Schumann: Myrthen, Op. 25, No. 1, “Dedication”

Schumann: Myrthen, Op. 25, No. 1, “Dedication”
I have heard this song many times in german diction, and it is fairly simple song, not too long. It is written in ternary form, ABA.

The A section last from M. 1-13, and is in the key of A-flat major. It stays in A-flat major for the whole A section and ends on a PAC in m. 13. It ends in the original key so it is closed, and I view it as a phrase group because the cadences are hard to hear….

The B section is very clearly show with many structural phenomena. There is a tonality change to the key of E major, change in dynamics, texture, and tempo. This B section is completely different from the A section. The arpeggiated chord accompaniment has changed to steady quarter note block chords. The vocal line seems to have less motion and more sustained. The B section last from M. 14-21, and ends on a HC. This next little phrase I believe functions more as a transitional section delivering us back into the A section.

The A section picks back up in measure 26, but doesn’t restate the original idea until measure 30. This whole A section is back in A-flat major and ends on a PAC with just the piano part adding sort of a cadential extension repeating what the vocal line just had...