An Erlknig Apiece:

Schubert and Loewe Turn their Pens to Goethe's Erlknig

Peter Walsworth
Research and aterials
!"#$
Abstract
%n #&'!( Goethe( the )a*ous Ger*an poet( wrote a ballad )or a wo*an to sing in the opening o)
a larger per)or*ance+ This work( Erlknig, would go on to be set to *usic b, co*posers all across
Europe+ This paper will e-plore the origins o) the Erlknig legend and how it e.ol.ed to beco*e the
.ersion set )orth b, Goethe+ %t will look at the reasoning and intention behind Goethe's writing o) the
poe* and e-plore how closel, those co*posers who would go on to set the poe* )ollowed the path set
)orth b, Goethe+ The paper will closel, e-a*ine the two *ost )a*ous iterations o) the *usical
Erlknig( written b, /ran0 Schubert and 1arl Loewe( anal,0ing how their co*positions co*pare to
each other and to Goethe's work+ %t will answer the 2uestion o) whose co*position is *ost )aith)ul to
the source *aterial+
A great creation co*es )ro* a co*bination o) power)ul )orces+ 3ust as in nature a *eeting o)
two tre*endous ph,sical )orces pushing against each other can create enor*ous *ountain ranges( a
*eeting o) two or *ore great )orces in the arts can create great works capable o) striking deep into the
hearts o) the audience+ As we del.e into a co*parison o) a pair o) great co*posers' settings o) the
Erlknig poe*( this truth is especiall, e.ident+ %n a *eeting o) a power)ul )olk tale( a *aster)ul poet
and author( and each one o) our respected co*posers( we )ind the results to be works o) striking
greatness+
4ur stor, begins with an old legend o) an El.en 5ing o) da,s gone b, and his beguiling
daughters+ The legend ste*s )ro* the Scandina.ian countries and their lore+ %n the stories( the
daughters o) this el.en king would hunt down hu*ans to satis), their desires( whether the, be carnal
desires( desires )or blood( or )or creating *ischie)+ These characters were a gold6standard )or e.il in
the stories and )ables that the, pla,ed roles in+ The 7anish people had a )olk ballad entitled Herr Oluf
han Rider( or Sir 4lu) Rides( that told the stor, o) a *an riding his horse when he is wa,laid b, an
el.en *aiden who entices hi* with o))ers o) wealth and *ore( but he re)uses and rides awa,+ At which
point he is attacked b, the el) and the el) lea.es hi* to ride on in a deathl, pallor+ 8e is not )ound until
the ne-t da,( his wedding da,( when he is disco.ered b, his own bride( dead underneath his cri*son
coat+
#
The 5ing's daughter re*ained the leading antagonist in an adaptation b, 3ohann Gott)ried .on
8erder( who brought the stor, into the Ger*an Language with Erlknigs Tochter+

When he translated
it )ro* the 7anish( he *ade a )ew subtle changes that echoed in the later co*positions and poetic
renditions o) the stor,+ 8e took the 7anish word Elverkonge( *eaning El)65ing and turned it into
Erlknig which *eans Alder 5ing+ This has been attributed to both a si*ple translation error and an
intentional choice( *eant to e.oke the woodland real* when re)erring to the el.es+ 8erder also *akes
#
/rederick W+ Stern)eld( Goethe and Music 9:ew ;ork: 7a 1apo Press( #<&<=( #!'+
it clear that the el) *aiden is the daughter o) the El) or Alder 5ing in his .ersion( which was not stated
so e-plicitl, in the 7anish ballad+ >on 8erder's .ersion o) the stor, re*ains .er, close to the original
stor,( acting as *ore o) a translation than an,thing+ ?4ne *ight e-pect that all these changes wrought
b, 8erder and Goethe would result in poetic i*po.erish*ent( ,et posterit, has clearl, put the sta*p o)
i**ortalit, upon the 'Erlknig(' as witness its .ogue )or al*ost two centuries a*ong the lo.ers o)
poetr, and *usic+@
!
%t was when Goethe took the reigns that the stor, reall, began to change its shape
and begin its Aourne, to that longe.it,+
3ohann Wol)gang .on Goethe 9#&B< C #'$!= is re*e*bered toda, as the king o) Ger*an
literature and poetr,+ 8e was one o) the greatest authors to ha.e walked this Earth and his works are
held in high estee* to this da, in Ger*an, and across the globe+ 8e reached national acclai* at a
,oung age and li.ed a long li)e( creating a great nu*ber o) works in this ti*e( including *an, that
were set to *usic in so*e )or* or another+
Goethe was brought up in a .er, *usical household and associated with the *usical arts )ro* a
,oung age+ %n )act( ?Wol)gang ca*e to learn %talian arias b, heart( be)ore he knew the *eaning o) the
words+ 8is )irst atte*pts at poetr,( too( )ollowed( signi)icantl, enough( the *usical patterns o) sacred
poe*s adapted to the )or*ulas then in .ogue in the Protestant church+@
$
8is *usical upbringing would
stick with hi* to the end o) his da,s and brought hi* to understand and in.ol.e hi*sel) in a *uch
wider arra, o) art st,les+ The *an, st,les he worked with included the ballad6operas and singspiels
that were beco*ing 2uite popular in Ger*an, at the ti*e+
Goethe's iteration o) Erlknig was written to be the opening nu*ber o) the ballad6opera Die
Fischerin in #&'!+
B
8is poe* was a large departure )ro* the stor, it was based on( but the si*ilarities
are still 2uite e.ident+ %n Goethe's poe*( the stor, is told )ro* the )irst person narration o) )our distinct
! Stern)eld( Goethe and Music, #!<+
$ Edgar %stel and Theodore Daker( EGoethe and usic(E The Musical Quarterl+ #B+ no+ ! 9#<!'=: !#&+
B Stern)eld( Goethe and Music, #!<+
indi.iduals+ /irst( the :arrator begins the tale b, setting the scene( describing a *an and his son riding
through the dark and wind, night+ The second character( the )ather addresses his son( asking wh, he is
acting strangel, and the son( the third character( replies b, telling his )ather that he sees the Erlking+
The /ather responds with so*e le.el o) incredulit, and tells his son that it is *erel, a bit o) nature and
his senses decei.ing hi*+ This back and )orth continues throughout the poe* as the )ourth character(
the Erlking( speaks with sweet words in an e))ort to lure and entice the ,oung bo, to Aoin hi*+ The
Erlking e.entuall, sheds all pretense o) goodness and re.eals his true and terri),ing )or*( threatening
to take the child b, )orce+ The :arrator returns at the end o) the poe* to deli.er the bad news that(
despite his e-pedited return and caring( b, the ti*e he arri.es back at ho*e the child has died in his
)ather's ar*s+
Goethe's poe* departed in *an, wa,s )ro* the original stor, o) Sir 4lu) and his ride+ The
protagonist was changed )ro* a groo*6to6be to a )ather and his son+ The antagonist beca*e the El.en
5ing hi*sel) instead o) a daughter or lesser el.en *aid+ The .illain is no longer enticing an adult( but
is instead reaching out to a ,oung child and beckoning to hi*F a *arked di))erence )ro* the original
legend that could ser.e as a cautionar, tale+ With this change( the stor, beca*e *ore akin to a
haunting ghost stor, or )ireside tale( and an, *essage that could be deri.ed )ro* it was greatl,
*odi)ied+ /inall,( the o.erall tale is changed b, the )act that onl, one o) the characters can see the
Erlking+ The )ather's inabilit, to see what is being talked about creates a sense o) doubt in the audience
as to whether the El.en 5ing is trul, there( or i) perhaps he is a ghostl, and supernatural creature that
onl, the son can see( or e.en a )e.erish .ision in the e,es o) a rapidl, e-piring ,oung child+ ?Who
shall know a child's realitiesG What is )or us real enough and agitating is that he can( on the strength o)
the*( )righten hi*sel) to death+@
H
These changes took what had been a sad and cautionar, stor, o) a
groo* on his wa, to the wedding and changed it into a harrowing tale o) a parent that could do nothing
to protect his son )ro* the in)luences o) the world around hi* and his )ast approaching death+ With
H Richard 1apell( !chu"ert#s !ongs 9Surre,( England: 7uckworth( #<&$=( #"<+
these changes( Goethe *ade the poe* pain)ull, understandable )or an, and all who read itF as each
reader( be the, ,oung or old( had a character in the stor, that the, could easil, relate to+ The stor, had
gone )ro* a known legend to a un)orgettable stor,+
/ran0 Schubert 9#&<& C #'!'= was a great co*poser o) Ger*an lied+ 7espite his tragicall,
short li)e( he produced an e-tensi.e bod, o) work and *ade a habit o) taking Goethe's wonder)ul
poetr, and setting it to *usic+ 8is )irst setting o) a Goethe work was in #'#B when he wrote Gretchen
a$ !pinnrade+ 8is )irst dra)t o) Erlknig ca*e onl, a ,ear later in #'#H+ 8e would go on to re.ise it
three ti*es be)ore )inall, publishing the )ourth .ersion( which would also be his 4pus #( in #'!#+
I

Goethe was the *ost set poet in Schubert's co*position as he co*posed se.ent, co*positions using
works o) Goethe+
&
?:o Poet so )ired Schubert's creati.e i*agination as did Goethe+ E.er,thing that
Schubert stro.e to e-press in *usic( clarit, o) thought and e-pression( deep e*otion( i*aginati.e
language( all that he )ound in Goethe's poetr,@
'
Schubert's .ersion o) the Erlking stor, uses the words set )orth b, Goethe+ 8e does a
tre*endous Aob o) setting up the )our characters )ro* the poe*( and e.en adds a )i)th in his *usical
characteri0ation+ The )irst character( the narrator( sings in the *iddle o) the t,pical .ocalist's range( and
gi.es onl, a s*all hint o) the co*ing horror+ Schubert sets the narrator's words to a si*ple *elod, that
does a great Aob ser.ing as a si*ple e-position and setting the scene+ The second character( the )ather(
is set in a lower range and *irrors the 2uestion that the )ather is asking b, *o.ing upward at the end o)
the phrase+ The third character( the son( is set high in the .oice( gi.ing a lighter and a bit whinier tone
to his sections as he calls out in distress to his )ather+ As the song continues and the bo, grows *ore
and *ore alar*ed( Schubert *irrors and accentuates this in the *usic b, *o.ing his notes higher )or
each repitition+ The Erlking is set in an especiall, eerie wa,( his words set to an especiall, sweet and
lilting *elod, that )lows s*oothl, as he pro*ises a li)e o) Ao, and wonder to the ,oung bo,+ When he
I Al)red Einstein( !chu"ert% & Musical 'ortrait 9:ew ;ork: 4-)ord Jni.ersit, Press( #<H#=( #""+
& Ra,*ond Erickson( !chu"ert#s (ienna 9:ew 8a.en: ;ale Jni.ersit, Press( #<<&=( #'I+
' 7ietrich /ischer67ieskau( !chu"ert#s !ongs, Translated b, 5enneth S+ Whitton 9:ew ;ork: Al)red A+ 5nop)( #<&&=( B'+
is ulti*atel, re)used howe.er( the Erlking's sweet *elod, suddenl, beco*es hea.il, accented and
di.ided as he openl, threatens the child+ The narrator returns then to tell the stor,+ The te-t setting is
si*ilar to the opening( but with a greater sense o) urgenc,F there is a deliberate sole*nit, in the
narrator at this point and as he co*es to deli.er the sad ending o) the stor,( it no longer see*s to be a
*elod,( but instead takes on the characteristics o) spoken word as the narrator concludes the stor,(
whispering the )ate o) the child+
The *elod, o) Schubert's piece is *aster)ul and does a wonder)ul Aob o) bringing the te-t to
li)e( but alone( the singer could not be nearl, so power)ul as when acco*panied with the wonder)ull,
di))icult and i**ensel, power)ul piano part+ The acco*pani*ent is di))icult enough that Schubert
hi*sel) was known to ha.e abbre.iated it( sa,ing it was a task best le)t to a .irtuoso pianist+ %t is in this
acco*pani*ent that Schubert has created the )i)th character o) the song( the horse+ 8e does this b,
creating a repetiti.e rh,th* o) triplets that runs through the piece )ro* beginning to end+ These triplets
echo the hoo)beats o) a galloping horse and also ser.e to propel the piece )orward while creating a
sense o) urgenc, )or the listener+ As the song gallops to its end and the stor, reaches the sad ending at
the )ather's house( the triplets )inall, co*e to a halt and there is a recitati.e st,le *o*ent as the singer
decides the ti*ing o) the )inal *elodic notes( and the pianist creates the sense o) )inalit, with the last
chords o) the piece+
There is a )a*ous stor, about Schubert's co*position o) the piece that reall, shows Aust how
enthralled he was with Goethe's poe*( and although so*e o) the details *a, ha.e been e-aggerated( it
ser.es to de*onstrate the passion and )er.or that Schubert allowed to pour onto the page as he wrote
the work+ 3ose) .on Spaun recalled(
We )ound Schubert all aglow reading the Erlknig aloud )ro* a book+ 8e walked to
and )ro se.eral ti*es with the book in his handF suddenl, he sat down and in no ti*e at
all the wonder)ul ballad was on paper+ We ran to the )onvikt with it as Schubert had no
piano KSpaun is wrong hereL and there( the sa*e e.ening( the Erlknig was sung and
wildl, acclai*ed+ 4ld Ru0icka then pla,ed through all the parts hi*sel) care)ull,(
without a singer and was deepl, *o.ed b, the co*position+ When one or two o) the
co*pan, 2uestioned a recurring dissonant note( Ru0icka pla,ed it on the piano and
showed the* how it *atched the te-t e-actl,( how beauti)ul it reall, was and how
happil, it was resol.ed+
<
Wen0el Ru0icka( it should be noted( was a )or*er teacher o) Schubert( and while the stor, can be
2uestioned in a )ew places( the o.erall stor, e-e*pli)ies the great possibilities o) a power)ul creation
when .iewed b, another creator+ 8is e-cite*ent o.er Goethe's works was ob.iousl, not li*ited to this
poe*F and in )act( his co*position o) Erlknig was in the earl, da,s o) his )ascination with Goethe(
coinciding with what *an, re)er to as Schubert's ?*iracle ,ears+@ %n #'#H alone( Schubert co*posed
thirt, songs to poe*s written b, Goethe+
#"
3ohann 1arl Gott)ried Loewe 9#&<I C #'I<= or 1arl Loewe as we re*e*ber hi* toda,( was
another author o) Ger*an lied and was likened b, so*e to Schubert+ 8e wrote o.er B"" songs and
ballads( but is not renowned toda, in the wa, that Schubert and *an, other great co*posers are+
Students o) histor, o)ten encounter his works a)ter learning about Schubert's *ore well6known
creationF the, then )ind that *ultiple *usical .ersions o) the Erlking tale ha.e been authored o.er the
,ears+
Loewe's Erlknig was also based on the Goethe poe* and bore so*e interesting si*ilarities to
Schubert's work( but separated itsel) in a )ew .er, notable wa,s+ %n his book )ro* #'<&( Albert Dach
states(
KLoeweL had seen the *anuscript o) Schubert's ?Erlking@ pre.ious to his setting the
sa*e ballad to *usic+ Although it was against his principle to set to *usic poe*s
which were co*posed be)ore hi* b, other *asters( Loewe )elt that Schubert had not
)ound the true ballad6tone )or this poe*( and there)ore he wrote the *usic to it in a
*ore dra*atic st,le( sa,ing( ?an kann es auch anders *achen@ 6 ?%t can be done in
another wa,+@
##
%nterestingl,( his work( like Schubert's( uses the ke, o) G *inor( a triple *eter and an o)t repeating( but
not continuous( rh,th*ic pattern in the acco*pani*ent+ There are other si*ilarities as wellF Loewe
also sets the )ather and son's .oices according to their age( placing the son in a higher part o) the .oice
register and the )ather nearer the botto* o) the range( though his lines do )re2uentl, *o.e upward into
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#" 1apell( !chu"ert#s !ongs( <&+
## Albert Dernhard Dach( The art "allad, *oe+e and !chu"ert, 9London: 5egan Paul( Trench( TrMbner N 1o+( #'<&=( #!H+
the sa*e range as the child+ The three characters in the narrati.e are de)ined to an e-tent b, speci)ic
*elodies that each has+ Jntil the last stan0a these *elodies re*ain largel, unchanged e-cept where
the, are adapted slightl, to )it the te-t+ The El.en 5ing's words are again set to a rather *elodic and
decepti.el, sweet tuneF his )inal threat( howe.er( is not *ade so blatant and outright as in Schubert's
setting+ The narrator also bears a si*ilarit, to his doppelganger in the Schubert work in that the *usic
draws hi* as a *ere obser.er stating the )acts until those )inal lines o) his that bear a great sadness and
weight+
Loewe's creation holds interest not onl, when considered in co*parison to Schubert's work( but
trul, stands on its own *erit+ Loewe took the words and stor, set )orth b, Goethe and with care and
intent( he set the* in a *anner that breathes li)e into the stor,+ 8e captured the back and )orth o) the
con.ersation between the )ather and son( taking the libert, o) *aking the )ather repeat the last line o)
each o) his state*ents so that his e-plaining and consoling was brought )orward *ore and gi.en *ore
o) a reassuring 2ualit,+ 8e set this back and )orth so that the son's pleas sounded panicked and )rantic(
and the )ather's tune *atched his reassuring words+ Loewe's work also does a wonder)ul Aob o)
translating the ballad as set )orth in Goethe's words into a ballad on the *usical page+ 8e took the
poe*( which is clearl, and easil, di.isible into indi.idual sections and stan0as( and *aintained this
)eeling as he cra)ted *elodies and chords to be pla,ed along with it+ 8e created *elodies that would
go along with the characters and could be repeated while still building a sense o) tension and dra*a as
the work went on+
%n the )ew ,ears a)ter Goethe penned it( a nu*ber o) other co*posers created settings o) his
dark tale+ A*ong the* were lesser co*posers such as 3ohann /riedrich Reichardt 9#&H! C #'#B=( who
wrote a .ersion in #&<B( and 1arl /riedrich Oelter 9#&H' C #'$!=( whose co*position ca*e a )ew ,ears
later in #&<&+ % is also known that Ludwig .an Deetho.en 9#&&" C #'!&= worked on his own
co*position that set Goethe's poetr,+ %t ne.er *ade it so )ar as to be published b, Deetho.en( but so*e
o) his sketches were )ound and there were enough parts to piece together a )ull,6)or*ed song+
Reinhold Decker put the pieces together and added his own )inishing touches in #'<& and published the
work+ %t is hard to anal,0e a work that its original co*poser ne.er decided was )ull, read, )or
publication and the public e,eF like an un)inished painting or a building that was abandoned hal)wa,
through it's construction( the unpublished song *ust alwa,s be looked at through a certain lens+ %t *ust
alwa,s be .iewed while keeping in *ind the )act that it was un)inishedF still( it begs )or a co*parison
to the other works o) the great co*posers+ %n his book on Schubert( 7ieskau writes that its ?IP'
si*plicit, is *ore akin to Loewe's interpretation( and onl, e*phasi0es the *iracle that was
Schubert's+@
#!
%n co*paring Schubert and Loewe's interpretations o) the Goethe poe*( there are *an,
interesting points to )ocus on+ The )irst point is the )aith)ul translation o) Goethe's words and st,le to
the *usic on the page+
1arl Loewe's setting o) 'Erlknig(' written about the sa*e ti*e 9#'#&=( is a *uch *ore
genuine ballad than Schubert's+ %t is treated and de.eloped to its cli*a- within the
)ra*ework o) a strophic )or*( and is *uch *ore ':ordic' in its e*phasis+ %t would
probabl, ha.e gi.en the poet greater satis)action+ And ,et o) the two( it is Schubert's
setting which pro.ed the *ore triu*phant success in the e,es o) his conte*poraries
and o) posterit,( b, .irtue o) his direct( passionatel, dra*atic descripti.e treat*ent+
#$
Loewe's setting is de)initel, *ore )aith)ul to the original co*position b, Goethe in that it is set in that
)olk ballad st,le like the poe*+ %t can be said( howe.er that because it is written in the pla, to be
hu**ed b, a *aid )ro* her *e*or,( that the *ore *e*orable o) the songs would be *ore true to the
sourceF and one would ha.e to sa, that the *ore *e*orable is Schubert's+
#B
D, this sa*e token(
howe.er( neither o) these songs would ha.e )unctioned well i) inserted into the pla, itsel)+ The two
co*positions are written in too grand a st,le to be sung absent6*indedl, as a *aid goes about her
work+ The, ha.e too *uch )ur, and agitation lurking in the* to be )unctional in that scenario+
Loewe's Erlknig is *ore si*ilar to the poe*'s st,le and Schubert's is *ore capable o) showing the
descriptions littered throughout the poetic dialogue+ Each in its own wa, is a .alid interpretation o) the
#! /ischer67ieskau( !chu"ert#s !ongs, H#+
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#B /ischer67ieskau( !chu"ert#s !ongs, B<+
poe*'s st,le+
The second point o) co*parison is the .oice o) the Erlknig, /ischer67ieskau relates a stor,
about Goethe's )eelings on the *atter:
3ust how accurate Schubert's interpretation o) the Erlknig's .oice was( can be Audged
)ro* a con.ersation with Goethe in #'!&( reported b, /riedrich /orster who was
introducing his )oster6son( 1arl Eckert 9later to win distinction as a conductor=( to the
great poet+ The ,oung lad had set Erlknig when he was eight+ When Goethe asked
hi* which other settings o) the ballad he liked( the bo, answered that he knew onl,
5lein's and Reichardt's( but didn't like the* because the, *ade the Erlknig sound so
cruel+ '%) the Erlking had gone on like that(' the bo, said( 'the bo, in the poe* would
ha.e been a)raid+ The Erlking had to tr, to seduce the bo, with his singing+' 'We ha.e
to agree the lad is right(' re*arked Goethe and ga.e hi* a )riendl, pat on the hand+
'A)ter all ,ou *ust know best how a little chap riding through the night in his )ather's
ar*s )eels when the Erlking te*pts hi*+ Apart )ro* that( we *ust also ad*it that the
Erlknig( a 5ing o) all the Spirits( can take on an, singing .oice he wishes: he can
begin b, being gentle and )lattering and then turn to threats and rage+'
#H
%n Goethe's own words( we see that the Erl 5ing needs to ha.e a sense o) sweetness and an enticing
.oice+ While Loewe succeeds in creating sweetness( the repetition o) the Erlknig's phrases si*pl,
cannot *atch the sweetness o) the *elod, that is gi.en it in Schubert's rendering+ To other ears though(
this sweetness *a, be his own undoing+ Albert Dach states in his book that it is precisel, this
sweetness that *akes Schubert's incarnation o) the Erlking unbelie.able+ The 5ing( he sa,s( is so
sweet that the child si*pl, would not ha.e been )rightened+ %nstead( he points out that ?Loewe's .oice
o) the Erlking )ascinates( intrudes( )orces( and the bo, succu*bs to the *agic spell at once+@
#I
This is
one point where the two co*positions surel, di))er greatl,( and both ha.e their own *erits+ %t is
Goethe's intentions( though( that we are e-a*ining and so in this case( Schubert's writing e*erges as
the clear .ictor as he has shown that alluring sweetness o) the 5ing( as well as a gentle and lilting .oice
that 2uickl, turns to rage+
The last o) these points is the e*otional power o) the work+ 4) this( 7ietrich /ischer67ieskau
writes( ?1arl Loewe's )ine #'#' setting describes the spirits realisticall,( but it is *usicall, *ore si*ple
and ne.er reaches the depths o) traged, o) the Schubert .ersion+@
#&
Loewe's work si*pl, lacks the
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passion o) the Schubert work( and while it does translate accuratel, the ballad st,le( the e*otional
distance is not so*ething easil, *ade up )or+ Where Loewe endea.ored to tell a tale to an audience(
Schubert has gone e.en )urther and recreated the sceneF allowing the listener to hear e-actl, what is
happening at each precise *o*ent+
#'
There is Aust no wa, )or Loewe's repetiti.e ballad to e2ual the
power o) Schubert's( but to so*e that is not the heart o) the issue+ ?Richard Wagner once said to his
pupils: ', )riends( ,ou think Schubert's Erlking to be the best+ ListenQ here is one *uch )inerF it is
that b, Loewe+ Schubert's Erlking is not 2uite true( but Loewe's is true+@
#<
Wagner gi.es .oice to a
dissenting *inorit, that )eels that the ballad and stor, st,le o) Loewe resonates *ore strongl, than does
the scene6dri.en work o) SchubertF but there is *ore distancing the two )ro* each other when it co*es
to e*otional capacit, than Aust *usical st,les+ Loewe's co*position also lacks the subtle rise in tension
gi.en b, the s*all *odulations that Schubert uses+
odulations are in *usic the e2ui.alent to the painter's chiaroscuro+ Loewe( too( is o)
course ali.e to this( notabl, in his last stan0a+ Dut the co*parati.e )latness o) his
setting is accountable b, the general pre.alence o) G *inor and *aAor+ The Erl 5ing's
in.itation is each ti*e e-pressed on the notes o) the G *aAor co**on chordF the child's
appeals to his )ather are each ti*e in G *inorF the pause be)ore the )atal announce*ent
is si*pl, on the I6B chord o) G *inor( while in Schubert it is as )ar awa, as A"+
!"
%n this Schubert's greatness co*es to light( )or he has taken a scene and reali0ed the *an, )ine points o)
its stor,( grasped what the deeper *eaning was( and highlighted all o) it with Aust what was necessar,+
8is *odulations and care)ul use o) the singer's range to e.oke di))erent characters e-periencing
di))erent e*otional paths is )antastic+ ?7espite the dae*onic 2ualit, o) the work( Schubert ne.er goes
be,ond the bounds o) what the critic Eduard 8anslick called the '*usicall, beauti)ul(' notwithstanding
the stark realit, o) the te*pestuous riding6$otif and the recitati.e at the .er, end+ The heart o) the
song is not the cle.erl, *anaged descriptions and i*ager,( but the hu*an despair o) alienation and the
depiction o) burning passion+@
!#
%n a stor, that centers so hea.il, on creating e*otions in the *e*bers
o) the audience( it see*s that the *ore passionate piece would be the *ore *eaning)ul songF and the
#' 1apell( !chu"ert#s !ongs( ##"+
#< Dach( The art "allad, *oe+e and !chu"ert( #$#+
!" 1apell( !chu"ert#s !ongs( ##!+
!# /ischer67ieskau( !chu"ert#s !ongs, H"+
e))ect o) Schubert's creation lingers a great deal longer on the *ind and spirit than does that o) 1arl
Loewe+
%n the end( the argu*ent can be spun in a great *an, directions( but in *ost co*parisons(
Schubert's dra*atic and touching interpretation o) the narrati.e will e*erge as the truer and *ore
*eaning)ul translation o) Goethe's poetr, to *usic+ Sadl,( though the, were conte*poraries( it see*s
that Goethe ne.er saw the .ersion o) his work penned b, SchubertF not that the atte*pt was not *ade+
%n the Schubertian circle( Erlknig had the success that can be i*agined+ The strange
thing( according to *odern ideas( is that it should ha.e re*ained )or ,ears unknown
outside that circle+ A cop, was sent 9with the si*pli)ied piano)orte part= in #'#& to
Goethe at Wei*ar( with a nu*ber o) other Goethe songs o) Schubert's( acco*panied b,
a letter )ro* Spaun+ %t was not acknowledgedF and Goethe see*s not to ha.e heard the
song until a)ter Schubert's death+
!!
Loewe also atte*pted to ha.e his rendering o) the great poe* heard b, Goethe( but regrettabl,( that
also )ailed+ Loewe recounts(
Goethe was e-tre*el, kind+ While he walked up and down in his drawing roo*( he
talked about the nature o) ballad )or*+ % told hi* that % lo.ed ballads abo.e all other
literar, genres( and how the popular legend o) his Erlknig( clothed in the wonder)ull,
Ro*antic gar*ent o) his poe*( had 2uite swept *e o)) *, )eet( so *uch so that % had
had to set his Erlknig to *usic+ % considered the Erlknig to be the best Ger*an
ballad because all the characters are introduced in con.ersations+ ';ou are right in that('
said Goethe+ Then % asked to be allowed to sing *, Erlknig to hi*+ 'Jn)ortunatel, %
ha.e no instru*ent here in 3ena(' he said+ '% regret this all the *ore because % alwa,s
work better a)ter ha.ing listened to *usic+'
!$
As we lack a de)initi.e ruling )ro* Goethe hi*sel) on the *atter( it is up to each to deter*ine the
.alidit, o) the songs the*sel.es+ While there are so*e who would disagree( and stand )ir*l,
entrenched with LoeweF to this listener( the stor, is gi.en its truest and *ost )aith)ul adaptation at the
hands o) the great /ran0 SchubertF and though each has its ti*e and place( and it is this iteration that
will li.e on as a co**endation to both the co*poser and the poet+
The legacies o) Goethe( Loewe( and Schubert are alread, ce*ented in the annals o) histor,F
their achie.e*ents are *an,( and their e))ects lasting+ Each o) these *en are noteworth, in their )ield(
and their )a*e is hard6earned and well6deser.ed+ Their .olu*es o) great works speak )or the*sel.es+
!! 1apell( !chu"ert#s !ongs( #"&+
!$ /ischer67ieskau( !chu"ert#s !ongs, H#+
Each o) these *en poured his e))orts into the creation o) the Erlknig stor, and the atte*pt to bring it
to li)e+ Each succeeded in his own wa,+ Goethe took a popular legend and brought it to li)e with his
)ear)ul and harrowing words+ 8is poetr, struck deep into the hearts o) parents and children alike as he
wo.e a tale that could scare e2uall, across the generations+ Loewe took what he read and heard in
Goethe's power)ul work and set it beauti)ull, in a ballad that told us the horror stor, o) a *an who is
helpless to de)end his child against an unknown )orce+ The resultant work is reall, 2uite power)ul and
i) it weren't )or Schubert( Loewe would likel, be well renowned )or his interpretation o) the poe*+
:onetheless( it was Schubert who read Goethe's poe* and( understanding the e*otion and dra*a o) it(
*anaged to pull the audience in with his thorough depiction o) the scene+ D, bringing the audience
along on the ride( Schubert )ound a wa, to keep spectators on the edge o) their seatsF and it is this
)eeling o) ca*araderie and e*path, that *akes his rendering o) the poe* in *usical )or* so power)ul+
Two great )orces were brought together in Schubert and GoetheF and the, created so*ething trul,
*agni)icent+
Works Cited
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1o+( #'<&+
1apell( Richard+ !chu"ert#s !ongs+ Surre,( England: 7uckworth( #<&$+
1hap*an( 3r+( 8ugh 8+ ETwo Poetic Techni2ues: Lorca's ERo*ance de la luna( lunaE and Goethe's
EErlknigE+E Hispania+ $<+ no+ B 9#<HI=: BH"6BHH+
Einstein( Al)red+ !chu"ert% & Musical 'ortrait, :ew ;ork: 4-)ord Jni.ersit, Press( #<H#+
Erickson( Ra,*ond+ !chu"ert#s (ienna+ :ew 8a.en: ;ale Jni.ersit, Press( #<<&+
/euerlicht( %gnace+ EEErlknigE and EThe Turn o) the ScrewE+E The -ournal of English and Ger$anic
'hilolog+ H'+ no+ # 9#<H<=: I'6&B+
/ischer67ieskau( 7ietrich+ !chu"ert#s !ongs+ Translated b, 5enneth S+ Whitton+ :ew ;ork: Al)red A+
5nop)( #<&&+
Gibbs( 1hristopher 8+ EE5o**( geh' *it *irE: Schubert's Jncann, EErlknigE+E ./th01entur Music+
#<+ no+ ! 9#<<H=: ##H6#$H+
8all( 3a*es 8usst+ The &rt !ong+ :or*an( 45: Jni.ersit, o) 4klaho*a Press( #<&&+
8all*ark( Ru)us+ Ger$an *ieder in the 2ineteenth 1entur+ :ew ;ork: Ta,lor N /rancis( !"#"+
%stel( Edgar( and Theodore Daker+ EGoethe and usic+E The Musical Quarterl+ #B+ no+ ! 9#<!'=: 9!#I6
!HB=+
5isch( Guido+ Eusic in Goethe's Li)e+E Monatshefte+ B!+ no+ I 9#<H"=: 9!B$6!H#=+
5ra.itt( Edward /+ EThe Dallad as 1oncei.ed b, Ger*anic 1o*posers o) the Late Ro*antic Period+E
!tudies in Ro$anticis$+ #!+ no+ ! 9#<&$=: B<<6H#H+
Stein( 3ack + EWas Goethe Wrong about the :ineteenth61entur, LiedG An E-a*ination o) the
Relation o) Poe* and usic+E 'M*&+ &&+ no+ $ 9#<I!=: !$!6!$<+
Stern)eld( /rederick W+ Goethe and Music+ :ew ;ork: 7a 1apo Press( #<&<+
EThe 1entenar, o) Schubert's 'Erlknig'+E The Musical Ti$es+ H&+ no+ ''! 9#<#I=: $IH6$II+