Kirk Easterson Professor Root MUS 354-01 23 October 2012 Johannes Brahms composed Opus 6 in the years 1852-53.

It has 6 sections, and was published in 1953. Nachtigallen Schwingen is the title of the sixth section. It translates to nightingales swing happily in German. The piece itself is in compound ternary form. The two A sections are in F major, and the B section modulates to D major. The D is hinted at in measure 13, with the German augmented sixth chord. But the B section features a new theme and key, which is why it is compound ternary. The piece itself is in common time, yet the piano plays with a twelve-eight feel. This is strange, for the vocalist sings with the four-four feel. The different meters give it a spontaneous like sound. The first two lines of the text, Nachtigallen schwingen Lustig ihr Gefieder, immediately describe the mood of the A section. It's fast paced, much like a nightingale. The text describes a very happy, springlike scene. I imagine the protagonist looking out into an open field with flowers everywhere, and nightingales flying around from flower to flower looking for a mate. Each hand of the piano can represent a pair of nightingales. The beginning of the piece represents their partnership beginning and taking off. They are both in sync with each other, much like successful partnership. Although not always playing the exact same thing in each hand, both hands combine to create the chord and create the sound of one solid instrument. I see those two birds living together happily, residing on a flower in the field. This field is filled with nightingale couples everywhere! The line, nachtigallen singen Ihre alten Lieder, describes how this is customary routine for the nightingales. They sing their old songs and go about their usual business. Und die Blumen alle, Sie erwachen wieder Bei dem Klang und Schalle Aller dieser Lieder. The flowers once again bloom as the pairs of nightingales reside on a flower and let their love blossom, much like the flower. In measure 13, there is a German augmented chord under the word, Schalle in the text. This augmented chord is uncoincidentally the key of the B section. This chord represents the flowers waking up to the sound of the D chord. It's foreshadowing the upcoming B section, in which the

nightingales will be out and about. As the A section cadences, this lovely scene begins to take its toll on the protagonist. He is symbolically taking the form of a nightingale, as suggested by the first line of that stanza, Und meine Sehnsucht wird zur Nachtigall Und fliegt in die blhende Welt hinein. But before the actual modulation happens, one can't help but notice the piano part from measure 15 onwards. The right hand continues as was before, but the left hand has faded away. The right hand, the protagonist, continues without being effected. Until measure seventeen that is. The A sections cadences in measure sixteen, and the I chord elides into the expo for the B section. The right hand is alone, and doesn't notice how sad alone he is until measure seventeen. Right at measure nineteen, that right hand part will transfer to the vocal line, picking up on the eighth where it left off. It's also important to note that with this switching of roles, the three feel is now in the vocal and the four feel in the piano. It's as if the protagonist never fits in with where he is at. Until measure twenty-two, triple meter feel is constant in both parts. The constant motion dies down, and a sombre mood is brought upon the piece. The official modulation occurs in measure nineteen, marking the beginning of the B section. This part is the self-realization for the protagonist. Whilst watching this beautiful scene of nightingales in their mating season, he realizes what part of his life is missing. It's important to note that the vocals don't return until after the piano does. It's as if he realizes this once it's too late. This sudden realization for the protagonist causes him to sad, which is the mood for this section. Once his thoughts become the nightingale, he goes from flower to flower looking for a partner. He is not a normal nightingale, as is the B section. His thoughts, actions, everything, are not what the other nightingales are. And this makes him sad! The vocal line starts off very express and full of motion, for the protagonist still has hope of finding a mate. But as the B section progresses the vocal line becomes less and less active, eventually becoming just Do and Sol. The nightingale that has become his yearning seems to have given up hope. Even in measure twenty-six, there is a German augmented sixth chord. This further use of mode mixture can represent the protagonist's cries for a mate, sending his sounds out into the world and waiting for a response. Much like Brahms himself.

The roles return to their original places at the end of the B section, and the nightingale motion returns. But this time, it seems to be a forced entry. It brings the return of the A section, with the same vocal line and piano motive. The original two nightingales that the protagonist was watching carry on as normal, until measure 40. The left hand strays away from it's normal triple meter feel and is now playing more of a duple meter feel, much like the vocal line. But the text at this point suggests that this be kept secret from the right hand. Von den Blumen allen Aber ich mu schweigen. Unter ihnen steh' ich Traurig sinnend still: Eine Blume she' ich, Die night blhen will. The protagonist must keep this secret to himself, for it will disturb the two nightingales that he was witnessing earlier. This is the flower that the protagonist wanted to have bloom, but unfortunately will not be able to. He must live with this sad thought that his flower will not bloom. He must watch his nightingale live with one other than himself, as it was before he arrived. The hands once again match up, but in a more sombre feel. Their original carelessness has been disturbed, and the two nightingales will never be the same as before. In measure fifty, both hands are in a duple feel. The left hand is the downbeat and the right hand is the upbeat, as if they're trying to work together but cannot. Their both trying to land on the tonic chord, F, and are very close to being together finally with everything fully resolved. The continue this until the very last chord of the piece, they're both on the beat on the F chord. This piece has the same form as another piece we did in class, Widmung by Robert Schumann. It also is an art song, features the same type of modulation, AND type of meter change. The B section of Widmung is in a triple feel. Widmung is the first piece in a collection of pieces by Schumann titles Myrthen. This was Robert's gift to his wife Clara on their wedding day in 1840. Brahm's piece wasn't composed until 1853, the same year he arrived at the Schumann household! It was also no secret the Brahms and Clara had a secret love affair. Although it was never officially announced, one can't help but look at the evidence. I believe that Nachtigallen schwingen is indirectly about Brahm's secret love for Clara. Although Brahm's did not write this poem, he did pick this poem for a reason. The two nightingales he is watching in the A section are

Robert and Clara Schumann. The different meters represent the different places in the relationship. Brahms is just beginning ot live with them, watching their relationship in full swing. After witnessing what they have, he begins to yearn for a woman. He soon becomes a nightingale like them, and wants his flower to bloom. As the B section is introduced, that is him interrupting the Schumann marriage with his love for Clara. The Schumann's flower is interrupted by Brahms, and he leads Clara off of the the track. He is so desperate to find another nightingale so he turns to the one that he is living with. But because of his relationship with Robert, he must keep his lvoe for Clara a secret. In the final A section, Clara is in tune with Brahms and Robert must adjust. He tries to continue in his triple meter, and wants Clara to continue that as well. But unfortunate, he must adjsut to Clara's new mindset in the duple meter feel. Robert and Clara eventually get back in rhythm with each other, but now in the way that they used to be. Brahms must live with the fact that the flower he wants to have with Clara will never bloom, and that he has disrupted someone else's flower. Among them I remain Silent with my mournful thoughts: One flower do I see, That will not bloom. Where the text says 'them,' he is referencing to Robert and Clara. The C in measure fifty is another reference to Brahms interference in Robert and Clara's final readjustment. The C occurs right after the Brahms exits the piece. The two pieces have the same form and motives for a reason, both pieces are about each composers feeling about Clara. Schumann's piece is about his undying love for Clara, and Brahms' is as well. But Brahms' has more drama involved. The ternary form in Brahms' piece represents different stages of their relationship. Each new key a different flower trying to bloom. The German augmented chord in the B section is Brahms' metaphorical attempt to create a Widmung like piece. But in the end, the Schumann's flower is the one to emerge victorious. Although this was the first year that they all lived together, one must keep in mind that Brahms is much younger than the Schumanns. He is only twenty years old at the time, and the Schumanns are well in their thirties. It is fairly obvious that it won't work out for him. But he is still a young man, his emotions are more wild and unsettled in his age. He will continue on, watching the Schumann's live as they were before.

As is known, Brahms is not the poet. And the poet is neither the singer nor the protagonist. But one cannot ignore the obvious signs in this piece and how they tie into Brahms' life. This analysis may not be entirely correct, but this is how I analyzed this piece. This is how I saw Brahms putting emotion into his work. He was a very picky composer, and was known to destroy anything he didn't see fit to exist. This piece made it through to be published, so it obviously met his standards. The piece has a lot more to it than something that sounds nice. As a creative thinker, I believe that Brahms would try to have as much in his music as possible. And this is how he chose to express his emotions at the time.