Schubert, Die Schöne Müllerin, #5 Am Feierabend

Am Feierabend is one of my favorite songs from the song cycle Die Shöne Müllerin. This song from the very beginning carries intensity using various methods. Right from the get go, Schubert starts the piece with eighth note minor blocked chords stressing the strong beats at a forte dynamic. This gives it a forceful, somewhat angry feeling. Then moving on to introduce the vocal line Schubert uses scalar eighth note runs which also brings the dynamics down. Schubert’s piano part for the B section is very simple compared to the franticness of the eighth note runs. It gives a sense of relief. The vocal line is very exposed because the piano part’s is only staccato eighth notes accenting the strong beats of the measure. At this point it is all up to the vocal line to keep the intensity going. The song then continues to dwindle in intensity down to the lowest part of the entire song. It reminds me slightly of recitative (section C). Giving a block chord at the beginning of the measure, and then the voice seems to have more personal inflection. There isn’t much movement as far as notes here. So, stressing of consonants help explore the emotion of the song. It’s a very soft dynamic giving off a very sensitive emotion. Then before you know it the song projects back into the A section with eighth note runs and more of a forte dynamic. The ending is especially unique in the fact that in combines tiny segments of sections A and C. Section C is played in the piano part while the vocalist sings, and during the one measure interludes section A is played. This technique captures the sensitivity and intensity I have been feeling throughout the whole song.