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.
Fliegt der Schnee mir ins Gesicht,
Flies the snow to me in the face,
Schüttl' ich ihn herunter.
Shake I it down.
Wenn mein Herz im Busen spricht,
If my heart in the bosom speaks,
Sing' ich hell und munter.
Sing I brightly and cheerfully.
Höre nicht, was es mir sagt,
I hear not, what it to me says,
Habe keine Ohren;
I have no ears;
Fühle nicht, was es mir klagt,
I feel not, what it to me laments,
Klagen ist für Toren.
Lamenting is for fools.
Lustig in die Welt hinein
Merrily in the world to go
Gegen Wind und Wetter!
Against wind and weather!
Will kein Gott auf Erden sein,
If no God on earth there be,
Sind wir selber Götter!
Then we ourselves are Gods!