Creativity and images in two Schubert Lieder: a didactic approach

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to compare two significantly different Lieder by Franz Schubert, both composed in 1823, and sharing a mutual theme, water. In Auf dem Wasser zu singen (D 774) the water runs: what we have is a fluid, dynamic, unstable element. In Des Baches Wiegenlied (D 795, no. 20) the water stagnates in a draining, deadly calm. Nevertheless, the sound representations of these very distant poetic images share the same formal structure: they are both strophic Lieder. The distinction lies elsewhere: in the ductus, the metric-rhythmical scheme of the verses (dactylic hendecasyllables in the former, Knittelverse in the latter), and hence of the melody. More in general, the differentiating element lies in the relationship between voice and piano, text and music.

A close examination of the two Lieder easily lends itself to an illustration of the processes that govern ‘creativity’ in a composer like Schubert, who combines an extraordinary inventiveness with a perfect mastery of form. In fact, what is referred to as ‘creativity’ can hardly be reduced to such categories as ‘inspiration’ or ‘spontaneity’ (as it is often taken to mean in music education classes), but implies a trained ability to recombine and reprocess data and techniques one has already acquired.