"Mit dem grünen Lautenbande" (With the Green Lute Ribbon) is the thirteenth song from Franz Schubert's song cycle Die schöne Müllerin (The Fair Maid of the Mill), D.795, composed in 1823. The text is by Wilhelm Müller.
In this charming song in B-flat major, the young miller gives the green ribbon from his lute to the miller's daughter as a token of his love. The bright, dance-like 2/4 rhythm and the warm major tonality reflect the miller's happiness and optimism at this point in the story. The color green, symbolizing hope and nature, plays a central role throughout the cycle, connecting the ribbon to the brook, the forest, and ultimately the miller's fate.
The piano accompaniment features a gently rocking figure that suggests both the ribbon's flutter and the lute's strumming. This song represents one of the most lighthearted moments in the cycle, before the narrative takes its darker turn. Schubert's gift for word-painting is evident in the way the music seems to shimmer with the color green itself.
Composed in
1823
Catalog
D.795
Source
Public Domain
