An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98

Composer: BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van
  • An die ferne Geliebte (To the Disant Beloved) is considered by many to be the first song cycle.
    • Beethoven called the work “Ein Liederkreis” (a garland, or circle of songs) and connected each song to the next through musical material.
    • Music from the first song is recycled in the last, and the first and last songs both end with the same line of poetry: “Und ein liebend Herz erreichet / Was ein liebend Herz geweiht!” (And a loving heart is reached / By what a loving heart has hallowed!).
  • Written in 1816, An die ferne Geliebte consists of six songs for voice and piano with poetry by Alois Jeitteles (1794-1858).1
  1. Auf dem Hügel sitz ich spähend (I sit on the hill, gazing)
  2. Wo die Berge so blau (Where the mountains so blue)
  3. Leichte Segler in den Höhen (Light clouds sailing on high)
  4. Diese Wolken in den Höhen (These clouds on high)
  5. Es kehret der Maien, es blühet die Au (May returns, the meadow blooms)
  6. Nimm sie hin denn, diese Lieder (Accept, then, these songs)

Sources

  1. Carol Kimball, Song: A Guide to Art Song Style and Literature (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard, 2005), 48.

Cut IDs

11053 26366