O Schne Nacht

Opus 92, Number 1

A partsong for SATB quartet (or chorus) with piano accompaniment.

Music by Poem by
Johannes Brahms Georg Friederich Daumer
(1833-1897) (1800-1875)

About the Piece

The amount of vocal ensemble music composed by Johannes Brahms is often underestimated. In fact, vocal compositions comprise
more than half of Brahmss compositional output. In addition to his Ein Deutsches Requiem, two sets of Liebeslieder Waltzes and
motets, Brahms wrote several pieces for accompanied quartet of mixed voices. Written in 1877, O Schne Nacht is among the best
known.

In addition to featuring each voice part, this gorgeous part song contains many of Brahmss compositional trademarks: luxurious
piano scoring, superb vocal writing, variation, text painting, hemiola, duple vs. triple rhythms, sensitive marriage of text and music,
development of small germ motives, even a double inverted canon! I hope you enjoy exploring and interpreting this masterpiece of
the choral repertory.

-Drew Collins

Ranges

The Text
O schne Nacht! O Lovely Night!
Am Himmel mrchenhaft In the sky, magically,
Erglnzt der Mond in seiner ganzen Pracht; the moon shines in all its splendor;
Um ihn der kleinen Sterne liebliche Genossenschaft. around it, the pleasant company of little stars.

Es schimmert hell der Tau am gr-nen Halm;
mit Macht in Fliederbusche schlgt die Nachtigall;
Der Knabe schleicht zu seiner Lieb-sten sacht-
O schne Nacht!
The dew glistens brightly on the green stem;
in the lilac bush, the nightengale sings lustily;
The youth steals away quietly to his love -
O lovely night!
-translation by Paine/Jeffers (adapt. DC)
 O Schne Nacht
from Vier Quartette, Op. 92, No. 1
For mixed chorus (SATB) with piano accompaniment

Georg Friederich Daumer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Performance edition by Drew Collins

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3
con moto
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Soprano

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Alto

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Piano dolce
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4

This edition copyright 2001 Andrew S. Collins

This edition is available from www.OdhecatonMusic.com for free download, and may be reproduced, performed and recorded freely.
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