What does the Erlking represent?
The Erlking symbolizes death, which is to the Romantic a source not only of fear but also of attraction to the unknown and the supernatural. Goethe’s poem embodies the universal theme of the loss of innocence. In this perspective, the Erlking becomes the monstrous maturity, which lures youth but destroys its innocence.
What was the Erlking story all about?
Goethe’s poem tells the story of a boy riding home on horseback in his father’s arms. He is frightened when he is courted by the Erl-King, a powerful and creepy supernatural being. The boy’s father, however, cannot see or hear the creature and tells the boy that his imagination is playing tricks on him.
Where did the Erlking originate from?
Originating from the Black Forest in Germany, the difference between this creature and many others was that they can speak Human-language. Strict control by the German Ministry of Magic, beginning in the centuries preceding 1991, had greatly reduced the number of Erkling attacks.
What kind of piece is the Erlking?
Der Erlkönig is a through-composed piece, meaning that with each line of text there is new music. Although the melodic motives recur, the harmonic structure is constantly changing and the piece modulates within characters.
Who is the main character in the Erlking?
Erlkönig (Schubert)
| Erlkönig | |
|---|---|
| Scoring | voice piano |
| Premiere | |
| Date | 7 March 1821 |
| Location | Vienna |
What types of works are Schubert best known for?
Franz Schubert is best remembered for his songs—also called lieder—and his chamber music. He also created symphonies, masses, and piano works. His most notable works included Erlkönig, written in 1815 and based on a poem by Goethe; Ave Maria!, written in 1825; and the Symphony No. 9 in C Major, begun in 1825.
Is the Erlking strophic or through-composed?
Erlkonig is an example of a through-composed song, each verse has a different melody that expertly portray the character speaking. Die Forelle is in our modified strophic form: A (verse 1) – A (verse 2) – B – A’ (verse 3). It is a strong example of the Romantic Era’s attraction to nature, and folk-like melody.
What 4 roles does the vocalist portray in the Erlking?
The four characters in the song—narrator, father, son, and the Erlking—are usually all sung by a single vocalist; occasionally, however, the work is performed by four individual vocalists (or three, with one taking the parts of both the narrator and the Erlking).
How does the Erlking end?
The tale ends with a vision of the future: the woman will liberate the trapped young girls and enable the old fiddle to play music once again (p. 104). But the hope of harmony is replaced by discordant cries of a male voice. The last sentence of the story – Mother, mother, you have murdered me!
What is the meaning of the poem Der Erlkönig?
Der Erlkönig, which can be translated to English as ” the Elf King ” or ” the Alder King ,” is a poem written by German writer and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as part of a type of German light opera called a “Singspiel” in 1782. The name of the Singspiel that Der Erlkönig was written for was called ” Die Fischerin ” or ” The Fisherwoman .”
What is the most famous tree in Germanic mythology?
The most prominent of these trees is the holy tree central to the cosmos, Yggdrasil. Prominent trees mentioned in Germanic mythology include the following: Völsung’s hall is built around the tree, it bears “fair blossoms”, and stretches through the roof of the structure.
What is an Erlking?
In European folklore and myth, the Erlking is a sinister elf who lingers in the woods. He stalks children who stay in the woods for too long, and kills them by a single touch. The name “Erlking” ( German: Erlkönig, lit. ‘alder-king’) is a name used in German Romanticism for the figure of a spirit or “king of the fairies “.
What is the role of trees in Germanic religion?
The central role of trees in Germanic religion is noted in the earliest written reports about the Germanic peoples, with the Roman historian Tacitus stating that Germanic cult practices took place exclusively in groves rather than temples.