Nachtstück, Op.36 No.2
The song is a poetic portrayal of a dying man, authored by Mayrhofer. The song has obvious mythological undertones and a clear ”Sturm und Drang” profile. Nachtstück is through-composed and may be perceived as a musical miniature drama. The song was set to music in 1819 and published in 1825. In a through-composed song, the music follows a continuously changing process. This is different from a strophic vocal piece, where the same music returns for each verse. In the various parts of Nachtstück the piano part adds completely different characters to the music, which enhances both the emotional and dramatic expression.
Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787–1836)
was an Austrian poet in Vienna’s inner circles and a close friend of Schubert’s. Forty-seven of his poems and two librettos for stage works were set to music by Schubert. He faced a tragic death as unrequited love made him jump out of a window.
