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.
In die tiefsten Felsengründe
Into the deepest rocky-chasms
Lockte mich ein Irrlicht hin:
Lured me a will o? the wisp into:
Wie ich einen Ausgang finde,
How I am exit find,
Liegt nicht schwer mir in dem Sinn.
Lies not heavily me on the mind.
Bin gewohnt das Irregehen,
I am used to going astray,
's führt ja jeder Weg zum Ziel:
Every path certainly leads to the goal:
Uns're Freuden, uns're Leiden,
Our joys, our sorrows,
Alles eines Irrlichts Spiel!
All a will o? the wisps? game!
Durch des Bergstroms trock'ne Rinnen
Through the mountain streams dry gullies
Wind' ich ruhig mich hinab,
Wind I calmly myself downward,
Jeder Strom wird's Meer gewinnen,
Every stream will find the sea,
Jedes Leiden auch sein Grab.
Every sorrow also its grave.