Murmelt fort, ihr Melodien,

Rausche nur, du stiller Bach.

Schöne Liebesphantasien
Sprechen in den Melodien,
Zarte Träume schwimmen nach.
Durch den flüsternden Hain
Schwärmen goldne Bienelein
Und summen zum Schlummer dich ein.

English Translation

Outside of the cycle, this song is considered one of the three “Brahms Lullabies”
(the others are Op. 49, No. 4 and Op. 91, No. 2). There are superficial
similarities
with Op. 91, No. 2.
0:00 [m. 1]--The piano introduction anticipates the “refrain” that will be heard
at the end of each verse, a gently rising figure whose fourth note is dissonant.
The left hand begins the song a beat before the first full bar and continues in
a gentle syncopation (playing the same chord on beats three and six of each bar).
The chord is the highly anticipatory and unstable dominant seventh, which wants
to pull to the home chord, but avoids doing so.
0:11 [m. 5]--Stanza (strophe) 1. The vocal line is a gently rocking, generally
descending
melody. While the right hand plays simple chords and notes on the main beats, the
left hand continues its gentle syncopation on the dissonant chord. After the verse
begins, the chord finally changes and loses its dissonant character, but the low
bass note remains the same. The middle note of the chord moves down, then back up,
then gradually down.
0:26 [m. 11]--From the third line, preceded by a two-measure bridge, the bass note
begins to oscillate, at first only moving a half-step above the previously constant
low note, but gradually incorporating a few other notes. From this point, the bass
is no longer in chords and consists of single notes and octaves, but the
syncopated,
constant reiterations on beats 3 and 6 remain. Lines three and four are
identically
set and move to the remote key of C-flat major, but line five, in a slow descent,
comes back to the territory of the home key, while avoiding a full close there.
The target key is the same pitch (E-flat) as the pervasive bass notes of the
opening.

0:55 [m. 23]--At the point of the cadence, the unstable dominant seventh chords
from
the beginning return, as does the music of the introduction. It leads to the
actual
refrain (lines 6-8 of the stanza). The voice echoes the piano’s rising line, after
which the piano left hand again moves to other chords and the right hand rises
higher.
The following line is a downward near inversion of the first line, again with a
slightly dissonant fourth note suggesting the key of D-flat. Rising still higher,
the piano becomes somewhat excited.
1:17 [m. 33]--The last line again abandons chords in favor of octaves in the left
hand. It is a descending figure, set higher than the preceding line and moving
down
entirely by steps and toward G-flat. The following bridge is quite static and
begins
to settle down. The line is repeated a bit lower, starting on a long note held
over
a bar line and moving home to A-flat. It includes an extra reiteration of the word
“ewig” and an even longer note on the word “bin.” This descending figure leads to
the first full cadence in the home key. Only at the point of that cadence is the
constant syncopated rhythm in the left hand finally abandoned.
1:37 [m. 41]--An extremely tender, rocking interlude begins with the vocal cadence
and firmly (and finally) establishes the home key while leading to the next
strophe.
The bass, moving between higher chords or fifths and low octaves, is no longer
syncopated.

1:59 [m. 49]--Stanza (Strophe) 2. The syncopation in the bass is now replaced by
oscillating chords and single notes in both hands (the right hand usually has a
rest
before each group until the third line, where it introduces chords and vocal line
doubling). The structure of the vocal line is similar to that of strophe 1 with
some rhythmic variation, but the keys are different. It begins in the key of F
minor
(relative to A-flat), moving to G-flat major in the second line and back to F minor
in the third. The fourth line reaches a half-cadence in E-flat minor (relative to
G-flat major, just heard). A shift to major in line 5 (which now moves upward
before
leaping downward), leads to the same cadence on the note E-flat and a return to the
refrain.
2:40 [m. 67]--The refrain is virtually the same as at 0:55 [m. 23], with a nearly
identical vocal line and right hand. Even the left hand introduces the same
harmonies
as before (including the pervasive dominant seventh at the beginning), as well as
the former syncopation. The difference is that the chords of the left hand are now
broken, in keeping with the oscillating motion of the preceding music. Now the
left
hand plays on beats 2, 3, 5, and 6, holding one or two notes over the strong beats,
1 and 4. This pattern continues throughout the refrain. Obviously the words are
different, and the rhythm is slightly altered to match the declamation.
3:01 [m. 77]--The last line is one syllable longer than that of stanza 1 at 1:17
[m. 33], so on its second repetition, no word is reiterated. Instead, the first
word “ich” is stretched over two notes. The first syllable of “Wächter” gets the
long note.
3:20 [m. 85]--The tender interlude from 1:37 [m. 41] is repeated, but with flowing
broken chords in the left hand.
3:39 [m. 93]--Stanza (Strophe) 3. Very suddenly, the tempo speeds up (“Animato”)
and the music is strikingly bumped up a half-step to A major (complete with a key
signature change to three sharps). The accompaniment is now upward-thrusting
arpeggios,
which give way to wave-like figures in the left hand under right hand chords
playing
with the first two lines and also bridging them. These are quite different from
their settings in the first two stanzas, and consist of forward-thrusting, leaping
lines that finally settle at the end of line 2 with a repetition of “du stiller.”

3:51 [m. 100]--The thrusting arpeggios return for the last two lines and remain in
force through the rest of the stanza and most of the refrain. The top voice of the
piano, after a one-bar anticipation, doubles the voice in line 3, then diverges.
The settings of lines 3-5 return to the familiar descending lines of the first two
verses. Line 3 shifts dramatically to the bright C major, leaving it to line 4
(where
the key signature changes back to 4 flats) to return home to A-flat major. Line
5 is more decorative and set higher than in the first two verses, but comes to the
same cadence on the note E-flat as before.
4:07 [m. 111]--The final statement of the refrain continues the animated motion of
the preceding verse. The former syncopated block chords (including the dissonant
dominant seventh) are now rolled upward in the pattern of the preceding music. The
piano line, imitated by the voice, retains the same outline and shape. The rhythm
is more animated to accommodate the wordier text of these lines. Before the
repetition
of the last line, the thrusting arpeggios become slower and more stretched out, and
the music becomes softer. That repetition (which reiterates the words “zum
Schlummer”)
returns to the quiet character of the first two verses as it reaches its cadence.

4:40 [m. 129]--In a sort of “coming around full circle,” the tender interlude, now
a postlude, returns to the left hand syncopation of the opening (2 notes, often
octaves,
played on beats 3 and 6). In its first two statements, the left hand rhythm had
not been syncopated. Since strophe 3 had mostly straight rhythm, even in the
refrain,
this postlude seems to be a bit of a role reversal and helps to close and unify the
song. It is only briefly extended and stretched for the final chords, the left
hand
remaining syncopated until the end. Brahms indicated that it should gradually and
steadily slow down, since the animated tempo of strophe 3 is still in force as it
begins.
5:25--END OF SONG [138 mm.]

BOOK IV:
10. Verzweiflung--“So tönet denn, schäumende Wellen” (Despair--“Resound, then,
foaming
waves”). Allegro. Expanded ternary form (AA’BA). C MINOR, 3/4 time (Low key A
minor).
A raven flies off with the three rings while Magelone sleeps and, trying to recover
them when they fall into the sea, Peter is blown far from shore in a small boat;
he sings this song.

German Text:
So tönet denn, schäumende Wellen,
Und windet euch rund um mich her!
Mag Unglück doch laut um mich bellen,
Erbost sein das grausame Meer!

Ich lache den stürmenden Wettern,

Verachte den Zorngrimm der Flut;
O, mögen mich Felsen zerschmettern!
Denn nimmer wird es gut.

Nicht klag’ ich, und mag ich nun scheitern,

Im wäßrigen Tiefen vergehn!
Mein Blick wird sich nie mehr erheitern,
Den Stern meiner Liebe zu sehn.

So wälzt euch bergab mit Gewittern,

Und raset, ihr Stürme, mich an,
Daß Felsen an Felsen zersplittern!
Ich bin ein verlorener Mann.

English Translation

0:00 [m. 1]--The piano introduction sets up the character of the song. The fast,
turbulent arpeggio and scale figures of the right hand are played against starkly
syncopated octaves in the left.
0:06 [m. 5]--Stanza 1 (A). While remaining agitated and intense, the piano
arpeggios
become quieter and basically only move upward now, while the left hand usually
plays
after the beats. The first line of the stanza is a rather broad, arching phrase.
After another measure echoing the end of the phrase, the second line is sung to
a similar, but less arching phrase that ventures harmonically toward B minor. The
second line is repeated to another similar, downward moving phrase, without the
one-measure
break and moving back home harmonically.
0:20 [m. 15]--The third line introduces a new rhythmic figure in triplets, heard
in full chord harmony and bass octaves in the piano, and then taken up by the
voice.
The line is set twice to a pair of two-measure phrases (shorter than those of the
first two lines), the second higher than the first. The triplet rhythm continues
in the piano under the last line, which is stretched to five measures by a longer-
breathed
descending line and the punctuating repetition at the cadence of the words “das
grausame
Meer.” (under which the triplets slow down to “straight” rhythm).
0:34 [m. 23]--At the vocal cadence, the piano introduction is repeated with the
left
hand syncopation placed in a higher octave and sounding somewhat more mild.
0:38 [m. 27]--Stanza 2 (A’)--The stanza is an abbreviated version of stanza 1. The
first two lines are set to two-measure phrases similar to the third line of stanza
1, with the triplet figures in the voice. The piano, however, continues with the
faster figures in regular rhythm rather than introducing the full chord harmony
heard
at 0:20. The stanza suggests the key of F minor for these two lines.
0:44 [m. 31]--The third line is set in a very similar manner to that of stanza 1,
and with similar harmony, but it is not repeated at the higher level. The setting
of the fourth line begins like the third-line repetition in stanza 1, but quickly
turns to the music of that stanza’s fourth line and is the same length. The stanza
effortlessly moves to the same ending and cadence as stanza 1. Because line four
is shorter in this verse, the words “denn nimmer” are repeated at first, and then
the entire line is stated again.
0:55[m. 37]--The music of the introduction is heard again, this time with the hands
reversed, the running arpeggios and scales in the left and the syncopated octaves
in the right. It begins as an exact reversal, but as the original ending
approaches,
it is changed and extended for a modulation to a new key, with the running figures
remaining in the left hand. The music becomes quiet as the key changes.
1:04 [m. 43]--Stanza 3 (B)--This verse is quieter and more restrained. The piano
left hand moves in smooth triplet-rhythm arpeggios while the right remains in the
regular straight (duple) rhythm. The vocal line, entering after two measures, is
slower moving and is characterized by “sigh” figures. The stanza opens in the dark
key of A-flat minor (but with the four-flat key signature of A-flat major).
1:18 [m. 51]--From the third line, the stanza moves to major, initially suggesting
D-flat, but then approaching a cadence back in A-flat. The third line is very
expressive
and more hopeful, including a sustained, rising vocal line. The fourth line
transfers
the triplets to the right hand, harmonizing above the voice. The “straight”
rhythm
moves to the left hand with distinct climbing figures The singer descends and
settles
before the piano slows down and moves to the implied (and aborted) cadence.
1:37 [m. 58]--The agitated music and tempo of the introduction suddenly return.
It is similar to the previous statements, but it begins in A-flat and must move
back
home to C minor. It is extended by a measure, maximizing the tension before the
return of the A music.
1:44 [m. 64]--Stanza 4 (A)--The music is virtually identical to that of stanza 1
with minor adjustments for textual declamation.
1:57 [m. 73]--The third line introduces the rhythmic triplet figure, as at 0:20 [m.
15]. The pattern of text repetition is the same, with the words “ein verlorener
Mann” repeated at the end.
2:13 [m. 81]--At the final vocal cadence, the introduction music is heard a last
time, with the arpeggios now extended higher and then reaching to the lowest
register
of the keyboard, slowing as a final, emphatic chord is approached.
2:31--END OF SONG [84 mm.]

11. “Wie schnell verschwindet so Licht als Glanz” (“How quickly disappear light
and radiance”). Etwas langsam (Rather slowly). Modified strophic form with bridge
(AA’[B]A”A’). F MINOR, 3/8 time (Also F minor in low key edition). [Later title:
Trauer (Grief)].
Magelone rides on sadly and goes to live in the hut of an old shepherd and his
wife;
she sings this song.

German Text:
Wie schnell verschwindet
So Licht als Glanz,
Der Morgen findet
Verwelkt den Kranz,

Der gestern glühte

In aller Pracht,
Denn er verblühte
In dunkler Nacht.

Es schwimmt die Welle

Des Lebens hin,
Und färbt sich helle,
Hat’s nicht Gewinn;

Die Sonne neiget,

Die Röte flieht,
Der Schatten steiget
Und Dunkel zieht.

So schwimmt die Liebe

Zu Wüsten ab,
Ach, daß sie bliebe
Bis an das Grab!