AMD 2 - Der Erlkönig - Connor McCausland

For AMD #2, I decided to read, listen to music regarding and learn the culture behind the German idea of "Der Erlkönig". What initially sparked my interest in the general topic was the poem of the same title by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It tells the tale of a father and son traveling the woods on horseback, and the son being spoken to and eventually killed by a supernatural being called Der Erlkönig. It was written in 1782, and is based off of a Dutch legend about an elf king with malevolent wishes to ensnare humans. It has since inspired many pieces of art, including paintings, sculptures, stories and most famously music. The most famous musical composition is of the poem itself put to a score, which was composed by Franz Schubert in 1815. A link to the song is below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuG7Y6wiPL8

What I like most about Schubert's composition is that its minor key and operatic vocal accompaniment not only add to the poem's haunting mood, but also give it character so that even one who cannot understand the words realize that this "Erlkönig" is a pretty "unheimlich" fellow.

My favorite stanza of the poem, as well as how it is represented in the composition is as follows:

"Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;
Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch ich Gewalt." –
"Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan!"

Essentially, this is the portion of the story where the boy is captured by Der Erlkönig and freed from his earthly being. It is very scary, and the boys desperation as well as Der Erlkönig's desire for him are articulated craftily. In the Schubert composition, the dynamics and annunciation by the vocalist make it exceedingly harrowing and powerful.

Der Erlkönig is definitely an interesting part of German culture (although originally a Dutch tale), and is something that has captured my fancy. I will certainly be returning to this story and music for years to come. Ich habe keine Zweifel über das.