- “Erlkönig” (Elf King), D. 328 is an early Lied by Schubert (he wrote it in 1815, at age 18).
- Setting Goethe’s poem by the same name, “Erlkönig” is based on a Danish tale of the “Ellerkrone” (Elf Woman), a figure of death. The ominous mood of the poem is established within the first bars of music with the relentless piano accompaniment. The text is recited by 4 different characters (the narrator, the young boy, the father, and the Elf King), each sung with their own vocal styling.
- “Der Erlkönig” is the best-known song by Schubert and not only helped establish the composer’s reputation but also, like “Gretchen am Spinnrade,” helped set a new standard for German art song.1
- Read an English translation here.
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Cut IDs
20538 14726