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LindsayPopeMUTH5360June25,2018

AbsenceasPresence:AnAnalysisofSchumann’s“ImwunderschönenMonatMai”

Composedin1840,RobertSchumann’sDichterliebe(Opus48)setsselected

poemsfromHeinrichHeine’sLyrischesIntermezzo.Thefirstpiece,“Im

wunderschönenMonatMai,”establishesanemotionalframeworkfortheentire

cycle—theexplorationoflove’sabsence.Thenarrator,whospeaksinthefirst

personfromthepresentmoment,recountsapastromanticexperience(see

Example1):

ImwunderschönenMonatMai,AlsalleKnospensprangen,DaistinmeinemHerzenDieLiebeaufgegangen.ImwunderschönenMonatMai,AlsalleVögelsangen,DahabichihrgestandenMeinSehnenundVerlangen.

InthewonderfullybeautifulmonthofMay,Whenallthebudswerebursting,Thenitwasinmyheart(that)Loveroseup.InthewonderfullybeautifulmonthofMay,Whenallthebirdssang,ThenIconfessedtoherMyyearningandmydesire.

Example1.HeinrichHeine,“ImwunderschönenMonatMai,”Translation.

IthinkthatSchumann’ssettingofHeine’spoetryreinforcescertainaspectsof

thetext,butultimatelyaltersandaddsuponHeine’scontent.WhileHeine’spoem

hasarepetitivequality—expressedthroughmeter,rhythm,andstructure—

Schumann’ssettingisreiterative.1Thecomposerusesrepeatedmotives,harmony,

andmelodytocreateafragmented,circularstructurethatisultimatelymorepainful

thanthepoem’sinitialmeaning.Schumannsuggests,throughtonalambiguityanda

latentkeyarea,thecompleteabsenceofthenarrator’slove.Idonotfeelthatthis

1Iamusingthedefinitionsof“repetitive”and“reiteration”thatwereceivedinclass.Repetition

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absenceisexplicitinthepoemitself.Theaimofthispaperistoexplorethewayin

whichSchumann’ssettingsubtlyexpressesHeine’stextwhilealsocreatingthis

additionallayerofmeaning.

Thepoem,intwoquatrains,isiniambictetrameter(seeExample2).2In

quatrain#1,thefirstlineestablishesarhythmicexpectationoffourcompletefeet

perline;line1endsonthestressedsyllable“Mai.”However,thesecondlineis

incomplete.Thefinalstressedsyllableisnotspoken,butratherisimpliedthrougha

pause.3Onemightthenexpectthemeteroflines1and2torepeatforlines3and4,

withfourcompletefeetinline3and3½feetinline4.Thisstrikesmeasavery

familiarrhymescheme;theregularityoftheversewouldcreateabalanceand

wholenesstothepoem’srhythmicstructure.Heineinsteadoptsforlines3and4to

alsobeincomplete,withimpliedpausesaftertheunstressedsyllables.Thefactthat

therhythmisiambicisnotuncommongiventhelanguage;however,itmeansthat

thepauseisalwaysonastressedsyllable,givingextraweighttothesilence.

Quatrain#1:

Line1Line2Line3Line4

Quatrain#2:

Line5Line6Line7Line8

ImwunderschönenMonatMai,AlsalleKnospensprangen,/DaistinmeinemHerzen/DieLiebeaufgegangen./ImwunderschönenMonatMai,AlsalleVögelsangen,/Dahabichihrgestanden/MeinSehnenundVerlangen./

Endrhyme:abxbabxb

Example2.HeinrichHeine,“ImwunderschönenMonatMai,”

AnalysisofStructure,Meter,andRhyme.

2InExample2,Ihaveindicatedstressedsyllablesthroughboldfontwiththemoststressedsyllableinitalics.Allsyllablesinregularfrontareunstressed.3InExample2,Ihaveinserted“/”whereIfeelthispausetoexistnaturallyinthepoem’srhythm.

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Theextremeasymmetryofthemeterevokesanimbalanceand

incompletenessthatthereaderfeels,andwishestoberectified.Quatrain#2repeats

thesamepattern.Thisrepetitionaddssignificanceasthereaderyearnsfor

conclusion,butstilldoesnotreceiveit.ThistechniqueaffirmsMeyer’stheoryin

music,whichcertainlyalsoappliestopoetry:“…musicarousesexpectations,some

consciousandothersunconscious,whichmayormaynotbedirectlyand

immediatelysatisfied”(Meyer25).Meyerwouldfurtherarguethatthedelayin

gratificationiswhatcreatesthestrongestemotionalreaction.

Bothquatrainsutilizethesamerhymescheme:a-b-x-b.Asopposedtoan

EnglishorItaliansonnetstructure,whichhasabuilt-inconclusion,thisfolk-like

rhymeschemecreatesasenseofcontinuum.Ratherthanthispoemexistingasa

completeidea,therhymeschemeimpliesadropping-in,asifthepoemexisted

beforeitbeganandwillcontinueonafterwespeakit.Thisconceptparallels

Romanticidealsofutilizingfolkartasinspirationfor“high-class”art.The

continuousqualityevokedconnectsthereadertoahigherSource,perhapseternity.

Italsofurtherevokestheyearninginherentinthetext’smeaning.

Bothquatrainscontainthesamemeterandrhymescheme,andalsoimplya

parallelstructure.Theintroductorylinesofeachquatrain,lines1and5,amplifythis

parallelstructure.Theyareareexactreiterations.Bothquatrainsalsosharea

grammaticalframework.Thequestionthenbecomes—evenasHeinecreatesmany

connectionsbetweenthetwoquatrainsintermsofpoeticorganization,howdothey

differ?Ibelievethatthemaindifference,whileobvious,isthesubjectmatter.

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Thepersonalexperienceofthenarratorisextremelydifferentinthefirst

stanzaversusthesecond(seeExample1).Thenarratorusesimagesfromthe

naturalworldtoevokethesecontrastingmoments.Inthefirststanza,thenarrator

comparesthebloomingflowersinMaytothelovethatpowerfullyemergedinhis

heart.Inthesecondstanza,thesingingbirdsinMayareusedtorepresentthe

vocalizationofhislove—theoutwardexpressionofhislongingandhisdesire.In

thefirststanza,thenarratorhasaninternalexperience,andinthesecond,an

externalexperience.Abloomingflowerisamuchquieterimagethanasingingbird.

Thecontrastisinfactshocking,andthereisnothingcircularaboutthisaspectofthe

poem.

Heineisconcernedwiththenarrator’sinnerpsychology,apsychologythatI

believedevelopsoverthecourseofthepoem.Hisinnerdesiremustultimatelyburst

openandbeexpressed.Thepauseswherestressedsyllablesareabsentcouldthen

beinterpretedasanupwardmovingofbreath,aninnerexcitementthatcanno

longerbecontained.Forme,Heine’spoemcreatesatrajectoryfromINSIDEà

OUTSIDE.WhatisnotclearfromHeine’spoemishowtheobjectofhisdesire

responds.Didshereciprocatehislove,ordidsherejecthim?ForHeine’spurposes,I

don’tthinkitmatters.Heineisconcernedonlyfortheexperienceofthenarrator.

Incontrast,Schumann’sinterpretationofthepoemisveryinterestedinhow

theloverresponds.Theentiresettingcentersonadepictionoflove’sabsence.This

isnottheabsencethatHeinedepicts—ayearningforone’slover—butrathera

permanentabsence—alovethatnolongerexists,andhasn’tforawhile.Schumann

impliesthroughhismusicalsettingthatthewomanisnolongerinthenarrator’s

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life.Itisnotcleartomewhetherthewomanisabsentthroughrejection,distance,or

death;butthepermanentabsenceiswhatSchumanncaresmosttoevoke.

BeforeexploringhowSchumanncreatesanadditionalmeaningwithin

Heine’spoem,IwouldliketobrieflytouchuponwaysthatSchumann’ssettingdoes

expressHeine’sintent.Schumannisinterestedinexpressingtheyearning,longing,

anddesirethatthenarratorexpresses.Theseemotionalstatessuggestadistance

betweenthenarratorandhislove.Asdiscussedpreviously,Heinedepictsthis

distancethroughincomplete4-footiambictetrameterinthefinalthreelinesofeach

quatrain.Schumannfurtheremphasizesthisdistancethroughtheaccompaniment,

whichincludesplentifulnon-chordtones,specificallysuspensionsand

diatonic/chromaticneighbors.Theveryfirstnotesoundedinthepiece(pickuptom.

1,seeExample3)introducesa9-8suspensiononbminor-6.Thesecond16thnotein

thelefthandisachromaticleadingtone,anA#thatresolvesimmediatelytoB(7-8).

ThismomentremindsmeoftheintroductiontoSchubert’s“DerLeiermann”—a

briefchromaticmomentinthelefthandthatexpressesa“realityeffect”throughthe

starting-upofthehurdy-gurdy.Similarly,Schumannmaybeevokinga“reality

effect”ofthenarrator’sincompleteness,orthestrugglewithinhissituation.

Example3.RobertSchumann,“ImwunderschönenMonatMai,”m.1-4,Non-chordtones.

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Schumannleadsintom.2withadescendingmotiveintherighthandonG#-

F#-E#.TheG#whichcouldbeheardasanon-chordtone,orasuggestedharmony

(g#half-diminishedseventh)thatisnotresolved.(Iwilldiscussthismomentarily.)

Inm.2,another7-8soundsonbeat1inthelefthand.Attheendofthemeasure,

diatonicneighbortonesresolvetoaC#.ThisC#isthencarriedoverthebarlineto

becomeanother9-8suspensioninb.Thepatternrepeats.

Tome,thisintroductorypattern,whichisrepeatedasaninterlude(m.12-

15)andapostlude(m.23-26),expressesHeine’simagesofboththebursting

flowersandthesingingbirds.Theupwardarpeggiationofthelefthandrepresents

theflowersopening,whiletherighthandsuspensionfollowedbythedescending3-

notefigureatattheendofthebarrepresentsabirdcall.Thenon-chordtonesin

bothpartsevoketheyearningofthenarratorthatisexpressedthroughthese

images.(Theseare“emo”flowersandbirds.)Theseaccompanimentalexpressions

arepivotalmomentsthatnotonlyevoketheimagesthemselves,butinSchumann’s

mind,howtheseimagesrepresentlove’sabsence.Theflowers’andbirds’presence

remindthenarratorofwhathedoesnothave.Schumannachievesthis

compositionallythroughbothtonalambiguityandthesuggestionoflatent

harmoniesthatareneverabletosound.

Inthefirstfourbarsofthepiece,thelistenerhearstwochordsrepeatedina

2+2phrasestructure:bminorinfirstinversionfollowedbyC#Majordominant

seventh.Throughthisprogression,Schumanncreatescertainharmonic

expectationsthatintentionallyconfusethelistener.First,theG#attheendofm.1

thatsoundsoverthebminorchordsuddenlysuggestsag#half-diminishedseventh

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chordthatonemightexpecttoresolvetoAMajor(seeExample3).Giventhekey

signatureofthepiece,thisseemsquitepossible.However,Schumanndoesn’tgo

there.Rather,theG#foreshadowsthefifthscaledegreeofC#Major-7.TheC#7

chordthensuggestsaneventualresolutiontof#minor.Schumanndoesn’tgothere

either.Instead,heshiftsbacktobminor,andthepatternrepeats.Atthismoment,it

isnotclearwhetherSchumannwishesthelistenertohearthepieceisAMajororf#

minor.Theambiguityevokesthenarrator’sinnerturmoil.Therepetitionsuggests

theincessantrememberingofhislove’sabsence.

Atthebeginningofboththefirstandsecondverses,Schumanndoesresolve

toAMajor(m.6andm.17)asthenarratorsingstheintroductoryremark,“Inthe

wonderfullybeautifulmonthofMay.”Itisthefirstcadentialmomentinthepiece.I

thinkthisshiftinmodalitytoAMajorrepresentsboththebeautyofMayaswellasa

timewhenthenarratorwashappy.However,eventhisAMajorisobtrudedbya4-3

suspensioninaninnervoice(seeExample4).Whileonthesurfacethenarratorwas

happyatthismoment,underneaththismemoryhisangstremains.The4-3

suspensionalsosuggeststhatperhapsAMajorisnotthepiece’stonalcenter,as

thereisneveramomentwherewefullyresolvethere.Infact,Schumannavoids

resolutionwitha4-3-5movementthatresultsinanopen5thonbeat2ofthe

measure(seeExample4).

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Example4.RobertSchumann,“ImwunderschönenMonatMai,”m.5-6.

Theclearestindicatortomethatthepieceisinf#minor—asonoritythat

neversounds,bytheway—aretheconsistentC#7chordsthatframethework.The

mosttellingofthesemomentsisthefinalmeasure(m.26),forwhichSchumann

placesthefinalfermataontheseventhscaledegreeofC#Major(seeExample5).

Theseventhscaledegreelingersonandfurtherpronouncesthenarrator’slonging

to“resolve.”Itisthroughthestrongsuggestionoff#minorbutultimatelyits

absencefromthepiecethatSchumannexpressestheabsenceofthenarrator’slove.

Example5.RobertSchumann,“ImwunderschönenMonatMai,”m.25-26.

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WhileIhavenowestablishedthatthepieceisinf#minor,Schumannalso

explorestonicizationsinotherkeyareasforhissettingofthesecondhalfofeach

quatrain.(Forsimplicity,IwillrefertoVerse1measurenumbers,knowingthat

thesemomentsarealsoapplicableforVerse2).Afterthealmost-resolutiontoA

Majorinm.5-8,Schumannsuddenlyshiftstoatonicizationofbminorfollowedbya

tonicizationinDMajor(seeExample6).Thesecadentialpatternsactuallyechothe

introduction—iv-V7movementintherespectivekeyarea—andprovidefurther

claritythatultimatelythepieceisinf#minor(animplication-realizationmoment!).

ThedifferencebetweenthesecadencesandtheintroductionisthatSchumann

actuallyallowsthesecadencestoresolve.Tome,thesequenceoftonalareas

exploredthroughtheverses—AMajortobminortoDMajor—suggestsan

expressivetonality.Theriseofthekeyareascreatesasenseofanticipationthat

echoesthetext’ssentiment:“Thenitwasinmyheart(that)loveroseup.”

Prelude(m.1-4)

m.1 m.2 m.3 m.4b6 C#7 b6 C#7f#:iv V7 iv V72 2

Verse1(m.5-12)&Verse2(m.16-23)m.5m.16

m.6m.17

m.7m.18

m.8m.19

m.9m.20

m.10m.21

m.11m.22

m.12m.23

b6–E7 A b6–E7 A e6–F#7 b g-A7 D--bf#:iv6-V7/IIIA:ii6-V7

IIII

A:ii6-V7 I b:iv-V7 i D:iv-V7

I–vi

4(2+2) 4(2+2)

• DifferencesbetweenVerses1&2:Longercrescendoinm.22(comparewithm.11)

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Interlude(m.12-15)&Postlude(m.23-26)m.12m.23

m.13m.24

m.14m.25

m.15m.26

D-b C#7 b C#7f#:VI-iv V iv V2 2

• DifferencesbetweenInterlude&Postlude:ritardandoinm.24,fermatasinm.26Example6.RobertSchumann,“ImwunderschönenMonatMai,”

Harmonic,RomanNumeral,andPhraseAnalysis. Throughouttheserisingtonicizations,IfindSchumann’ssettingoftheb

minorchordinm.10fascinating(seeExample7).Notonlydoesitincludechromatic

movementinthearpeggiationwith#4-5followed7-8,buttheuppergnaturalat

theendofthemeasurestrikestheearasunusualaftertheestablishedG#’soverab

minorchordintheintroduction.Schumannisusingthegnaturaltoforeshadowthe

gminorinfirstinversiontofollow.ButSchumannalsousesthegnaturaltocontrast

thestepwiseascenttog#inm.12.Thegnaturalmakestheg#thatfollowsmore

significant,andbringsoutthereturntomusicalmaterialtofurtheremphasizethe

music’scircularity.ThiscircularityisfurtheremphasizedbySchumann’sexact

reiterationofthemusicfromVerse1toVerse2(seeExample6).

Example7.RobertSchumann,“ImwunderschönenMonatMai,”m.9-12.

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Therepeatofmusicforbothversesofpoetryseemsnaturalgiventheparallel

structureofthepoem.Myquestionthenbecomes,doesSchumannacknowledgethe

differenceinsubjectmatterbetweenthetwoverses?Doesheexpresstheshiftfrom

inwardtooutwardthatthenarratornaturallyportrays?Theanswerisyes,butina

waythatwouldbebarelyrecognizableunlessthesingeremphasizedit.Thesingle

differenceIcouldfindbetweenthetwoversesisinthelengthofthecrescendoinm.

11versusthecomplementarymusicinm.22(compareExample7withExample8).

Theriseofthevocallineinmeasures9,11,and20isaccompaniedbyacrescendo

onthesecondhalfofthemeasure.Incontrast,Schumannwritesacrescendoover

theentiretyofmeasure22.Ithinkthisalternativeexpressivemarkingispivotal.Itis

theonlywaythatSchumannacknowledgestheshiftinexpressionbetweenHeine’s

twoquatrains.Thelongcrescendonaturallyevincesthenarrator’s“longingand

desire.”Withoutacknowledgementofthiscrescendo,Schumanntrulyisexpressing

solelyacircular,fragmenteddepictionofthenarrator’swoes.

Example8.RobertSchumann,“ImwunderschönenMonatMai,”m.21-22.

ThereiscertainlyayearningthatisinnateinHeine’spoem,andSchumann

takesthisyearningtoanotheremotionallevelinhismusicalsetting.WhileHeine’s

poemhasaparallelstructure,thesubjectmatterportraysfirstaninnerthanan

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outwardperspective.WhileHeine’spoemisrepetitive,Schumann’ssetting,withthe

exceptionofalonecrescendo,isreiterative.Schumannsetsamonotonous

experience—aworldinwhichthemalesuitorrecountsoverandoverhislovefor

andprofessionofloveforthiswoman.Thiscirculardepictionisnotdeveloping

somewhere;itremindsmeofsomeonewhoisrepeatedlyhittingtheirheadagainst

thewall.Itisreiterativelypainfulanddepressing.

WhileSchumannisclearlya19thcenturyRomanticcomposer,hissettingof

“ImwunderschönenMonatMai”suggestsalooseningofsubordinatemusical

principles,andaforeshadowingofbi-tonal,coordinativestructures.Thereiterative

qualityofthisworksoundsalmostlikeapre-cursortoJohnAdams’minimalism.The

nuanceddifferencesbetweenHeine’spoemandSchumann’ssettingmightdepicta

shiftinpsychologythatwasoccurringthroughoutthe19thcentury;ashiftthat

ultimatelyledtomusic’sre-structuring.

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WorksCited

Meyer,Leonard.(1956)EmotionandMeaninginMusic.Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress.