Die Forelle (The Trout), D. 550

[German pronunciation]

• Written in 1817, “Die Forelle” (The Trout) is one of Schubert’s most famous art songs. In this Lied, Schubert set a poem by Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart about a fisherman pursuing and catching a trout. The poem can be interpreted as an image of loss of innocence, about vulnerable relationships, or about humanity’s destructive relationship with nature.
• “Die Forelle” is written in modified strophic form–the first two stanzas are identical, evoking a folk-song quality. For the third verse, the music varies somewhat, capturing more tension as the fisherman captures the trout.
• Listen for: The piano accompaniment for “Die Forelle” captures the water’s motion as well as the graceful movements of the trout.
• Fun fact: Schubert used this melody for another piece of music: Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667. ¹ 
• Read the German poetry with English translation here.

1. Carol Kimball, Song: A Guide to Art Song Style and Literature (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard, 2005), 57.