# Schubert: Gesang der Geister über den Wassern



## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

Are you familiar with this piece? Schubert's part songs were woefully neglected and he wrote many of them. This is my favorite and someone wrote that this is the greatest part song written. What do you think of the piece?






Gesang der Geister über den Wassern (Song of the Spirits over the Waters) is one of his most magical pieces. A setting of a Goethe poem, it is scored for four tenors, four basses and six strings (two violas, two cellos and bass). The sound is astonishing, the mix of dark timbres - and just when you think it cannot get any more beautiful or true, Schubert offers one of his heart-wrenching harmonies. It should be listened to only at night, and will make you feel as if you are the last person in the universe.(Song of the Spirits over the Waters) is one of his most magical pieces. A setting of a Goethe poem, it is scored for four tenors, four basses and six strings (two violas, two cellos and bass). The sound is astonishing, the mix of dark timbres - and just when you think it cannot get any more beautiful or true, Schubert offers one of his heart-wrenching harmonies. It should be listened to only at night, and will make you feel as if you are the last person in the universe.

*Leif Ove Andsnes, pianist*


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Those spirits over the waters must be quite corporeal spirits to sing in bass voices like this. 

And seriously, a very nice piece indeed. I love male choruses.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Oddly enough, this was the first partsong of Schubert's I heard as it came as a fill-up to Gardiner's recording of the 9th symphony with the VPO, which I no longer have. I'm assuming from this that it can be played by a variety of forces ranging from full orchestral accompaniment to just the choir on their own? I totally loved it but this is the one area of Schubert's output that it still relatively uncharted for me as I only have the following (recorded in 1956 by the choir of St. Hedwig's Cathedral Berlin under Karl Forster) which were on the same disc as a recording of the Deutsche Messe:

D703 - Gott ist mein Hirt (Psalm 23)
D714 - Gesang der Geisten uber den Wassern (I gather this was something like Schubert's 4th attempt to set it - he must have wanted to do it justice)
D809 - Der Gondelfahrer (version for male chorus)
D913 - Nachtgesang im Walde
D921 - Zogernd leise (version for women's chorus)

I think Teldec released a 7-disc box set of all of the secular choral works but even though that would be too much for me I'd definitely like to get to know the partsong category a bit better.

Sorry for all the missing umlauts, by the way...


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## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

How do you like Schubert partsongs by the way?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I like the above few I've heard (even though the mono sound isn't really ideal) but D714 definitely stands head and shoulders over the rest.


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

What's a partsong? I've never heard that expression before. It is a song that isn't part of any song cycle?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Stargazer said:


> What's a partsong? I've never heard that expression before. It is a song that isn't part of any song cycle?


This from Wikipedia:

'A part song (or either part-song or partsong) is a form of choral music which consists of a secular song which has been written or arranged for several vocal parts, commonly SATB choir, but also for an all-male or all-female ensemble.[1] It is usually primarily homophonic, with the highest part carrying the melody and the other voices supplying the accompanying harmonies, rather than contrapuntal like a madrigal. Part songs are intended to be sung unaccompanied unless an instrumental accompaniment is specified.'


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## SteveSherman (Jan 9, 2014)

I love it. I don't know if it's the greatest, but it's my favorite of those I'm allowed to sing.

But when I hear Zögernd leise, I find myself wishing I were female.


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