Lieder der Goethezeit für Gesang und Harfe

Einzelne Vertonungen für Harfe – Selected German songs for harp and voice

Conradin Kreutzer: Der Sänger

 Der Sänger. Ballade von Göthe für eine Singstimme mit Begleitung des Piano-Forte oder der Harfe. Vienna, Lyra ca. 1845.

Signature of the Bavarian State Library: Mus.pr.17985.

Conradin Kreutzer or Kreuzer (Messkirch, November 22, 1780 – Riga, December 14, 1849) was a very prolific composer who also wrote wonderful songs for voice and harp or piano.

The exact year when he wrote Der Sänger is not known. However, this piece can be considered a Goethezeit song constitutes a wonderful example of integration between a literary text and a musical setting integration. Although a tenor would be the best option to incarnate the persona of the Sänger (“singer”), the tessitura is also ideal for a soprano voice. Kreutzer wrote the instrumental accompaniment either piano or harp.

An excellent recording of this Vertonung was made by the tenor Christian Elsner and the pianist Eugen Wangler (Orfeo 1999). As far as we know, there are no recordings of this piece with a harp yet.

Thanks to the efforts of the Bavarian State Library, this piece has been digitalised and can be found clicking on the following URL:

http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0004/bsb00042158/images/ (10-08-2010).

Front page of Conradin Kreutzer's Der Sänger (Vienna 1845). Engraver unknown.

With special permission of the Bavarian State Library.