately brightened with a snaky chromatic interlude on the piano that returns us to the original lightness of the first stanza. The last stanza crescendos as the minstrel bids farewell to any woman seeking to bind him.
The artistry of Hugo Wolf is undeniable. Building on the tradition of Schubert, Schumann, Loewe, and Wagner, Wolf’s songs became the greatest example of the fusion of poetry and music into a single artistic expression. Wolf himself called his songs “poems for voice and piano.” Wolf composed around 250 songs, each one displaying his unique talent for bringing poetry and music together.
Key of A Major
Range : Octave plus half step : D# up to E
|
Sample MP3, Piano & Melody,
|
Sample MP3, Piano Only,
|
|
A Major Sheet Music Sample |
|
Key of G Major
Range : Octave plus half step : C# up to D
|
Sample MP3, Piano & Melody
|
Sample MP3, Piano Only,
|
|
G Major Sheet Music Sample |
|
