Form: ABA

A (D minor area): mm. 1-49

B (F major area): mm. 50-73
A (D minor area): mm. 74-120

The first A section has smaller divisions:

A 🡪 a (mm. 1-11); b (mm. 13-21); c (mm. 22-29); a and b repeated!

Melody/Texture
Ostinato piano part expressing the spinning wheel.
Melody is written according to the meaning of the text (ars perfecta); for example, notice m.
22, in which the melody suddenly leaps an octave and high on pitches (my POOR head is
CRAZED, my POOR mind SHATTTERED). Another example starts from m. 47, when the
harmony suddenly shifts to F major and the whole character changes becoming much
sweeter (it’s only for him I gave from the window; it’s only for him I leave the house; his
proud bearing, his noble form, the smile on his lips etc.).
Melody and rhythm suddenly stop in m. 68 with long fermata 🡪 “his kiss (of death)” 🡪 the
most depressed part of the song.

Harmony
As the song is about spinning, the song constantly modulates as well. The harmony goes all
over the place expressing Gretchen trying to find her peace after the love betrayal from
Faust.
Many chromatic harmony expressing the unease feeling of Gretchen.
Strong tonic sense amidst many chromaticism. The pedal point is expressed throughout the
score, perhaps describing her strong/unchanging love to Faust.
Especially notice m. 65, in which there is enharmonic modulation involving dominant
seventh chord and German augmented sixth chord.

History
Art song is one of the oldest genres in the Western tradition, virtually starting from
whenever the music was first recorded.
Art song is always associated with secular text, mostly about love, pain, longing, depression.
Art song is normally accompanied by piano, although different case can be observed, for
example Berlioz’s les nuit d’ete which is accompanied by orchestra.
Art song is notated in many different languages throughout history, perhaps being the most
popular is German text, specifically called LIED (LIEDER = plural).
In medieval, the most popular art song is perhaps troubadour song, with French text.
In Renaissance, the most popular art song is Italian madrigal and French chanson.
In Baroque, the most popular art song is the transformed Italian madrigal and French air de
cour.
In the mid-to-late 18th century, the art song was written for entertainment purpose.
Entering 19th century (and starting from Schubert), art song became a concert-hall-purpose.
They are such difficult works, as demanding as opera; and as popular as opera although
opera may be something extrovert while art song introvert,