Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

—
—
!
SONG 605
with one phrase of the melody constructed a
symmetrical arrangement.
Meine liebe Frau Mutter.
Bx. 6.
;£^^te^^s^^
lie - be Frau Mut-ter, mlt mlr Ist's Tans ;
Jetzt
bald
ii^^p
wer-densmichbaldfilh-ranbeiiuSchand-thorhiii- f
aus.
It will be noted in the above example that the
half-close is on the dominant harmony and the
full-close on the tonic, and this principle, which
was originally a peculiar attribute of the
Volkslied, has been gradually introduced into
all other kinds of music, and it is now one of
the most important factors of form. (See
FoKM.) Many of the Volkslieder were composed
in different ecclesiastical modes, but by
degrees the Ionian mode, in which alone the
dominant principle can have full weight,
obtained pre-eminence. The form of the
Volkslied is generally very concise as in the
above example, and this perhaps is the secret
of its great charm. But looser forms are
sometimes met with, and were probably due to
the influence of the Church. To the same influence
may be ascribed the melodic melismata
or vocal flourishes which occur even in strophioal
songs. In the Gregorian music, where little
attention was paid to rhythm, the melody might
be indefinitely prolonged upon any syllable ;
and similarly we sometimes find in the Volkslied
many notes given to one word, as in this example
:
Ex. 6.
Ahschied.
Ent - laubet iflt der Wal - de gegn die - aem Win -
Be-ranbt werd' icli, so bal - de meiB FeinsUeb mfi^ht .
^^^^^
Ich will zu lAnd aua - rei ten.
metre is treated. In many cases the time
changes with every bar, and the above example
illustrates a different representation of the metre
in every hne of the stanza.' Few of the Volkslieder
begin on the first beat of the bar ; and
therefore the usual metre is Iambic, thus :
and a preference has always been shown by the
Germans for equal or common time ; it is
a quieter and more formal time than the triple,
which is essentially dance- rhythm. ^ Other
conmion, though not invariable attributes of
the Volkslied were a diatonic intervallic progression,
the reiteration of one note, a limited
compass, the key or mode steadily adhered to,
and unlike the songs of many other countiies,
the melody of the Volkslied always maintained
a complete independence of the accompanying
instrument. In character the old Volkslieder
are marked by a certain earnestness and dignified
self-restraint. They are cheerful and even gay,
but without impetuosity or excitability. There
is no attempt at word-painting ; the same tune
must serve for the numerous verses. Hence
the necessity for concise melodies. The tendency
of the German spirit is to look inwards, to portray
the deeper and more permanent emotions
rather than the transient and superficial ; to
aim less at beauty than expression.
The Volkslied would seem to have fixed, as it
were, instinctively our modern major tonal
system ; and, moreover, songs even of the 15th
century are extant, which correspond to our
minor keys. The following example clearly
belongs to the old system, but the beginning and
close and the intervals on which the principal
rhymes fall, make it evident that the key of A
minor was intended.^
Ex. 7.
Ach Elslein.
g^^^rggj^^ferfr^
Ach Els-lein,lie-besEl9-lemmeiu,wie gemwiir'ichbeidjrl
aind zwei tle£-e Was - - - ser wol zwischeu dir und mir
In Hans Judenkiinig's (1523) and Hans
Neusiedler's (1536) Lute-books this melody is
always in A minor with the Gff marked. In
macht m]r scbwe
These melodic melismata also allow the voice
great scope in the so-called Kehrreim, or refrain.
Another noticeable peculiarity of rhythm in the
Volkslied is the variety of ways in which the
1 See B6hme, p. 335, No. 257. The melody and words of tliia song
are taken from the Gassenhawerlin, 1535, No. 1. Thei'e are many
versions of this fine melody ; and in collections aubsequenb to 1540
It is often to be found set to the morning hymn ' Ich dank Dir,
lieber Herre,' and with this setting It appears in all chorale books
down to the present day.
a Bohme, however, maintains that imtil the 14th century -no
trace of any time except Temput perfectum (which means triple
time) can be found. 'Altd. Liederbuch,' Preface, p. 54.
3 Another good example is 'Bs warb ein aehiiner JUngllng*
(QeoTsToTBtcT, EinAiiJszuggiUer alter und newer TeiiU