Hexenlied (Witch’s Song), from 12 Gesänge, Op. 8

Composer: MENDELSSOHN, Felix
  • “Hexenlied” (also known as “Andres Maienlied” / Another kind of May song) is the eighth song in Mendelssohn’s 12 Gesänge, Op. 8.
    • 12 Gesänge is a set of 12 art songs for voice and piano written between 1824–27.
  • For “Hexenlied,” Mendelssohn set text by German poet Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty.1
  • While we often associate witches with Autumn/ Halloween, this poem depicts witches celebrating the pagan rite of spring (hence the alternate title, “Andres Maienlied.” The impassioned piano accompaniment captures the excitement around the festivities.

Read an English translation of “Hexenlied” here.

Sources

  1. “12 Gesänge, Op.8 (Mendelssohn, Felix),” IMSLP, accessed October 22, 2024, https://imslp.org/wiki/12_Ges%C3%A4nge,_Op.8_(Mendelssohn,_Felix).

Cut IDs

49201