Analysis (+more): Schubert- Der Erlkönig

[@Roma-kp4qg]

The last line will always give me chills no matter what transcription or arrangement I hear

[@HaliPuppeh]

Right??? That last line is always chilling.

[@LittleMongoosie]

This is such a fantastic, in-depth analysis-- I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this! I had a fascination with this song in high school and it just recently came back into my periphery. I was just thinking about how when you translate the text and take it out of the context of the music, there's nothing to really tell you that the father is losing his confidence in his ability to reassure his son; perhaps even that he knows there's something to be scared of and his reassurances are really more for himself than his poor child, who truly needs his fears acknowledged rather than dismissed. But it's Schubert's music that gives us those queues, his clever and seamless modulations and tempo changes that paint us a more detailed picture of the story. Again, fantastic review!

[@5610winston]

This brief song is the most terrifying ghost story in the literature. It is, in fact a brief opera of five characters (Narrator, Father, Son, and Erlkonig represented by the baritone, and the fifth character, the horse, represented by the galloping triplets from the piano). Is it my imagination, or does the tempo seem to slow slightly during the modulations to the Erlking's seductive song and accelerate beyond the indicated 152 during the boy's panicked screams?

[@leloupchante1448]

@5610winston: vocal artists can choose to interpret intelligently the way you describe (shifting tempi) however shifting tempi for real is not to the liking of all accompanying musicians, as it requires a lotf rom the instrumentalists and from the singer in terms of not having the real tempo shifts break down the music (slow down the pulse meant by Schubert). Most instrumentalists, if they are a bit too dogmatic and especially outside of baroque music are paranoiac about singers slowing them down (i.e bringing the whole thing out of tune). As I say it requires skills and also guts, it's a bit if a statement to break a tempo (outside of baroque musique bu experienced baroque artists). Most classical (wienner classic) musicians have been formatted to think "tonal music" + the tempo is a mathematical diktat, therefore most refuse to integrate a degree of "liberty" in the smooth performance....It's a matter of schooling and what their teachers told them and whether they trust themselves and each other (and the public, in case som toxic, dogmatic, musicologist of a big shot of a critic would be in the audience or be invited to write about the CD or DVD)... But some of this slowering tempo during the Erlkônig's enticing song is a psychological perception, due to the shift in the melody line, that brutally (whith the changing parts/role) goes from a staccato letimotiv to a leagto melody line, it feels like the tempo has been s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d and it is possible to convey an illusory pacing down (like if the horse would be subtly held back by the Erlking) just by way of a talented singer going from a staccato melodyline to a very legato. In the same way, if directed very well, you'll have the seemingly experience of s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d time in for example Handel's Messiah the choir piece "Since by Man came Death". Compare the way the lyrics are sung (if really well directed) "...since by man came death..." and "By man came also the ressurection"...Of course because in this case we have two opposite emotions, the apprehension of death, danger and human iniquity (= anxiety), where time is "heavy" hence e-l-o-n-g-a-t-e-d versus the joy and "life" (=dynamics) of resurrection... In Erlkönig, the slowering (legato) is used of course, since it is betrayal, to lead astray, and the fast pace (staccato) is rendering the human body (the father's) physical effort to fullfill his mission....

[@lufortuna]

I know it's been 12 years, but this is insanely well done and very very useful. Thank you

[@DavidBennettThomas]

I'm still learning from it. It is perfect in every way! Not just how he modulates theoretically, but why he chooses the keys he does always fascinates me.

[@lufortuna]

@@DavidBennettThomas Yes exactly! I loved your point of view as well. I’m writing a paper currently on this piece and your analysis helped me so much

[@LouisSwitzerland]

as student of German literature, I definitely must say he is riding through WOODS and not TOWN, because of setting being hidden in the sentence about willows which are so grey "Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh es genau / Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau. -"

[@CrabMusicCrabMusic]

this song is way metal

[@NeomiNemeth]

Wow, thank you for this amazing presentation/explanation. What a chilling tale, perfectly illustrated by Schubert in a few minutes of composition. Now, THIS is how you tell a story!

[@milkhbox]

This is amazing. I've really been struggling with this analysis. Thank you so much for uploading a video that really breaks everything down!!! I understand things much more now.

[@Ivan_1791]

It is incredible the usage Schubert does of the Neapolitan chord to give a feeling of mystery.

[@composer7325]

You are by far the best lecturer on analyses on youtube.You are a true prof.Thank you this analyses is true art.

[@885909431427]

Fantastic analysis.

[@ChristianIbarra]

Great work on a great work!! Thanks for sharing

[@AndreyKiselev1994]

This is so wonderful, so very helpful! Thank you SO MUCH!!!

[@marciemonaco]

So helpful! Thanks for taking the time to create an post this.

[@fabiomadonia67]

woonderful and emmotional performance !!

[@alperen5742]

COULD YOU SHARE THE PDF FILES WITH US PLEASE? THANKS.

[@KrysHarp-xe3ye]

5:07 the sound looks like a speed note

[@otahgum]

Thank you so much for helping us understand and appreciate music better. Keep them coming please.

[@maddiecorkran8873]

Some of the Neapolitan key relationships (especially towards the end) almost make it feel like the piece, just for a second, modulates to AbM (measures 143-145) rather then just a neapolitan prolongation. Other than this, the video was extremely helpful! Thank you!

[@musicfanBRA]

I find the last note ("tot", dead) very strange, even modern in a way, kind of dissonant, not at all the resolution one would expect. Could David B. Thomas please explain?

[@Weebusaurus]

it's an imperfect cadence isn't it? I don't know a terrible lot about music theory so someone correct me if i'm wrong

[@andrehampshire4928]

Not exactly. The vocal line ends in the dominant harmony (D minor) of the home key (G minor), which is picked up by the piano in the final cadence V - I. In short, the last note (todt) is not an imperfect cadence but the tonic of the dominant harmony, which then becomes the dominant of the tonic harmony.

[@Weebusaurus]

Interesting, thank you!

[@pardotristan]

Great analysis! In m. 139 should be V7/iv and in 147 it is just vii dim.7 (without the flat ninth).

[@thegrassguy2871]

About the E minor Just pretend the treble clef is soprano clef and the bass clef is subbass clef

[@bejillbegill8459]

This is the Philippe Sly recording BTW If anybody wants to listen again

[@MatthewHillUK]

Thanks for sharing, these videos are really great!

[@roselleannguzman9962]

Last part of the piece has a slow piano and then stops with a (Chrous,Aria or Recitative) ?

[@It9LpBFS37]

What do those numbers and letters below the sheet mean. I guess that letters stand for the key in which the segment is played? Awesome analysis by the way!!

[@ingwerschorle_]

These show the function of the chord So in C major C is the I, dm is the ii etc.

[@neilwalsh3977]

How entirely sublime is this piece? Schubert had irrepressible youth, taken so young?

[@gabetoso2533]

the problem is that the displayed key is the wrong on. Sly is singing in the original key

[@musicfanBRA]

Thanks a lot for this, I enjoyed the analysis very much. Note - Bar 45 should be "nicht", not "nacht".

[@contrapunctusmammalia3993]

I do night see the mistake...

[@SpiderBatProductions]

@@contrapunctusmammalia3993 do nacht

[@Factotum6814]

Thanks so much for this video. I teach "Music CLIL" (Music history and theory in English) in an Italian high school. I have a much simpler video in the works (easier both in terms of analysis and English) but I will definitely be sending more advanced students your way. Thanks again!

[@RoseRunRed]

You have done me a wonderful service as a music teacher. THANK YOU so much.

[@10ortwo]

Thanks for helping me in my analysis work, but I think you have a musical typo in measure 118. There should be a Cb instead of Bb making it more of a vii diminished 7 rather than a V7. Piano is also playing a diminished chord. Great work nonetheless!

[@greenleaf1301]

wonderful..thank you for the analysis

[@Piano21Label]

More videos of Cyprien Katsaris on the official Facebook page : “Cyprien Katsaris | page officielle” and on the official KZbin account “Piano21Label”.

[@dueregion8773]

Thank you so much!

[@민동혁DonghyeokMin]

01:47

[@mattlamberg1542]

thank you very very much. keep up the good work

[@TheGuidogeno]

Very excellent! Bravo!

[@kyle007100]

EXCELLENT!! thank you very much!!

Thank you very much for the analysis. Great work. I would like to comment that I never really shared the idea of the pivot chord for modulation as being anything particulary necessary for going to any key, like I feel that people could just go from one key to other with no real preparation and everything would sound as "surprising" as without it. But that's just a personal valoration. What do you guys think?

[@evashepherd5387]

m 139 should be V7/iv not V7/vi

[@thisismyname007]

This brings to (my) mind, the ride of Arwen and Frodo pursued by the Ringwraiths to the Ford of Bruinen. In the book, Frodo rides alone. The movie version is much more compelling and the drama is inherent - a race against death.

[@giannezhu890]

1:47

[@AntonioCelsoRibeiro]

excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks a lot!

[@roselandiramos7048]

Essa música é de uma beleza sem fim!

[@kalkunmakt]

awesome work, helping me alot! Typo warning to David Bennett Thomas. 2:57, bar 45, it should say "nicht", instead it says "nacht".

[@theacorpse]

Fantastic work, and the interpretation on Philippe Sly an Maria Fuller is amazing. Is there a printable version so I could work on it ? Thank you !

[@sirioguarani]

gracias

[@NicklasJazzström]

As true as your analysis is, this piece of music sounds a minor third below what's written on the part. Great job, nevertheless.

[@gamingmusicandjokesandabit1240]

Is the 2020 counterpart of this song by any chance the coronavirus pandemic?

[@izzym1374]

insane

[@danisicari]

are you a waapa student? lol

[@andyriversa]

he's not gonna do your homework :P hahah or might i correct myself... he didnt do your homework hahaha