Description
A piano arrangement of "Erlkonig," the dramatic ballad Schubert composed at just eighteen based on Goethe's poem. Relentless triplet figuration depicts a galloping horse beneath a melody that must distinguish four characters: narrator, father, child, and the Erlking himself. Running under four minutes yet containing roughly 5,567 notes, it demands flexible wrists to sustain the unbroken repetition, and it stands among Schubert's most technically and expressively demanding songs, where clearly differentiating each character's register and dynamics is the key to a convincing performance.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Franz Schubert was a Vienna-born composer who died at only 31 but left behind a vast body of work, especially in the field of Lieder. Known for his gift for melody and subtle modulation, songs such as "Erlkonig" remain widely performed today. His piano works, including the Impromptus, are equally rich in lyricism. This site includes 120 of his works, such as Impromptus, "Erlkonig," and the "Hungarian Melody."
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