Arts songs are considered “the perfect fusion of poetry and music.” Composers began with high-quality poetry full of dramatic stories, lush descriptions of nature, and deep heart-felt emotion. They set the poetry to a melody that perfectly fit the rhythm and expression of the words. Then, they added a piano accompaniment that sets the atmosphere of the poem and also takes part in telling the story by mimicking the imagery and events described by the text. Art songs were very popular in the Romantic Period because they are so personal and dramatic.

Poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, early Romantic German poet. Music by Franz Schubert, Austrian composer in Supernatural ballad about a father riding through a storm on horseback with his delirious child. The child complains that he sees the legendary Erlking/Elfking who wants to snatch him away. The father sees nothing, but by the time he arrives home the child has died. The poem has four different characters: A narrator, the boy, the Erlking, and the father.

Schubert sets the scene with the piano playing rapid triplet octaves (galloping horse) and a menacing bass line in minor. The music turns soft and major whenever the Erlking is talking. Schubert has one voice sing all four characters, but each character’s part is unique: The narrator sings mid-range, in minor, musically The son sings high-range, in minor, frantically The father sings low-range, in minor, calmly The Erlking part swings up and down, in major, seductively Together, the piano and voice acts out the poem with words and music, creating a much more vivid image than poetry alone.