This is such a fantastic, in-depth analysis-- I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this! I had a fascination with this song in high school and it just recently came back into my periphery. I was just thinking about how when you translate the text and take it out of the context of the music, there's nothing to really tell you that the father is losing his confidence in his ability to reassure his son; perhaps even that he knows there's something to be scared of and his reassurances are really more for himself than his poor child, who truly needs his fears acknowledged rather than dismissed. But it's Schubert's music that gives us those queues, his clever and seamless modulations and tempo changes that paint us a more detailed picture of the story. Again, fantastic review!
as student of German literature, I definitely must say he is riding through WOODS and not TOWN, because of setting being hidden in the sentence about willows which are so grey "Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh es genau / Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau. -"
This brief song is the most terrifying ghost story in the literature. It is, in fact a brief opera of five characters (Narrator, Father, Son, and Erlkonig represented by the baritone, and the fifth character, the horse, represented by the galloping triplets from the piano). Is it my imagination, or does the tempo seem to slow slightly during the modulations to the Erlking's seductive song and accelerate beyond the indicated 152 during the boy's panicked screams?
@5610winston: vocal artists can choose to interpret intelligently the way you describe (shifting tempi) however shifting tempi for real is not to the liking of all accompanying musicians, as it requires a lotf rom the instrumentalists and from the singer in terms of not having the real tempo shifts break down the music (slow down the pulse meant by Schubert). Most instrumentalists, if they are a bit too dogmatic and especially outside of baroque music are paranoiac about singers slowing them down (i.e bringing the whole thing out of tune). As I say it requires skills and also guts, it's a bit if a statement to break a tempo (outside of baroque musique bu experienced baroque artists). Most classical (wienner classic) musicians have been formatted to think "tonal music" + the tempo is a mathematical diktat, therefore most refuse to integrate a degree of "liberty" in the smooth performance....It's a matter of schooling and what their teachers told them and whether they trust themselves and each other (and the public, in case som toxic, dogmatic, musicologist of a big shot of a critic would be in the audience or be invited to write about the CD or DVD)... But some of this slowering tempo during the Erlkônig's enticing song is a psychological perception, due to the shift in the melody line, that brutally (whith the changing parts/role) goes from a staccato letimotiv to a leagto melody line, it feels like the tempo has been s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d and it is possible to convey an illusory pacing down (like if the horse would be subtly held back by the Erlking) just by way of a talented singer going from a staccato melodyline to a very legato. In the same way, if directed very well, you'll have the seemingly experience of s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d time in for example Handel's Messiah the choir piece "Since by Man came Death". Compare the way the lyrics are sung (if really well directed) "...since by man came death..." and "By man came also the ressurection"...Of course because in this case we have two opposite emotions, the apprehension of death, danger and human iniquity (= anxiety), where time is "heavy" hence e-l-o-n-g-a-t-e-d versus the joy and "life" (=dynamics) of resurrection... In Erlkönig, the slowering (legato) is used of course, since it is betrayal, to lead astray, and the fast pace (staccato) is rendering the human body (the father's) physical effort to fullfill his mission....
This is amazing. I've really been struggling with this analysis. Thank you so much for uploading a video that really breaks everything down!!! I understand things much more now.
Wow, thank you for this amazing presentation/explanation. What a chilling tale, perfectly illustrated by Schubert in a few minutes of composition. Now, THIS is how you tell a story!
I'm still learning from it. It is perfect in every way! Not just how he modulates theoretically, but why he chooses the keys he does always fascinates me.
Some of the Neapolitan key relationships (especially towards the end) almost make it feel like the piece, just for a second, modulates to AbM (measures 143-145) rather then just a neapolitan prolongation. Other than this, the video was extremely helpful! Thank you!
Thanks so much for this video. I teach "Music CLIL" (Music history and theory in English) in an Italian high school. I have a much simpler video in the works (easier both in terms of analysis and English) but I will definitely be sending more advanced students your way. Thanks again!
I find the last note ("tot", dead) very strange, even modern in a way, kind of dissonant, not at all the resolution one would expect. Could David B. Thomas please explain?
Not exactly. The vocal line ends in the dominant harmony (D minor) of the home key (G minor), which is picked up by the piano in the final cadence V - I. In short, the last note (todt) is not an imperfect cadence but the tonic of the dominant harmony, which then becomes the dominant of the tonic harmony.
Thanks for helping me in my analysis work, but I think you have a musical typo in measure 118. There should be a Cb instead of Bb making it more of a vii diminished 7 rather than a V7. Piano is also playing a diminished chord. Great work nonetheless!
What do those numbers and letters below the sheet mean. I guess that letters stand for the key in which the segment is played? Awesome analysis by the way!!
This brings to (my) mind, the ride of Arwen and Frodo pursued by the Ringwraiths to the Ford of Bruinen. In the book, Frodo rides alone. The movie version is much more compelling and the drama is inherent - a race against death.
More videos of Cyprien Katsaris on the official Facebook page : “Cyprien Katsaris | page officielle” and on the official TH-cam account “Piano21Label”.
Thank you very much for the analysis. Great work. I would like to comment that I never really shared the idea of the pivot chord for modulation as being anything particulary necessary for going to any key, like I feel that people could just go from one key to other with no real preparation and everything would sound as "surprising" as without it. But that's just a personal valoration. What do you guys think?
The last line will always give me chills no matter what transcription or arrangement I hear
Right??? That last line is always chilling.
This is such a fantastic, in-depth analysis-- I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this! I had a fascination with this song in high school and it just recently came back into my periphery. I was just thinking about how when you translate the text and take it out of the context of the music, there's nothing to really tell you that the father is losing his confidence in his ability to reassure his son; perhaps even that he knows there's something to be scared of and his reassurances are really more for himself than his poor child, who truly needs his fears acknowledged rather than dismissed. But it's Schubert's music that gives us those queues, his clever and seamless modulations and tempo changes that paint us a more detailed picture of the story.
Again, fantastic review!
as student of German literature, I definitely must say he is riding through WOODS and not TOWN, because of setting being hidden in the sentence about willows which are so grey "Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh es genau / Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau. -"
This brief song is the most terrifying ghost story in the literature. It is, in fact a brief opera of five characters (Narrator, Father, Son, and Erlkonig represented by the baritone, and the fifth character, the horse, represented by the galloping triplets from the piano). Is it my imagination, or does the tempo seem to slow slightly during the modulations to the Erlking's seductive song and accelerate beyond the indicated 152 during the boy's panicked screams?
@5610winston: vocal artists can choose to interpret intelligently the way you describe (shifting tempi) however shifting tempi for real is not to the liking of all accompanying musicians, as it requires a lotf rom the instrumentalists and from the singer in terms of not having the real tempo shifts break down the music (slow down the pulse meant by Schubert). Most instrumentalists, if they are a bit too dogmatic and especially outside of baroque music are paranoiac about singers slowing them down (i.e bringing the whole thing out of tune). As I say it requires skills and also guts, it's a bit if a statement to break a tempo (outside of baroque musique bu experienced baroque artists). Most classical (wienner classic) musicians have been formatted to think "tonal music" + the tempo is a mathematical diktat, therefore most refuse to integrate a degree of "liberty" in the smooth performance....It's a matter of schooling and what their teachers told them and whether they trust themselves and each other (and the public, in case som toxic, dogmatic, musicologist of a big shot of a critic would be in the audience or be invited to write about the CD or DVD)...
But some of this slowering tempo during the Erlkônig's enticing song is a psychological perception, due to the shift in the melody line, that brutally (whith the changing parts/role) goes from a staccato letimotiv to a leagto melody line, it feels like the tempo has been s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d and it is possible to convey an illusory pacing down (like if the horse would be subtly held back by the Erlking) just by way of a talented singer going from a staccato melodyline to a very legato. In the same way, if directed very well, you'll have the seemingly experience of s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d time in for example Handel's Messiah the choir piece "Since by Man came Death". Compare the way the lyrics are sung (if really well directed) "...since by man came death..." and "By man came also the ressurection"...Of course because in this case we have two opposite emotions, the apprehension of death, danger and human iniquity (= anxiety), where time is "heavy" hence e-l-o-n-g-a-t-e-d versus the joy and "life" (=dynamics) of resurrection... In Erlkönig, the slowering (legato) is used of course, since it is betrayal, to lead astray, and the fast pace (staccato) is rendering the human body (the father's) physical effort to fullfill his mission....
this song is way metal
It is incredible the usage Schubert does of the Neapolitan chord to give a feeling of mystery.
This is amazing. I've really been struggling with this analysis. Thank you so much for uploading a video that really breaks everything down!!! I understand things much more now.
Wow, thank you for this amazing presentation/explanation.
What a chilling tale, perfectly illustrated by Schubert in a few minutes of composition. Now, THIS is how you tell a story!
I know it's been 12 years, but this is insanely well done and very very useful. Thank you
I'm still learning from it. It is perfect in every way! Not just how he modulates theoretically, but why he chooses the keys he does always fascinates me.
@@DavidBennettThomas Yes exactly! I loved your point of view as well. I’m writing a paper currently on this piece and your analysis helped me so much
You are by far the best lecturer on analyses on youtube.You are a true prof.Thank you this analyses is true art.
Fantastic analysis.
woonderful and emmotional performance !!
Great work on a great work!! Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much for helping us understand and appreciate music better.
Keep them coming please.
Great analysis! In m. 139 should be V7/iv and in 147 it is just vii dim.7 (without the flat ninth).
So helpful! Thanks for taking the time to create an post this.
Some of the Neapolitan key relationships (especially towards the end) almost make it feel like the piece, just for a second, modulates to AbM (measures 143-145) rather then just a neapolitan prolongation.
Other than this, the video was extremely helpful! Thank you!
This is so wonderful, so very helpful! Thank you SO MUCH!!!
About the E minor
Just pretend the treble clef is soprano clef and the bass clef is subbass clef
This is the Philippe Sly recording BTW If anybody wants to listen again
Thanks a lot for this, I enjoyed the analysis very much.
Note - Bar 45 should be "nicht", not "nacht".
I do night see the mistake...
@@contrapunctusmammalia3993 do nacht
How entirely sublime is this piece? Schubert had irrepressible youth, taken so young?
Thanks for sharing, these videos are really great!
Thanks so much for this video. I teach "Music CLIL" (Music history and theory in English) in an Italian high school. I have a much simpler video in the works (easier both in terms of analysis and English) but I will definitely be sending more advanced students your way. Thanks again!
I find the last note ("tot", dead) very strange, even modern in a way, kind of dissonant, not at all the resolution one would expect. Could David B. Thomas please explain?
it's an imperfect cadence isn't it? I don't know a terrible lot about music theory so someone correct me if i'm wrong
Not exactly. The vocal line ends in the dominant harmony (D minor) of the home key (G minor), which is picked up by the piano in the final cadence V - I. In short, the last note (todt) is not an imperfect cadence but the tonic of the dominant harmony, which then becomes the dominant of the tonic harmony.
Interesting, thank you!
Thanks for helping me in my analysis work, but I think you have a musical typo in measure 118. There should be a Cb instead of Bb making it more of a vii diminished 7 rather than a V7. Piano is also playing a diminished chord. Great work nonetheless!
COULD YOU SHARE THE PDF FILES WITH US PLEASE? THANKS.
You have done me a wonderful service as a music teacher. THANK YOU so much.
What do those numbers and letters below the sheet mean. I guess that letters stand for the key in which the segment is played? Awesome analysis by the way!!
These show the function of the chord
So in C major C is the I, dm is the ii etc.
Essa música é de uma beleza sem fim!
wonderful..thank you for the analysis
the problem is that the displayed key is the wrong on. Sly is singing in the original key
This brings to (my) mind, the ride of Arwen and Frodo pursued by the Ringwraiths to the Ford of Bruinen. In the book, Frodo rides alone. The movie version is much more compelling and the drama is inherent - a race against death.
5:07 the sound looks like a speed note
Very excellent! Bravo!
thank you very very much. keep up the good work
Last part of the piece has a slow piano and then stops with a (Chrous,Aria or Recitative) ?
More videos of Cyprien Katsaris on the official Facebook page : “Cyprien Katsaris | page officielle” and on the official TH-cam account “Piano21Label”.
01:47
Thank you very much for the analysis. Great work. I would like to comment that I never really shared the idea of the pivot chord for modulation as being anything particulary necessary for going to any key, like I feel that people could just go from one key to other with no real preparation and everything would sound as "surprising" as without it. But that's just a personal valoration. What do you guys think?
awesome work, helping me alot! Typo warning to David Bennett Thomas. 2:57, bar 45, it should say "nicht", instead it says "nacht".
EXCELLENT!! thank you very much!!
excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks a lot!
1:47
Thank you so much!
m 139 should be V7/iv not V7/vi
As true as your analysis is, this piece of music sounds a minor third below what's written on the part. Great job, nevertheless.
gracias
Fantastic work, and the interpretation on Philippe Sly an Maria Fuller is amazing. Is there a printable version so I could work on it ? Thank you !
Is the 2020 counterpart of this song by any chance the coronavirus pandemic?
insane
are you a waapa student? lol
he's not gonna do your homework :P hahah or might i correct myself... he didnt do your homework hahaha