Analysis of Franz Schubert's Lied “Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel” - op. 2

Seminar Paper , 2011 , 5 Pages , Grade: A- (entspricht 1-)

Musicology - Miscellaneous

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) composed one of his most famous Lieder “Gretchen am Spinnrade” (“Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel”) in 1814 when he was just seventeen years old. This Lied which is a setting of a scene of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust I exemplary shows the mastery of Schubert. With seemingly simple means he paints the clear picture of smitten Gretchen who sits at the spinning wheel and yearns for the intellectual, older, nobleman Heinrich Faust after their kiss in the garden house. The following provides an in-depth musictheoretical analysis of this Lied to show that Schubert did not only provide a suitable musical adaption of Goethe's poem but he even enhanced the picture of smitten Gretchen and “paints” beside her emotions and thoughts also her motions.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Analysis of Schubert's Lied "Gretchen am Spinnrade" - op. 2
• The Text
• Form and Content
• Style
• Schubert's Setting
• The First Strophe
• The Second Strophe
• The Third Strophe
• The Fourth Strophe
• The Chorus and the Fifth Strophe
• The Sixth Strophe
• The Seventh Strophe
• The Eighth Strophe
• The Ninth Strophe
• The Tenth Strophe
• The Piano Accompaniment
• The Right Hand Part
• The Left Hand Part

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This analysis aims to explore the musical setting of Franz Schubert's Lied "Gretchen am Spinnrade," focusing on its relationship to the original text by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The analysis examines Schubert's adaptation of the poem's structure, the musical expression of Gretchen's emotions, and the role of the piano accompaniment in shaping the overall effect of the Lied.

• Schubert's musical adaptation of Goethe's text
• The portrayal of Gretchen's emotions through music
• The role of the piano accompaniment in enhancing the musical narrative
• The relationship between musical structure and textual content
• The use of musical techniques to create climaxes and express emotional intensity

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

This section provides summaries of the key chapters, excluding the conclusion or any sections containing major spoilers.

• Analysis of Schubert's Lied "Gretchen am Spinnrade" - op. 2: This chapter introduces the Lied and provides background information on its composition and the original text by Goethe. It outlines the structure and form of the poem and highlights key stylistic elements.
• The Text: This chapter explores the textual elements of Goethe's poem, focusing on its form, content, and stylistic features. It examines the rhyme scheme, cadences, and metrical irregularities, as well as the placement of the chorus and its significance in the overall narrative.
• Schubert's Setting: This chapter delves into Schubert's musical setting of Goethe's poem. It discusses Schubert's adherence to the original text's structure, as well as his modifications and additions. The chapter also explores the use of musical techniques to express Gretchen's emotions and to create musical climaxes.
• The First Strophe: This chapter focuses on the musical setting of the first stanza of the Lied, analyzing the melody, harmony, and piano accompaniment. It examines the use of musical elements to convey Gretchen's initial state of confusion and longing.
• The Second Strophe: This chapter explores the musical setting of the second stanza, focusing on the melody, harmony, and piano accompaniment. It analyzes the changes in musical structure and how they relate to the textual content.
• The Third Strophe: This chapter examines the musical setting of the third stanza, analyzing the melody, harmony, and piano accompaniment. It discusses the modulation to a different key and how this contributes to the overall musical narrative.
• The Fourth Strophe: This chapter analyzes the musical setting of the fourth stanza, focusing on its relationship to the first stanza (the chorus). It discusses the use of repeated musical motifs and the smoothing of the transitions between stanzas.
• The Chorus and the Fifth Strophe: This chapter examines the musical setting of the chorus and the fifth stanza, focusing on the changes in melody, harmony, and piano accompaniment. It discusses the preparation for the final climax and the blurring of the transition between stanzas.
• The Sixth Strophe: This chapter analyzes the musical setting of the sixth stanza, focusing on the melody, harmony, and piano accompaniment. It examines the use of musical techniques to express Gretchen's heightened emotions and the striking changes in the piano accompaniment.
• The Seventh Strophe: This chapter analyzes the musical setting of the seventh stanza, focusing on the melody, harmony, and piano accompaniment. It discusses the continuation of the musical climax and the blurring of the transition between stanzas.
• The Eighth Strophe: This chapter analyzes the musical setting of the eighth stanza, focusing on the melody, harmony, and piano accompaniment. It examines the repetition of the stanza and the use of musical techniques to accentuate the climax.
• The Ninth Strophe: This chapter analyzes the musical setting of the ninth stanza, focusing on the melody, harmony, and piano accompaniment. It discusses the intensification of the musical climax and the contrast in harmonic density.
• The Piano Accompaniment: This chapter examines the role of the piano accompaniment in Schubert's Lied. It discusses the overall structure of the accompaniment, the use of semiquaver and quaver movements, and the variations in the accompaniment to reflect changes in the text and musical narrative.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This analysis explores the musical setting of Franz Schubert's Lied "Gretchen am Spinnrade," focusing on its relationship to the original text by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The work examines the adaptation of the poem's structure, the musical expression of Gretchen's emotions, and the role of the piano accompaniment in shaping the overall effect of the Lied. Key terms and concepts include Schubert's Lied, "Gretchen am Spinnrade," Goethe's Faust, musical adaptation, text-music relationship, emotional expression, piano accompaniment, and musical analysis.

• College: Utrecht University (Roosevelt Academy)
• Course: Musiktheorie
• Grade: A- (entspricht 1-)
• Author: Nora Görne (Author)
• Publication Year: 2011
• Pages: 5
• Catalog Number: V178753
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656010081
• Language: English
• Tags: franz schubert, gretchen am spinnrade, op. 2, lied, Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel, liedanalyse, musiktheorie, analysis, goethe, faust