[Classical music] Why was Schubert, a genius on a par with Mozart, able to compose the famous 'Der Erlkönig' as a teenager?
//Summary - Level-B2//
Franz Schubert composed Der Erlkönig as a teenager, thanks to his extraordinary natural talent and deep connection to poetry. Like Mozart, Schubert had sharp insight and rich imagination that allowed him to express emotions beyond words. Inspired by poets like Goethe, he turned poetry into powerful music. Despite censorship and illness, Schubert created over 600 songs, many filled with heavenly beauty. Music was likely his escape and salvation, offering hope, kindness, and emotional freedom. His ability to "see" poetry helped him give shape to feelings that words alone could not express — even at a very young age.
1)
Schubert composed the famous 'Der Erlkönig' when he was still a teenager. What was the creative source of this genius, who managed to perfectly capture the terror and tension of Goethe's poem in just four minutes?
This article is an edited excerpt from the popular new book Wonderful Classical Music That Will Move Your Heart to Tears by vocalist Kazutoshi Kurumada, who provides commentary on classical and vocal music on YouTube.
2)
Two composers who exude 'natural gift':
While many of history's greatest composers undoubtedly qualify as geniuses, there are two who exude a powerful sense of 'natural gift'.
One of them is Mozart. The other is not Beethoven or Brahms, but Schubert.
3)
What constitutes genius?
Opinions on this vary greatly, but I believe it can be said that both Mozart and Schubert achieved something that could not be attained through hard work alone.
4)
Although their talent was not yet fully developed, it was evident from their early works. They possessed a skill that other composers could not attain, no matter how hard they worked.
This is where insight and imagination (or creativity) play a significant role. These two composers could easily see things that ordinary people could not.
5)
The source of their creativity:
Lieder played an essential role in Schubert's creativity. Poetry was the source of Schubert's creativity. He created music inspired by the poetry of Goethe, as well as his friends Mayerhofer and Schober.
I would now like to touch on the concept of 'poetry'.
6)
Japanese people may find it difficult to intuitively imagine poetry, since Japan does not have a tradition of poetry in the strict sense.
Tanka, a long-standing form of Japanese poetry, is referred to as a 'song', rather than a 'poem'. The main differences are the dynamic rhythm and the rhyme at the end.
German poetry is created within the constraints of consistent rhythm and rhyme. Not just songs, but most opera libretti are also written in poetic form.
7)
In Japan, puns may be dismissed as 'dad jokes', but in fact, 'dad jokes' demonstrate a flexible approach to words.
If you find them funny and explore their potential fully, they eventually take on the form of poetry. Matching the rhythm and matching the sounds. Poetry has that kind of playfulness.
That's why I want to popularise dad jokes — I'm only half-joking, but a culture that looks down on this kind of wordplay will cause Japanese people to lose their flexible approach to language.
8)
This is why he was able to compose 'Erlkönig' as a teenager:
Poetry has these characteristics, but Goethe and others elevated it to the level of art.
Musicians express ineffable emotions through music, while poets attempt to do so through metaphors. Although poetry is conveyed through words, its key role lies in interpreting what cannot be expressed directly in words.
Schubert possessed an extraordinary sensitivity for expressing these ineffable emotions. He had sharp insight and a rich imagination. Through his creative talent for composition, he gave these emotions musical form in the form of a song.
9)
Through Schubert's music, we can glimpse the essence of poetry. Of course, this is simply Schubert's interpretation of poetry, which may differ from the traditional one. However, music realistically conveys the various emotions lying between the words.
Schubert composed 'Erlkönig' when he was still a teenager. He captured the terror and tension of the poem in a four-minute performance. This was possible because Schubert could see poetry.
10)
Schubert composed over 600 songs, including 'Winterreise', written in his final years. These songs are written in a variety of styles according to the poem, and each one shines like a jewel of a different colour.
A singer usually puts together a German song recital, which consists of 10–20 songs. One of the great pleasures lies in experiencing the various effects that can be achieved depending on the order of the songs.
11)
Heavenly beauty born from illness:
Now, let me introduce another fascinating aspect of Schubert's work.
Much of Schubert's music feels permeated with heavenly beauty. One could replace "heaven" with "paradise". The world that unfolds is beautiful and seems unreal.
12)
During Schubert's lifetime, the Viennese regime imposed strict controls on speech and strengthened censorship of books. Schubert's opera 'The Rebels' was so heavily censored that the title was changed to 'The Family War'.
Against this backdrop, Schubert and his friends sought refuge in the beauty of art. Despite censorship, art offered freedom of the heart.
13)
In such an era, Schubert was able to escape to a beautiful world through music. This world also offered him hope. After falling ill, Schubert left behind many masterpieces. While some of his music, such as 'Winterreise', has a dark atmosphere, much of his work exudes heavenly beauty.
14)
Perhaps music was a "salvation" for Schubert — this is my imagination. Even during his severe illness, he could instantly transport himself to a beautiful world simply by picking up his pen.
Schubert's music transports us, the audience, to a beautiful world. There is kindness, salvation and hope.
These are things that we who live in the current era also need at times.
[Classical music] Why was Schubert, a genius on a par with Mozart, able to compose the famous 'Der Erlkönig' as a teenager?
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