Franz Schubert?s ?Winterreise? is a collection of 24 songs set to poems by Wilhelm Muller. ?Winterreise? was composed in two parts with twelve songs each, mostly in minor keys. The cycle follows no narrative, and remains introverted, dark, and cold throughout. The main themes are of anguish, desperation, and journeying, coupled with images of ice, snow, death, and tears. As one could guess from the somber text and accompanying music, Schubert wrote the cycle when he was dying of syphilis and the last thing he did on this earth was correct the proofs for part 2. Musically, the work is among Schubert?s finest and through it he elevates the pianist to the level of the singer as the piano supplies rhythmic variation and intense imagery such as birds crowing, winter elements, and the posthorn calling.
Hie und da ist an den Bäumen
Here and there are on the trees
Manches bunte Blatt zu seh'n,
Many a colored leaf to be seen,
Und ich bleibe vor den Bäumen
And I remain before the trees
Oftmals in Gedanken steh'n.
Often in thought standing.
Schaue nach dem einen Blatte,
I look at the one leaf,
Hänge meine Hoffnung dran;
Hang my hope upon it;
Spielt der Wind mit meinem Blatte,
Plays the wind with my leaf,
Zitt'r' ich, was ich zittern kann.
Tremble I, what I tremble can.
Ach, und fällt das Blatt zu Boden,
Ah, and falls the leaf to the ground,
Fällt mit ihm die Hoffnung ab;
Falls with it the hope off;
Fall' ich selber mit zu Boden,
Fall I myself with it to the ground,
Wein' auf meiner Hoffnung Grab.
Weep on my hope?s grave.