Erlkönig, op. 1, D 328 Flashcards
What is the genre of <i>Erlkönig</i>?
<i>Lied</i>
When was <i>Erlkönig</i> composed?
1815
What is the source of text for <i>Erlkönig</i>?
poem by
inspired by German legends of Erlking, a sinister supernatural elf who dwells in the forest;
anyone who is touched by him dies
What is the song type/structure of <i>Erlkönig</i>
<i>durchkomponiert</i>
What are the performing forces of <i>Erlkönig</i>?
solo voice and piano
What is the key of <i>Erlkönig</i>?
originally in G minor (often transposed to accommodate the vocal range of the performer)
What is the time signature of <i>Erlkönig</i>?
C
What is the tempo for <i>Erlkönig</i>?
<i>Schnell</i> (German for “fast”)
What does the son see when he and his father is riding on a windswept night in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
the son see the Erlking
What does the Erlking begin to do in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
He tries to lure away the frightened child
What are do the son and his father express in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
the boy becomes increasingly fearful and agitated, his father tries to calm and reassure him
What happens when the father and son arrive at the courtyard?
the father looks down to find his son dead in his arms
What is heard in the right hand of the <b>Piano Introduction</b> from <i>Erlkönig</i>?
vigorous octave triplets
What is heard in the left hand of the <b>Piano Introduction</b> from <i>Erlkönig</i>?
arched melody
What mood does the <b>Piano Introduction</b> from <i>Erlkönig</i> establish?
fear, suspense, agitation
How does the voice depict the narrator’s voice in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
middle register
How does the voice depict the father in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
lower register;
<i>legato</i> phrases show his attempt to maintain a calm mood
How does the voice depict the son in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
upper register, suggests youth and childlike innocence
How does the voice depict the Erlking in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
middle register,
addresses boy with <b>insincere sweetness</b> that doesn’t fool the child
How is musical contrast achieved when the Erlking speaks to the boy the first two times in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
softer voice and accompaniment,
quarter notes suggest sneaky voice
How is the boy’s panic conveyed musically as he cries “Mein Vater, mein Vater” in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
loud dissonance,
high voce,
shifts to minor tonality,
8th notes more apparent
How does Schubert build musical tension throughout the rest of <i>Erlkönig</i>?
dynamic differences, theme differences, more lyrical, major - minor tonality, modified <b>strophic</b>
How is Erlking’s true nature revealed in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
soft voice becomes more rough,
8th notes more apparent,
louder
What is the chord during the arrival of Ab major triad in <i>Erlkönig</i>?
super tonic triad <b>Neapolitan chord</b>
