English Language, Literature & Culture

2020; 5(1): 13-24

http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ellc
doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20200501.12
ISSN: 2575-2367 (Print); ISSN: 2575-2413 (Online)

Vocal Piano Accompaniment: A Constant Research

Towards Emancipation (1)
Jose Maria Peñalver Vilar1, Luis Valles Grau2
1
Education and Specific Didactics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain
2
Music Department, Valencian International University, Valencia, Spain

Email address:

To cite this article:

Jose Maria Peñalver Vilar, Luis Valles Grau. Vocal Piano Accompaniment: A Constant Research Towards Emancipation (1). English
Language, Literature & Culture. Vol. 5, No. 1, 2020, pp. 13-24. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20200501.12

Received: November 19, 2019; Accepted: January 13, 2020; Published: January 31, 2020

Abstract: This article represents the first one in a series of two that investigate the evolution of vocal piano
accompaniment through history and the role of the piano in its relationship with the voice. The research method used is
musical analysis focused on the piano part, both in itself and its link with the text and the vocal part. The research
method used is musical analysis centred on the piano part, both in itself and its link with the text and the vocal part.
Initially, some preliminary questions necessary to establish a starting point around the piano accompaniment are
addressed. Then, by means of musical examples of different composers following a chronological order, the article
investigates all those aspects that provide evidence of the change in the role of the piano in the correspondence between
the piano and the voice. In this way we will observe the trajectory of piano accompaniment to the voice and we will see
how Schubert conceived the piano in vocal works with piano accompaniment. This new conception will influence both
contemporary and later composers. The treatment of this influence will be dealt with in the second article. In the present
article we will establish the basis of the functioning of piano accompaniment in compositions prior to Schubert, starting
from the Ancient Italian aria (the beginnings of piano accompaniment) to his first lieder. We will observe the different
dialogue between voice and piano that starts from the dependence of the piano in the beginnings towards its participation
in the final result of the work with a decisive role. Schubert will articulate this drift, as will be seen. However, the results
and conclusions, taking into account the whole evolutionary perspective of piano accompaniment, will be presented in
the second article.
Keywords: Piano, Music, Accompaniment, Voice, Schubert

1. Introduction
2. Preliminary Issues
With the help of a theoretical framework and the
exemplification of scores we can see how it has evolved The instrumental accompaniment in its most universal
the voice’s piano accompaniment. Throughout two articles concept can be defined as "harmonic support or supplement
we will see how the conception of the piano in its that provides a solo instrument defined; such an instrument
participation in voice-piano duo suffered, with Franz and soloist can be both instruments, vocals and dance" [1].
Schubert, a turning point that marked his future. To do this To find the germ of pianistic accompaniment we must go
we would like to start this article explaining what the back to the birth of the piano as an instrument, located
practice’s accompaniment is because it will help to around 1700 with Bartolomeo Cristofori as the inventor [2].
understand its historical evolution in relation to the song. However, we will see how the piano assumed roles
The results and conclusions will be presented in the previously performed by other instruments such as the
following article. harpsichord, the lute or the organ, which is where we can find
the origins of the accompaniment.
During its evolution, the piano accompaniment served to
14 Jose Maria Peñalver Vilar and Luis Valles Grau: Vocal Piano Accompaniment: A Constant Research Towards Emancipation (1)

two different functions that are still in force nowadays: same function were subjected to a major voice or soloist,
i. Melodic conception, which originates and adapts the there will be no such classification between primary and
chords to the melody. The most prominent genres of secondary with chamber music, but both sides will be formed
this origin are the Lied, the Baroque Sonata, and the with an equal rank. It was originated approximately 1500
Classical Sonata, with Renaissances’ “madrigales”, and then with a work of
ii. Harmonic conception, that improvises melodies on Martin Peerson called Mottects or Grave Chamber Musique
preset harmonic schemes. Characterizes the varied (1630) [1], melodies to 5 parts. This English term gave rise to
genres (Chaconne, Passacaglia, Folia, Variations) and the name and the origin of the Chamber Music, and it was a
jazz. very important form and a style for the pianistic
However, melody and harmony are interactive relationship accompaniment.
influence each other. Proof of this is for example the fact Until the basso’s continuo decline, improvisation played a
that, in the variations, the melodic pattern can cause changes key role in the accompaniment. Since then, it had been
in the harmonic scheme. In parallel, classical melody fits the restricted to classical music in a few fields, primarily the
chord’s functional order. organ accompaniment for congregational singing, in which
Historically, previous to Baroque art styles, we locate the improvisation was sometimes very elaborate. In folk and
origin of the musical accompaniment in the birth of music, popular music, the accompaniment was often improvised,
instrumental music and musical notation. On the one hand, it although some groups make use of written arrangements.
is known that in the east, the Sumerians, the existence of There are a centuries tradition of providing accompaniments
harps accompanying dirges and hymns to the gods’ cultures. compounds for folk songs in which not only the works of
On the other hand, in Greece it is known that the aulos or composers like Haydn and Ives, but also what today are
zither accompanied the melody (aulodia and citarodia). It considered blundering efforts of some collectors of the
was a melody redoubled with an instrument. It is the form of nineteenth and twentieth centuries include. In some non-
accompanying monody origin of the Gregorian chant, the Western music, heterophony is an accompaniment’s
troubadours and the opera as we know it today. In the same prominent feature.
way in Rome they appeared the “ioculatores”, musicians who In the pianos’ and the voices’ relation, we have to go back
accompanied the dances. All these examples are samples of to the origin of music. Speaking of this relationship is
accompanyiment where the concept is subject to accompany speaking of the relationship between poetry and music. This
a primary function or solo. link goes back to the ancient Greece, where musiké was the
In the middle ages there were two figures who used the art of the muses and whereas the name of music [1] come
instrumental accompaniment: the minstrels and the from. Muses, in the mythical stories, were nine, and they
troubadours. The first minstrels are an evolution of the were related to activities such as poetry, history, tragedy,
jongleurs, who were the musicians responsible for providing comedy or dance. This is because all these activities
instrumental accompaniment to the troubadours. We know encompassed under the concept of musiké, thus comprising
that they existed in the thirteenth century, while the music, poetry (lyrical, epic and dramatic) and dance. Music
troubadours appeared in the eleventh century. This musical then, was for the ancient Greeks an activity much more
support was always improvised redoubling the main melody. diverse than it is in our culture. This perfect balance between
The instruments used most frequently were the harp, the text and music was transferred in spirit until the middle ages,
“viela” [3] and the lyre. Later troubadours accompanied as it is evidenced by the monodia, in the Gallican liturgical,
themselves with musical instruments, relegating the Gregorian chants and Ambrosiano, and by the secular and
minstrels. We owe the immense legacy of the Cantigas of jugglers, the Minnesänger.
Alfonso X the Wise, whose vocals are accompanied by Throughout history, the Lied played a key role in the
instruments, to the troubadours. relationship between the piano and the voice. We establish
We also have news of instrumental accompaniment with through the following Lied’s definitions, a starting point in
lute, rebec, flute, tambourine and drum forms like the nawba, the historical trajectory of this relationship:
the zéjel or the maquam, in Andalusian music. All these 1. "This word refers actually to the musical adaptation of
forms are danced forms. So instrumental accompaniment not a poem, for one voice with accompaniment, usually
only is provided accompanying the voice, but also the dance. piano, orchestra sometimes." [4]
Polyphonic chansons of the fourteenth and fifteenth 2. "Properly it means song, and as such was used in
centuries often contain voices which seem more instrumental Germany long before the nineteenth century. However,
voices than vocal ones. Similarly, in the XVI century they outside Germany, it has usually encompassed within
occasionally used instruments to reinforce or replace some of this name an intimate song to be sung by a voice with
the singers in the polyphonies of equal voices. piano accompaniment, without vowels sensationalism,
The appearance of chamber music took place about the but with an artistic height. Its music and poetry
same time. This artistic expression is fundamental to intertwine". [5]
understanding the evolution of piano accompaniment. The 3. "[...] original song, written to be sung by one person,
role of the piano accompaniment undergoes a transformation composed with an artistic ambition, but with an
with it. If a few lines above we saw how the origins of the intimate style, devoid of vocal theatricality, and in
 English Language, Literature & Culture 2020; 5(1): 13-24 15

which poetry and music are completely melted, music equated to song. It adds an intimate character without vocal
is serving poetry, not the other way. It reinforces its effects, it tries to differentiate it from other genres, and it
accompanying stresses and squeezes the expression of locates it historically in the nineteenth century. It maintains
the sung word”. [6] vocal and pianistic features, but applying the adjective
4. "German word [...] designating a short work and that 'artistic' to it. This term can be ambiguous, but it adds a
can be translated as a song”. [7] particular quality. In the third, we continue with the artistic
5. "A German poem, usually lyrical and strophic; also a and intimate vocal song with piano accompaniment, but it
song that has a poem such as text; more commonly, a places the emphasis on poetry-music fusion, with the music
solo for voice and piano accompaniment in German- serving to poetry. The second definition referred already to it,
speaking countries during the Classical and the but this one gives to a greater importance. On the other hand,
Romantic eras; more broadly, any song that starts from it specifies the function of the accompaniment, although it
a German poetic text to speech alone or voice/s with does not appear space-time located. The following definition
tool/s. In German, Lied as a musical term means any refers just to the song, by the nickname of 'short'. It is so brief
song (EG, folk, work, kids, politics), while in other that it does not match the term, although it is the first one
languages the term lied usually refers to the "concert’s describing its duration. The fifth definition is a little more
song" or to the German’s "cult song" (Kunstlied) of the extensive, and apart from talking about the song, it specifies
nineteenth and the ends of the eighteenth centuries, a its structure, the vocal character with piano accompaniment,
poem with literary pretensions set to music by a the artistic intent and for the first time it mentions both the
composer”. [8] geographical place of origin, Germany, and the fact of that it
6. "A song in German language”. [9] can be made extensible to other places. Conversely, it does
7. "Vocal and instrumental genre vowel with a wide not talk about its extension or the qualities of the
variety of music, performing, literary content and accompaniment. The following definition is analogous to the
construction forms”. [10] fourth, concise referring to the song, to its geographical
8. "[...] the term Lied applies especially to the vocal location and it does not require other descriptions we have
compositions about Germans poetic texts for one voice been telling. The seventh definition incorporates the 'gender'
with piano accompaniment, with an intimate tone, in in its definition and it leaves its description very open, at both
which the character of the text is closely linked to vocally and instrumentally circumscribe, and by granting a
music and in which vocal theatricality that are specific wide variety of forms, but in another sense it does not
of genres such as opera or cantata are avoided”. [11] provide other data like the source or the temporary location.
9. "In its specific sense, in the generic one it is Then the following two definitions does not present new
synonymous with" song "- it designates a poetic text, information, they just make a collection of the others we’ve
usually without choruses and with a strophic structure, seen before, but it locates the birth in Germany and compare
perfectly fused with a melody and with an it with other vocal genres such as the opera or the cantata. In
individualizing geographical note of being born and addition, the ninth does not mention that it is a song with
flourished in German language and in Germanic piano accompaniment. The tenth focuses on an historical
lands”. [12] level, doing a brief tour, and getting round the musical
10. "German word meaning" song ", whose use became characteristics. The eleventh itself defines the lieder from
widespread in the fifteenth century. The term Gesang, both literary and musical views, but it narrows that
which also means "song" (as in Meistergesang, the art definition, IE, it does not say whether if it is vocal, or with
of the Meistersinger), was used less frequently. Lieder piano accompaniment, or the origins’ place. In the last one,
had its golden age in the nineteenth century with making an effort to synthesize, it defines the word about the
composers as Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Wolf German song for voice and piano based on a poem. It gives
as the supreme masters of the genre”. [3] us the information, but it does not develop anymore.
11. "It means, from the texts’ point of view, a poem with Once brought all these definitions, we extract from them
stanzas of the same structure (number of lines and lieds’ spatiotemporal location, its structure, its literary
syllables), and from the musical point of view, the relationship, its vocal performance and the nature of its
setting sounds of a strophic text of this nature”. [13] accompaniment. We think that the meaning of lieder its
12. "Characteristic song of German Romanticism, written defined in this way, while we consider that all these sources
for voice and piano, and whose letter is a lyric poem”. have provided us the necessary data to clarify the meaning of
[14] lieder. In our opinion, the compendium of all of them brings
With these twelve definitions we can get an idea of the us closer to the lieds’ reality, although there have been some
meaning of lieder throughout the history of music. Now, we of them overly terse or focused on just one aspect, providing
are going to consider the differences between them. The first insufficient. However, thanks to the variety of consulted
emphasizes vocal adaptation of a poem with accompaniment, sources, the reader can make up their own mind, and we can
pianos’ or orchestras’. It clearly defines the framework in also issue our own definition: "Song performed by one or
which the Lied develops, but it does not locate it more voices in German language, with piano or orchestra
geographically or temporally. In the second, we found it accompaniment, as a result of the musical adaptation of a
16 Jose Maria Peñalver Vilar and Luis Valles Grau: Vocal Piano Accompaniment: A Constant Research Towards Emancipation (1)

poem. The voice, usually alone, does not have the virtuosic closed in part to the musical interest of these and other
characteristics of opera, but rather a reserved character. The composers, made this genre born with a high intensity in the
accompaniment, usually pianos’ one, plays an important role German geographical area.
in the conception of the work. Structurally it has usually a
binary or ternary form ABA', but it can also be arranged 3. Examples
freely. He had its splendor in the nineteenth century with
composers such as Schubert or Schumann, but it has an In the centuries before Schubert, before the eighteenth
anterior and a posterior trajectory. In other countries it was century, two fundamental themes have always prevailed in
later developed a similar way, but in their own languages. sung music: love and God. These themes have been present
This is the case of the Spanish song or mélodiefrançaise". in all artistic movements, giving music a significance that the
We will develop the theme setting our starting point word cannot reach. In the Renaissance the appearance of the
through this definition. Lieder, as we know it today, were ancient Italian aria took place, undoubtedly of singular
originated in the German Romanticism, associating a musical importance within the production of vocal music with
expression of poetry in German language to a song to be accompaniment for keyboard instruments. In reality, this
interpreted in intimate spaces. Therefore, it is a lyrical and musical form appears in the late Renaissance, at the
strophic poem with the closest relationship between music beginning of the Baroque, and is the most important musical
and poetry. It was left off in that situation by Schubert, form that incorporates a part of accompaniment. It is for this
because he was who exalted and gave birth to this genre, reason that it serves us both as the beginning of piano
belittled before him and culturally appreciated thereafter. The accompaniment and as a bridge to link with the Baroque and
brevity of form is a feature, the renunciation of belcanto’s the basso continuo.
virtuosity and the strong influence of German’s folk song.
These are the characteristics that distinguish it from the aria 3.1. Ancient Aria
or the romance. In Non posso disperar of Sergio de Luca, appears the
Lied’s flowering develops in Vienna in the nineteenth imitative and canonical style that will exploit the Baroque.
century, partly due to the emergence and the abundance of The text deals with love, as is customary in all works of this
German lyric poetry and other technical development of the time. The character is at all times languid and expressive. In
pianoforte. Poetry, through sung music, brought all the this work we see different types of accompaniment. On the
romantic spirit, putting its emphasis on nature and humanism. one hand, there is the mentioned imitative style with four
The pianoforte, as music representative, gave enough sonic voices, on the other hand the accomplishment of placated
versatility, making it a participant in the musical work, chords and later it redoubles the main melody together with
expression of emotions and leaving aside the previous the harmony of the rest of voices. The introduction is carried
stereotype to serve the romanzas’ style with no greater out by the voice, to which the accompaniment answers the
purpose than filling sound. The intellectual man of the next beat. We see how the role of dialogue between voice and
nineteenth century is essentially introspective, finding in the piano is gradually being established. As a chorale, the
Lied the perfect expressive channel to canalize his emotions keyboard instrument responds to three voices in a vertical
arising from himself and from his relationship with nature. texture. The next voice input is followed by the
Further, the german accent being usually put in the first accompaniment with alternating chords. This approach will
syllable1, turns it an excellent language to add music, taking give the score another rhythmic air. We present, therefore, the
advantage of that accent the first beat of each measure. first example in which in the same work there is a contrast of
Therefore, a particular symbiosis between poetry and music accompaniments and therefore of directionalities. This
was established, only seen in the last few recent years of the alternating arrangement will only last two bars, but it serves
Italian Renaissance madrigal. as a starting point to establish that the keyboard instrument is
Poetry was capable of being adapted to the nationalist already beginning to collaborate in the dynamics of the work.
expression, as well as social aspirations with both religious Finally, we would like to point out that, within one or another
and secular themes. Lied has the capacity to accommodate accompaniment pattern, the accompanying instrument in
these features in the voice and the piano, and it represented very specific moments redoubles the melody, a fact that we
the most romantic exponent by combining styles and themes saw in the first example. These are passages like that of
of the opera, the cantata, the oratorio and the popular song. measures 8 to 14. At that moment, the voice is repeating the
The transformation which caused the Lied, occurred due to text of the first two verses. He had presented them in one
the revival of the German lyrical poetry, which was based on way and now he interprets them in another way, giving
the single, solitary and universal expression themed focused variety to the result.
on nature and love. Goethe primarily, but also Müller, Heine The interior and final interlude functions as a tutti, with
and others inspired many important contemporary composers octaves for both the low and high parts and for the variation
such as Beethoven, Schubert or Schumann. The resurgence, of the main melody interpreted by the accompaniment. This
characteristic of melodic variation will be observed from this
1 For example, in the words ‘Tage’ or ‘Liebe’, ‘day’ and ‘love’ respectively, it is point onward. The idea of dialogue with the orchestra can be
accented on the first syllable. considered, even if it is in the solos of the keyboard
 English Language, Literature & Culture 2020; 5(1): 13-24 17

instrument. When this instrument accompanies the voice, it

still has a very secondary role.

Figure 3. Measures 25 and 26.

Figure 1. Measures 56 and 57.

Otherwise, the harmonic turn at Bb major of measure 28 is

Structurally it has the same ternary structure as the other
surprising. In full harmonic play, the next bar places us in G
two examples, but harmoniously there is a greater variety.
minor, but its resolution ends with the natural if. Therefore,
The reference tonality is E minor, but colors are already
we have the natural Bb-si chromatism. Subsequently, in
observed within it. The insinuations to G major in measure 6
measure 31, it modulates B minor and maintains it for the rest
or to C major in measure 8, give melodic versatility. The
of this second part. Nevertheless, he continues to play again
harmony is completely carried by the accompaniment, but it
with the chromatisms and on this occasion he alternates the
gives this richer coloring than if it is harmonized only in E
natural C#-do, that is to say, lowering or not the second
minor. There, with the help of the redoubling of the
degree of the B minor scale. At the end of this section in B
accompanying part, it begins modulating a C major, passing
minor, it is the voice that starts again in the same way as at
through B minor to the next bar, modulating a G major in bar
the beginning.
11 and returning to E minor in bar 12. In this bar 12 there is
We see how this example has more features than the
another internal modulation of the minor that finally resolves
previous ones. We think that by showing this evolution we
to G major in bar 13.
can clearly appreciate the evolution of the keyboard
accompaniment. The melody reaches its climax in the second
part in B minor, the dominant one. With a much wider
tessitura and much more varied colors than before, we find
echoes and a high expressive content, in contrast to the
previous greater homogeneity. Rhythmically, the voice is
more regular, since it maintains the declamatory style that
corresponds to the period and only some accents in syncopes
and some semiquavers stand out as a resolution of a quaver
with dots. The syncopes appear in the second part,
specifically from measure 28, an instant that also coincides
with the greatest harmonic instability.

Figure 2. Measure 9.

As we see, this second part of the first stanza has been

especially modulating. Although they have all been
neighboring tonalities, this richness brings greater variety to
the work, and it is the accompaniment that is in charge of
presenting them. To conclude, he returns to the initial theme
in E minor and ends this first part.
The second part begins in G major, and the imitative Figure 4. Measures 28 to 30.
character is still valid, now even more shelled, as the voice
begins, the bass enters and finally the right hand. In this On the other hand, we can find the semiquavers in more
second part there is a very relevant fact for our investigation. bars, as for example in the 9th, but always as anticipation of
The dialogue established between the voice and the bass the later resolution and end of phrase. For the rest, the
between measures 25 and 26 will set a precedent as a melody keeps a declamatory character, with a continuity only
resource to be used later. In this case, the duetto a terceras modified by the different accompaniment patterns. This set of
and the opposite movement that takes place bring a new peculiarities makes us anticipate the peculiarities that we will
sonority to the work. distinguish in the following styles.
18 Jose Maria Peñalver Vilar and Luis Valles Grau: Vocal Piano Accompaniment: A Constant Research Towards Emancipation (1)

3.2. Classicism harmonic arpeggios become triplets. This will give rise to a
completely new sensation, because until now we moved in
Subsequently, the vocal piano accompaniment in the 18th binary rhythm and in major mode.
century will witness the progress of the piano as an
instrument and the development of the lied as a form,
because although it was born in the Baroque as we have just
seen, it is now in Classicism where its consolidation begins
that Schubert will culminate and subsequent composers will
continue. The relationship between the main part and the
accompaniment tends to diversify the paths and to be
dynamically interactive. In the following example Wolfang
Amadeus Mozart will be the composer of Ariette. It is one of
the two French arias that Mozart composed during his visit to Figure 6. Measure 28.
Mannheim in 1777 and 1778. They were dedicated to
Elisabeth Augusta, daughter of the Wendling family and with Once again in another semicadence in the dominant one,
who he was in love. Both arias served as a preparatory work Mozart surprises us with a change of register, without bass,
for piano compositions such as Ah, vous dirai-je Maman K. in the middle register of the piano and in unison with the
265. The first thing you see when observing Ariette is the voice, to return to the triplets but now in a greater mode.
great variety of resources that Mozart displays. Until now, Finally, he repeats the previous phrase, but in this place with
we were used to talking about a constant type of the dominant as a note repeated in semiquavers. This note
accompaniment, at most two to contrast. In this lied we repeated as a pedal note seems to emulate the singing of a
distinguish up to six. We then give a deserved account of bird. This would be the first occasion of programmatic music
them, but first we want to highlight the inclusion in such a introduced in the accompaniment of the piano to the voice.
short work of such a variety of types of accompaniment. Its
use is not banal, it is duly justified, and it is far from frequent
to find such a variety of accompaniments with this duration
of the work. With this, Mozart also wants to convey to us that
the piano accompaniment participates in the character of the
work in a consistent way, that is to say, with what it has
within its reach it positively influences the handling of the
transmission of expressiveness.
Let's analyze the accompaniment of the score. After the
introduction, the first phrase works as a presentation, so the
piano works in a rhythmic-harmonic way, with placates
Figure 7. Measure 43.
chords’ marking the two beats of the measure. The
introduction is an original melody, unrelated to the The final coda brings the work to a conclusion just as it
subsequent melody. It is based on the perfect cadence and is began, with rhythmic placados chords and a piano ending
based on the quaver rhythm with semiquaver that we have with the same dotted rhythm as it began in the introduction,
already seen and that will continue to appear throughout the albeit with a different melody.
history of music. In the following phrase the piano already The melody is very varied rhythmically. The quaver
instills a certain movement with the arpeggio of harmony, rhythm with semiquaver contrasts with the long values. This
although this with the nuance of the anticipated bite. This game is carried out in many phrases, for example, in the first
mordente functions as a rhythmic response to the one the voice begins with the most marked rhythm and in the
semiquavers of the voice. second motif, in measure 9, it changes to black with
appoggiatura with a sharper and more expressive register.

Figure 5. Measure 11.

Once in the first semicadence in the dominant, prepares the

second with a duo with the voice, and then is where the
greatest contrast occurs. The minor mode appears and the
Figure 8. Measures 5 and 9.
 English Language, Literature & Culture 2020; 5(1): 13-24 19

In measure 16 the first triplet appears in the voice. It forms However, in measures 51 and 52 he alternates the hands to
an interesting polyrhythm with the piano that is maintained help in the crescendo and in the horizontal direction. The
one intervention plus two measures later. The first part ends voice will return to its initial quaver rhythm with semiquaver,
with a semicadence to the dominant one preceded by the the rhythm with which the lied will end the piano.
rhythm marked by quaver with semiquaver playing piano and
voice. The next phrase begins with the duetto between the
two looking for the dominant again that leads them to the
minor mode, a darker and more expressive phrase. In this
phrase they will have the two triplets, but the polyrhythm
will appear again in measure 32, where the voice presents the
quaver rhythm with semiquaver in front of the triplets. These
polyrhythms are used by Mozart to give rhythmic vitality to
the lied.

Figure 11. Measure 51.

Structurally it is delimited by the pilot whales on the

dominant ones and the repetition of the initial motif C-B that
appears in different moments of the lied.

Figure 9. Measure 32.

Once the phrase has finished in minor mode, as we have

commented, the melody returns to its initial register, but now
with the absence of the bass that does not appear until
measure 39, a moment in which the voice explores its high
and expressive register and the piano takes up the triplets
again. Again in these measures 39 and 40 the polyrhythmia
reappears. The repetition of the melody that follows in Figure 12. Measures 5 and 35.
measures 43 to 45 gives us the surprise of the right hand. The
left hand of the piano interprets the same as it did in measure The quaver rhythm with semiquaver we have also seen
35, but adds the semiquaver repetition of the dominant one in that it is a thread running through the entire lied.
the right hand imitating the bird referred to in the poem. Harmonically, as we have commented before and as we will
Finally, the resolution of the tension is balanced with eighth also see in the next lied, it is very simple: everything revolves
notes on the piano in measures 47 and 48 in the first instance around C major, except when it changes to the minor mode.
and later with placated chords marking the times of the This structural and harmonic austerity is compensated by
measure. Mozart's expressive variety in piano accompaniment.
With this lied Mozart seems to grasp the loss of innocence
suggested by the poem. These changes in register, rhythm
and color presage certain contrasts of an operatic nature that
Mozart incorporates in this work. In all his musical work
there is a continuous obsession to establish dialogues
between characters both for works composed for a single
instrument, as is the case, for piano and voice. Therefore, we
can conclude that all changes of accompaniment throughout
the work are nothing more than characters that appear in the
imagination of Mozart's sound, and therefore the piano must
transcribe using the most appropriate sound.
Beyond the specific and concrete case of this work, we
want it to transcend Mozart's conceptual intentionally. All the
Figure 10. Measures 47 and 48.
20 Jose Maria Peñalver Vilar and Luis Valles Grau: Vocal Piano Accompaniment: A Constant Research Towards Emancipation (1)

expressive journey we have made must serve to establish a imminent death. In bringing this story to his poem, Herder
precedent, that of the conceptualization of piano named his sinister king so that it sounded similar to the
accompaniment and its interference within the whole Danish original, "Ellerkang" (king of the elves). For this he
between voice and piano. It is undoubtedly a step forward in used the expression "Erlkönig", which actually means king of
this genre. alders (a type of tree) instead of "Elfenkönig" (king of elves).
Goethe only used the name already used by Herder. Goethe
3.3. Franz Schubert wrote the poem in 1782 and tells the story of a father
The following example, Der Erlkönig by Franz Schubert, horseback riding through the forest on a stormy night holding
is based on a poem by Goethe, based on a Scandinavian his dying son in his arms, as he says he sees the elf king he
legend about which Johann Gottfried von Herder had already intends to take with him.
composed a poem. The original tale narrates the terrible habit Der Erlkönig, therefore presents four characters with
of the Elf King of appearing before the living announcing his different roles:
1. a narrator presenting the father riding home with a child who is his son, in the middle of a stormy night,

Figure 13. Measures 15 to 17.

2. the father, who tries to reassure the child with a voice in the middle register,

Figure 14. Measures 37 to 39.

3. the son, frightened to death by the appearance of the king of the elves and who sings in a higher register and of
progressive intensity,

Figure 15. Measures 73 to 75.

4. and the elf king who tries to attract the child with a soft, somewhat mellow voice.
 English Language, Literature & Culture 2020; 5(1): 13-24 21

Figure 16. Measures 58 to 59.

It was composed in 1815, at a time when Schubert almost completely unaccompanied.

continues to live one of the fullest stages of his life, both In this piece for voice and piano, Schubert succeeds in
musically and personally. In that year he made contact with masterfully reflecting each of the characters that appear in
his future best friends Johann Mayrhofer, Franz von Schober the poem, giving each of them their own musical
and Anselm Hüttenbrenner, composing more than 140 lieder. characteristics, thus making it difficult for the vocal soloist to
The high quality of these songs soon made it easier for the perform, who has to display a very important expressiveness
composer to enter the halls of Viennese high society, making and ductility, as he has to reflect, at the same time, the son's
famous his musical evenings that would soon be known as growing fear, the suggestive persuasion of the Elf King, and
Schubertiadas. the restless contention of the father. The narrator begins and
The structure is very much related to the Germanic ballad ends the lied with a dramatic tone, the father requires a lower
and differs notoriously from the strophic lied due to the voice with a calming tone, the king of the elves, by means of
abrupt musical transitions that separate the different scenes. pianissimos and soft tones, must be suggestive in order to try
The voices have a declamatory or arioso character, to convince the child to go with him, and the son, as the lied
sometimes almost of spoken dialogue. These resources come advances, increases the intensity of his voice while his fear
from the influence exerted by opera, a genre that was of great increases. We must emphasize the expressiveness of the
interest to Schubert, especially to equate the lied to it. The child's scream, absolutely heartbreaking as Schubert relates.
ballad ends, as the score indicates, with a recitative phrase

Figure 17. Measures 124 to 126.

This example illustrates that the most dramatic part of the

lied is the vocal part. It is not in vain that she must dramatize
and express in the text and voice all the anguish and deep
pain of the characters. Such a dramatic poem could not be
musicalized with the resources of the conventional lied. The
artistic song created by Schubert is based not only on the
lyrical tradition but also, especially in this example, on a
dramatic tradition coming from genres such as theater and
opera. Figure 18. Measure 2.
As for the piano accompaniment, Schubert gives it the
power to provide the lied decoration. The ostinato rhythm They represent not only the gallop of the horse but also the
appears once again, on this occasion triplets of quavers, both rain and wind, described on the other hand with the
from the right hand and from the left. ascending and descending notes giving the sensation of
22 Jose Maria Peñalver Vilar and Luis Valles Grau: Vocal Piano Accompaniment: A Constant Research Towards Emancipation (1)

continuous movement and creating instability. In fact, the changing the register. However, when speaking the child
sensation of the listener at all times is the incessant speed of returns to the octaves of the right hand and the left hand
the lied, the energy of the gallop. Although this is not the establish an interesting duetto with the melody with tenths
beginning and end of the lied, this continuous movement in octaves.
the piano gives us an idea of the consideration of the piano
within the piano-voice duo, as well as Schubert's mastery of
the space-time stage. Again, as in the previous lied, we
checked the existence of both the appearance of an ostinato
rhythm, and that of the continuous composition. Except at the
end with the recitative in which the father finds his son dead,
the persistence of the ternary rhythm, whether in percussive
chords, arpeggios, alternations between hands or octaves,
produces a common thread in the story.

Figure 21. Measure 73.

This dialogue between left hand and melody will be used

in numerous occasions in the same way in other lieder. At the
end of this passage he transforms the octaves of the right
hand into percussive chords and modulates C major. We
return to the rhythm marked in black of the left hand but this
time with arpeggiated triplets of the right hand; it is the
moment of the king of the Elves.
Figure 19. Measures 146 to 148.

However, despite this union, the piano, together with the

interpretation of the voice, the piano is responsible for
framing the different changes of characters and characters, a
fact that we find even more meritorious. If we saw in the first
lied the different changes of tempo and tonalities to transform
each stanza, on this occasion we see that Schubert has
managed to establish greater compositional unity, but with an
accentuated contrast between lines, thus maintaining the
common thread of the story and the perfect emotional
description of each character without losing continuity.
Figure 22. Measure 87.
The left-hand goes from the initial independent dialogue
with the ostinato in the right hand, to the rhythmic-harmonic
We can see how it uses differentiated material for each
support of the third page, at moment the father speaks.
character from multiple points of view: harmonic, rhythmic,
melodic and piano. Little by little we will see the whole
series of Schubert's compositional resources. Many of them
will appear in one of his lieder.
The use of the tonality of G minor bathes this whole scene
with a mysterious and terrifying light until the first
intervention of the king of the elves in measure 58, where the
modulation of Bb major, relative major, dazzles us like the
sun in the snow, bringing more icy character to the scene.
Schubert becomes an artist of modulation and
theatricalization. We had already seen an example of
programmatic music in the previous example with the
ostinato of the right hand, but now it is even more evident if
it fits. All the passages are undoubtedly descriptive examples
Figure 20. Measure 58. of everything that happens in the poem, and we never cease
to be amazed at the imagination to conceive such an idea or
At the moment we have modulated to the major mode and the means to achieve such an end. The most effective
Schubert wants to give the music a more amiable tone, is moment, without considering the previous ones not very
 English Language, Literature & Culture 2020; 5(1): 13-24 23

adequate, is the end, where after having achieved all the transmitted to the listener, as it is manifested in the story and
tensions-distensions with the different accompaniments, as it seems that Schubert felt it when reading it and
rhythms and tonalities, the most absolute silence is made, composing the lied. This transmission of character, so
with a cappella recitative, the dominant chords of the characteristic of Romanticism, reaches higher heights with
dominant, dominant and minor G tonic. Absolutely Schubert, especially in his liederistic composition. Likewise,
descriptive and heartbreaking. It has prepared perfectly all this intention of transmitting character in the work as a
the moments of the work, but without a doubt this one is whole, but more specifically in the piano part, undoubtedly
valued even more with the appearance of the silence after establishes a starting point in the conception of the piano
being all the work united with the perpetual motorbike of the accompaniment to the voice.
triplets of eighth notes in its multiple forms. Within the plot it
not only makes sense but multiplies its effect. Another 4. Conclusion
example of the use of space-time and theatricalization.
At the end of the last verse, a desperate father accelerates The results and conclusions, taking into account the whole
the gallop. evolutionary perspective of piano accompaniment, will be
presented in the second article. However, we can point out
some considerations, especially those concerning the
transformation of the piano accompaniment to the voice. We
have seen the subordination in the ancient aria, we have gone
through the classicism, with its progressive incorporation to
the formation, and, finally, we have analyzed Franz
Schubert's Der Erlkönig, one of his first lieder, and in which
we can already see a great part of his idea of the piano as a
vocal accompaniment instrument.
The musicians of Romanticism were eager to break the
previous rules based on everything popular, everything that
identifies their patriotism. Let us remember that, although
Figure 23. Measure 135. Mozart or Haydn were based on balance or unity, now
Schubert is based on poetry, focusing on the piano all the
Schubert moves him to the piano, increasing his speed, weight of the liederístico drama. We have been able to verify
creating anguish, to stop him in his tracks when he arrives the extent to which the piano participates in the final result of
home and discovers his dead son. There is a terrifying the work, establishing an indissoluble union between voice
silence. This is another example of Schubert's space-time and piano and text and music. This conceptual entry of the
play. He conceives the lied as a whole, with a corpus piano into the active participation of the work will
composed of voice, text and piano, and gives the instrument undoubtedly be Schubert's main contribution in the field of
itself the capacity to dominate the scene; he includes the piano accompaniment to the voice. This milestone was
voice within the delimitation that has defined the piano, and undoubtedly achieved through the constant improvement and
this fact is undoubtedly new in the use of the piano as an stylization of expressive media. We will explain it below.
accompanying instrument. The lied is, from Schubert, the first fully developed
The rest of the lied is a continuous dialogue between romantic genre. We have already explained the gestation of
characters going through different tonalities and registers the birth of the lied, as well as the pleasant circumstance and
depending on each one of them and the moment of the scene. motifs that led to its splendid development in Vienna.
The minor tonalities are attributed to the narrator, the father However, we want to answer the question of why this
and the son, and A major to Erlkönig. Through the tonalities revolution in Schubert. The answer can be found in the fact
he travels a path of contrasts and emotions, with the father that his great forerunners such as Bach, Mozart or Beethoven
being the one who most changes tonalities and registers. He developed their full creative potential in other major forms
uses the modulations to represent the changes of character such as opera, oratorio or symphony. Schubert, on the other
and as another element of identification of the characters. At hand, was the first to place the best of him in a brief form, the
this point we can observe the creation of what will be the lied, discovering a location for the lied within the paradigm
Wagnerian leitmotif. Schubert provides each character with a of the voice-piano relationship. With this he not only took the
musical profile that the interpreter must exploit, assigning lied form to the top of the musical composition, but defined
motifs for each character in the story. it, provided it with new aesthetic concepts through the
In the last section the narrator reappears again, telling us popular character of its theme and was based on the poem.
passionately the dramatic end of the story, concluding with He gave the role of the piano full responsibility for the work,
an austere recitative and two chords to make clear the managing to establish a clear differentiation with the bel
character he wanted to print in this story. Therefore, the canto, fundamentally centred on the beauty of the melody. In
characteristic that has predominated in the lied has been the the Italian melody, the piano or orchestra is subordinated to
anxiety on the part of the interpreters and that this way it is the beauty of the melody. On the other hand, Schubert
24 Jose Maria Peñalver Vilar and Luis Valles Grau: Vocal Piano Accompaniment: A Constant Research Towards Emancipation (1)

conceives the lied as a whole, a block of the voice with the

piano, in which the piano accompaniment has great
responsibilities in all fields of the work.
References
Schubert was the pioneer in capturing in the form of the lied [1] COROMINES, J. (2012): Breve diccionario etimológico.
the best of his compositional method. All his creative Gredos. Madrid.
capacity was destined to the lied, being his form of reference, [2] RATTALINO, P. (2005): Historia del piano: el instrumento, la
his natural means of expression from which he transferred all música y sus intérpretes. Idea Books, Barcelona.
his compositional advances to other forms such as symphony
(For example, the B minor tonality present in In der Ferne is also [3] LATHAM, A. (2008): Diccionario enciclopédico de la
música. Fondo de Cultura económica, México D. F.
the tonality of his Unfinished Symphony No. 8, with the entire
connotation we have seen that this tonality has for Schubert. [4] HÖWELER, C. (1977): Enciclopedia de la música. Editorial
Another example is the spatial-temporal conception we have Noguer, Barcelona.
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works, whether sonatas such as his Wanderer Fantasy, influenced Ediciones ISTMO, Madrid.
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theatricalization, the attempt to describe through the piano
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assignment of characters to motifs played by the piano or an Alianza, Madrid.
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of Music and Musicians. Oxford. Londres.
new. The contrast of change in a greater-minor way is not
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change of stage or character within the story. Duality will be hispanoamericana. SGAE, Madrid.
a characteristic that will be present in all his liederistic work. [11] GIRALT, J. (2001): Gran Enciclopedia de la música.
The piano will represent solitude and company; the Fundació Enciclopedia catalana, Barcelona.
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