Lieder are German art songs from the Romantic period (roughly the 19th century). Music of the Romantic period was highly emotional and expressive with strong lyrical melodies and rich harmony. Music developed strong connections with Romantic poetry and literature.
Lieder (pronounced leeder) is German for songs. A ‘lied’ is a song.
Lieder are written for piano and voice for performance in homes and concert halls.
The piano does more than provide an accompaniment, it is in equal partnership with the voice and has an important role in the song. The piano part reflects the mood of the poem and the poetic imagery. Lieder have rich, colourful harmony and frequent modulations (changes of key). Common poetic themes are love, longing and the beauty of nature.
There are two main forms: strophic – the same music for each verse, and through-composed – different music for each verse
Many composers wrote lieder during the 19th century. The most famous are by Franz Schubert who wrote over 600 songs. Schubert sometimes grouped his lieder together in song-cycles. Each cycle has a story or a theme. His song cycle Wintereisse has a theme of unrequited love.
Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Hugo Wolf also wrote many lieder.
Next: Focus Work – Schubert’s Der Erlkönig
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