The Study of Seven Songs from Schumann's Lieder-Album für die Jugend, Op. 79

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Robert Alexander Schumann (1810~1856) was a prominent composer and critic of Romanticism in the nineteenth century. German art songs are one of the main catagories of his lifetime work. A highly literate man, Schumann exelled at weaving music and literature perfectly together, creating touching melodies in his own unique style. This thesis gives an analysis and interpretation of seven songs from Schumann’s Lieder-Album für die Jugend, which he composed for educational purpose in 1849, set on texts by major contemporary poets. The songs are organized in an order of increasing technical and musical difficulty. This thesis is divided into five chapters which further explain the development and structure of German art songs and introduce Schumann’s art song style. It focuses on a discussion of the background of Lieder-Album für die Jugend, analyzing the musical structure and poetry content, and illustrating them through singing. This study is made in the hopes of having a deeper understanding of Schumann’s art songs and of improving my own personal singing performance. The delicate songs included in this study will also provide those who enjoy German art songs with greater possibility and space to explore the lesser-known works of Schumann.