Franz Liszt Nocturne 3 Liebesträume
Franz Liszt Nocturne 3 Liebesträume
Franz Liszt Nocturne 3 Liebesträume
Liebesträume
II:
Liebesträume
In German: Dream of love. Originally were planned as lieds for voice and piano on poems by
Ludwig Uhland and Ferdinand Freiligrath. In 1850 both versions (3 lieds and 3 transcription
for piano solo) were published.
Two poems by Uhland and last by Freiligrath represent 3 forms of love. "Hohe Liebe" -
exalted religious love, "Gestorben war ich" - erotic love, "O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst" -
unconditional mature love.
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocturne
- Oxford History of Western Music: Richard Taruskin, Chapter 2 Private Music : Music in the
Nineteenth Century
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_music_terminology
III:
Nocturne №3
Liebesträume Analyse
Thema aappears 6 times during the piece. They have a similar melodic material, but they
are not completely identical. In section B thema ais in B major and melody takes place
above accompaniment arpeggio figurations and harmonic progression becomes more rich
what makes thema amore energetic. In sections A and A’ themaais more calm and lyric.
Thema b
appears 2 times. Like theme a, balso has similar melodic material and
transformations.
bis longer than a, has pathetical declamation character (bpoco cresc. ed
agitato
,b’
Appassionato assai ), has modulations. Bothbleads toCadenzas. Codais only
place where arpeggio figurations replaced by vertical chords, which gives choral character.
V.A.C - Volkomen authentieke cadens (perfect authentic cadence)
P.C - Plagal cadence
a’ (mm7-12)
Has same harmony as a
, but melody reaches accented fa in bar10 and in dynamic cresc in
bar 7-8. French augmented sixth chord in bar 8.
b (mm13-24)
Poco cresc. ed agitato(gradually getting louder and agitated). Harmony starts to change
more frequently (mm20-23 every half bar). bcontains a lot of mol-dur S and II chords,
modulations (mm15-16 Cmajor, mm17-19 Emajor, mm20-23asminor) and leads to 1st
Cadenza (m25). Dynamic and melody line growing to bar 17 (reaching E major) and then
going down trough harmonic play between VI6 in E major and D, II in as minor. In
modulation to minor T Liszt is enharmonising chords (1st chord in bar 20(D53 for III in E
major = D53 in as minor) is harmonicaly equal to 1st chord in bar 21). In bar 23 appears
descending part of as minor scale without arpeggios figurations, what makes it sounds more
like dramatic recitative/declamation.
Cadenza
Virtuous passage goes up and then back down, preparing for new tonality
(
fa
♭-mi♭=
mi-re#).
B B major, C major, E major, As major, modulations
a’’
(mm26-31)
Melody now placed above figurations. Tonality changed to Bmajor. Character Piu animato
con passione More animated with passion). Harmony changes mostly one time per bar.
(
Arpeggio figurations now in both stuff lines.
a’’’
(mm32-37)
Harmony is changing every half bar. In 2nd half of bar 33 appears chord which can be
interpreted Cmajor as II43 with altered 1,3,5 (DD43) or as German augmented sixth chord.
a’’’modulates from Bmajor to
Cmajor. In the bass line there is descending movement:
si-la#-la-la♭-sol(mm32-34) and then sol is bass for 3 more bars, which reinforces the
attraction to D7 in bar 36. Dynamic is growing from bar 32 tofortein bar 35. In bar 36
melody is doubled with octaves.
b’
(mm38-58)
b’
contains climax of the piece. Arpeggio figurations are larger and more various. Melody is
doubled with chords and octaves. Bass line has octaves too. Sempre stringendo(alway gets
gradually faster). Theme b’develops and variates (appears more accents, rhythm changes
(mm52-55), contains some motives of athemes (e.g. mm43-46 has similar motive to
mm29-31).
b’starts in Cmajor and then modulates to Emajor (bar41). In 2nd half of bar 48 again
appears German augmented sixth chord. In this bar Liszt also enharmonizes sol#with la♭
and gets back to As
major. D7 in bar 58 is anticipated by Miin bass line in previous bars
(mm51,53,56-58)
Dynamic riches ff (bar 41). Remarks are changing on the way to culmination fromSempre
più rinforzando(always more reinforce), Appassionato assai(Very passionate) to affrettando
(hurrying). b’gains more and more energy and reaches climax (also highest note of the
piece) of the piece in bar 58 and Cadenza 2
Cadenza 2
Virtuous passage forms two descending waves. They dissipate all the intense energy of
climax. At second wave appears remark leggiero (Lightly, delicately)
A’ As major
a’’’’
(mm60-65)
Theme has same harmony as a, but melody voice stays above figurations. In beginning of
piece remark was Dolce cantabile, but now it is Dolce armonioso (Harmoniously sweetly)
and Liszt adds two chords on 3rd and 4th beat.
a’’’’’
(mm66-75)
ais prolonged in its last appearance. All a theme before where six bars long and theme a’’’’’
is 10 bars. Melody is slowing down (in bar 70 poco a poco rit. and even moreritenutoand
pui smorzando(Extinguishing or dampening; usually interpreted as a drop in dynamics, and
very often in tempo as well) in bar 74)
Coda(mm76-84)
Arpeggios figurations disappear and vertical chords take place which gives choral character.
There can be hear echo with a’’’’’(mm69-71 in melody do-fa, si♭-mi♭and in mm76-79
upper voice of chords also do-fa, si♭-mi♭). Liszt also plays with harmony in bar 78. Instead
of exact harmony copy in sequence he replaces DD43 with French augmented sixth chord.
In bar 80 appears Neapolitan sixth chord. Miin bass of bar 81 anticipating D7 in 2nd half of
the bar. After T in bar 82 composer plays with middle voices, creating DD with altered S
function and mol-dur S.