Schumann’s ‘Dichterliebe’ is one of the most important song cycles in the history of music and its sixteen songs are all essentially great works. The final song is a beautiful one called ‘Die alte bosen Lieder’ where the strands of romantic art come together in a beautiful manner. This paper will attempt to argue that the song is an important part of Schumann’s artistic style and that the marriage of words and music is almost perfect.
Structure and meaning of the poem:
‘Die alte bosen Lieder’ by the famed German poet Heinrich Heine, is a dark and brooding poem in a typically melancholic setting which was all the rage in the early Romantic period. The rhythm of the poem delves deep into the music and with the poem dealing with death we are faced with several conundrums. There are also references to instruments of death such as planks and suchlike which convey a gloomy and brooding atmosphere. The imagery is extremely powerful especially when talking about dreams and the dark imagery of death. The text also conveys imagery of a burial in some quiet forest with ruined buildings all around it, this is a particular favourite of the romantic poet and artist.
Form of the song.
The song is typically structured with an intense beginning, a quiet middle section and an arresting closing part. The vocal line is consistent throughout although the references to death are imbued with a pathos and grandeur which almost eclipse the other parts of the song. One particular section where Schumann uses considerable dramatic effect is the one where the text states; ‘Because such an immense casket requires an immense grave’. Here Schumann almost downplays the immensity and intensity of death which Heine so skilfully uses. It is a very powerful moment and could be described as the kernel of the song. Schumann does not use much melody either, but towards the end we have an interesting twist with the song almost dying out into nothingness thus emphasising the bleakness and sorrow of death.
The vocal melody
Although the song is not actually a very melodious one, its dark and brooding key lends itself to some motifs which have melody in them. The beginning is particularly arresting with the piano keys particularly strong and intense while the vocal line is also very powerful. Repeated references to caskets, the catafalque and death are imbued with almost sorrowful piano work whilst the voice is almost at one with this immense atmosphere of death. The principal melodic motive arrives at the centre of the song where there is the reference to the burial of the casket and its immense weight. Here, the piano almost takes the role of the harbinger of death with its heavy and plodding nature.
As described beforehand, Schumann uses several innovative musical techniques to convey the dark and brooding scene described by Heine. First and foremost he creates an atmosphere of foreboding and darkness with the piano keys which are in turn dark and brooding, almost like a funeral march. The harmony is also very hurried at the centre of the song whilst the vocal line is full of pathos and drama especially in the latter part of the song where we are visualizing the burial of the casket into the earth. The dynamics are very stringent and at times, one almost feels in a straitjacket, or gripped in the vice of death. Schumann’s sound world is almost avant garde, especially in the way he describes the heaviness of the casket and when the comparison to Cologne Cathedral comes in, there is also an allusion to the fourth movement of the Rhenish Symphony.
The role of the piano
The piano is the most important element of the song since it dictates the rhythm and conveys the sound world quite brilliantly. The way Schumann uses the key of C sharp minor to convey feelings of death and foreboding is portrayed in the piano part which is martial in character. The almost discordant sound of the piano is also extremely important since it conveys an atmosphere of death and tragedy. The piano can almost be described as the Grim Reaper of Death in its power and intensity.
“Im wunderschönen Monat Mai,” – a comparison
The opening song of the cycle actually begins on a discord and continues with a rather hazy harmony which also precedes the effects heard in the last song. The effects which we hear here are also repeated in other songs in the cycle such as ‘Aus meinen Tranen spriegen’, the second sing. The allusions to the vastness and grandeur of Cologne cathedral also add an element of drama to proceedings. One has a feeling of turning full circle when listening to both songs after each other.
Conclusion:
Schumann’s ‘Die alten bosen lieder’ is a poignant and dramatic song which brings about the stark loss of death. The composer sets Heine’s poem almost to perfection using the piano as an instrument of death while marrying the sound with a mournful vocal line of intensely dramatic proportions. The song is a culmination of the fifteen which come before it and is a just and beautiful apotheosis to Schumann’s intense creative genius.
