"Des Baches Wiegenlied" (The Brook's Lullaby) is the twentieth and final song of Schubert's song cycle Die schöne Müllerin (The Beautiful Miller's Daughter), D.795, composed in 1823 to poems by Wilhelm Müller. This hauntingly tender closing number presents the brook singing a lullaby to the drowned young miller, gently welcoming him into eternal rest beneath its waters.
The piano accompaniment evokes the brook's ceaseless, soothing flow with a rocking, lullaby-like rhythm, while the vocal line unfolds with sorrowful serenity. It is one of the most poignant endings in the entire song cycle repertoire, transforming themes of unrequited love and despair into a strangely consoling final farewell. The piece requires sensitive dynamic control and a deep understanding of the narrative arc of the entire cycle.
Composed in
1823
Catalog
D.795
Source
Public Domain
