Grand Valley Review Volume 20 | Issue 1 Article 11 1-1-1999 Representations of Image and Idea in the Songs of Franz Schubert Lisa Feurzeig Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr Recommended Citation Feurzeig, Lisa (1999) "Representations of Image and Idea in the Songs of Franz Schubert," Grand Valley Review: Vol. 20: Iss. 1, Article 11. Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr/vol20/iss1/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Grand Valley Review by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. by Lisa Feurzeig Representations of Image and Idea in the Songs of Franz Schubert he conference on Word & Image for which this essay was first prepared invited par­ Tticipants to discuss the relationships among the arts, most obviously the literary and the vi­ sual arts. Coming from the field of music, I turned this question towards song. By combining music and text, notes and words, songs necessarily in­ habit a world of mixed media. When a song is persuasive, beautiful, or moving, it invites us to investigate how this process can work. What are the various ways by which such different sorts of things may be combined into a satisfying whole? I decided to approach this issue through a com­ poser particularly associated with song, one who Lisa Feurzeig, Assistant Profes­ has been credited with having single-handedly He did this by transgr sor of Music, joined the GVSU transformed the genre of the German-language previously considered ar faculty in 1998. This essay pre­ song (Lied), giving it new depth and subtlety and is a list of a few of the rna sents one of the central points in raising it to the level of great art. That composer made. her dissertation, Idea in Song: is Franz Schubert. (1) His piano parts w~ Schubert's Settings of Friedrich As the standard view of Schubert's contribu­ ing than those of his p1 Schlegel. tions to song-which one can learn by taking a became an equal partneJ music appreciation course or by reading the liner (2) His songs had mu notes that come with recordings-is a good place complex harmonies thar to start, I will begin with a summary of that view. (3) His musical struct Schubert (1797-1828) wrote over 600 songs in his plex; along with strophic short life. In this oeuvre, he shaped the genre, which which the music is repe< had been a very simple one designed for accessibility to different sets of words, < all and for home use, into a complex and sophisticated many through-composed sc art form. Even in some of his earliest songs, he was repeat in a regular fashi1 exploring a musical expressivity far beyond that ofcon- , tails of the texts. temporary songs. Thus, while he did have some musical (4) His phrases were n models, Schubert deserves the credit for making song order to match poetic rh into a significant genre. (5) He used a wide var ranging from the traditic lads to discursive poe scenes. Franz Schubert and Song 1nd r Image for which 1ared invited par­ ationships among :erary and the vi­ of music, I turned combining music gs necessarily in­ . When a song is tg, it invites us to n work. What are L different sorts of [3s satisfying whole? e through a com­ Figure 1.]ohn Constable, Wivenhoe Park. Essex. lth song, one who ; single-handedly He did this by transgressing many boundaries The development of these :;erman-language previously considered appropriate for song. Here new techniques, and their inte­ and subtlety and is a list of a few of the most significant changes he gration into songs that are ·t. That composer made. expressive and complex works of (1) His piano parts were much more demand­ music and poetry, are the foun­ mbert' s contribu­ ing than those of his predecessors; the pianist dation of Schubert's position as learn by taking a became an equal partner to the singer. a recognized master of the art of reading the liner (2) His songs had much more interesting and song. •-is a good place complex harmonies than their predecessors. Before we explore some par­ nary of that view. (3) His musical structures became more com­ ticular examples to consider how ~r 600 songs in his plex; along with strophic songs-that is, songs in Schubert did this so persua­ d the genre, which which the music is repeated over and over with sively, some of the problems l for accessibility to different sets of words, as in a hymn-he wrote with the standard view must be :r and sophisticated many through-composed songs whose music did not pointed out. Along with what is 'iest songs, he was repeat in a regular fashion, but followed the de­ summarized above, it also in­ beyond that ofcon­ tails of the texts. cludes some other ideas, more or ' have some musical (4) His phrases were more variable in length in less as follows. Schubert was a it for making song order to match poetic rhythm and nuance. natural composer who produced (5) He used a wide variety of texts for his songs, music effortlessly and without really ranging from the traditional lyric poetry and bal­ thinking about it. Although he of­ lads to discursive poems and even dramatic ten chose trivial and uninteresting scenes. Lisa Feurzeig poetry, his musical gifts enabled him representing wateJ to rise above the inherent emptiness nineteenth century t ofhis texts, creating gorgeous songs John Constable (1 that take the listener into a world of known for landscap eternal, carefree youth. 1 (1775-1851) made ~ This picture oversimplifies main themes. Figur and trivializes Schubert's accom­ is tic and notably dil plishments, not to mention the can be beautifully c; fact that he faced serious and real As these three p problems in his life.2 1t turns him nating because it c into an idiot savant-one of those same substance caJ bizarre people psychologists find deadly. Then, of cc every once in a while who can properties, it has 2 multiply ten-digit numbers in Painters often pres( their heads but have none of the treme conditions: V( most basic practical or social painting still water, skills we expect from normal ties of reflection, people-while it diminishes the details of the surr meaning of his compositions, swatches of cloud, giving us permission as listeners ing stormy water, t to enjoy the surface without even enormous waves a trying to understand what lies one thing that they beneath. is to show water in 1 In fact, the standard view de­ ocean if\lplies the " nies that there is much to think Figure 2.].M. W: Turner; Campo Santo, Venice (detaiV. unstable scene-tr about; it classifies Schubert as a composer of beautiful, beguiling ing these songs, we will discover that even when surfaces without depths beneath them. (This connects ironically Schubert appears to be illustrating the physical scenes described, he is also doing something well to my discussion of water more: using musical language to move deeper into paintings below.) For that rea­ the implications of the poems he sets. My final son, the proponents of the example in this essay concerns a song in which standard view tend to emphasize Schubert does something very different from il­ Schubert's abilities as an illustra­ lustrating an image; instead, he invents a musical tor of visual or aural images in equivalent for the poem's central idea. While in poetry. My purpose here is to some ways his musical solution to the puzzle is argue against this idea; I think still pictorial, the picture has moved to a higher that Schubert's central concerns level; it now illustrates an abstract thought rather as a songwriter were not about than a particular sight or sound. illustration, but about some very different things, and that his un­ Water Images deniable gifts as an illustrator were applied to these other ends. Scenes involving moving water seem to have at­ The first three songs I will con­ tracted Schubert; his songs are particularly famous sider all describe scenes taking for their portrayals of water. Like Schubert, many place on the water. By examin- painters have been intrigued by the challenge of Franz Schubert and Song representing water. Two English artists of the of life experience, that the foamy nineteenth century offer some beautiful examples. wave must crash down in the John Constable (1776-1837) was particularly next moment after the painting known for landscape painting, and J. M. W. Turner ends-but it cannot show a se­ (1775-1851) made water, still or stormy, one of his quence of events. There is no main themes. Figures 1-3 present some character­ way, in a single painting, to istic and notably different examples of how water show that after one wave ends, can be beautifully approximated on canvas. another will follow, and an­ As these three paintings show, water is fasci­ other, and another. This, I nating because it can take so many forms. The believe, is the reason that it is same substance can be still or wild, tranquil or much more difficult to find deadly. Then, of course, because of its reflective paintings of gently moving wa­ properties, it has a marvelous relation to light. ter, of rippling or swelling, than Painters often present water in one of its two ex­ of water at the two extremes.