This study focuses on an analysis of the Song cycle Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen(op.62) by Ernst Křenek(1900-1991). When Křenek composed this Song cycle in 1929, the Orchersterlied had become a main genre in the 20th concert program and since Pierrot lunaire, Lied accompanied by a chamber ensemble elevated its position high in vocal music creation. Therefore, the conventional 19th century art song with piano accompaniment tradition had not continued into the 20th century.
Křenek completed 31 art songs in his life. And this means a lot in the history of 20th century art song. Another fact that Křenek was of great importance in the history of 20th century art song is that he composed five Song cycles. Among these, four are based on his own poem, and the other one is Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen. Composing Song cycle on his own poem verify the fact that Křenek was a person of a literary turn of mind and he faithfully followed the Song cycle tradition of the 19th century in purpose of unfolding a story based on one theme.
Křenek’s Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen consists of 20 pieces(19 songs and an Epilog added later) and is modeled on Wienterreise by F. Schubert. The Romantic inclination appeared in this Song cycle is the use of consistent rhythmic pattern in the song number eight ‘Unser Wein’, the pattern also favored by Schubert’s piano pieces. As Schubert described disenchantment of love in hisWienterreise, the fact that Křenek depicted his own hapless love for his homeland in this Song cycle is also considered to be a reflection of Romantic tendency. Křenek recapitulated the theme of the first song in the song number nineteen ‘Heimkehr’ and this is compared to the construction of Schumann’s Song cycle Frauenliebe und -leben.
There are several factors in this Song cycle that continued the 19th century art song tradition, musical aspects of the cycle contain various contents of the 20th century. Twenty songs can be divided into two categories according to musical language: songs in Romantic musical languages are song number one ‘Motiv’, number seven ‘Regentatg’, number eight ‘Unser Wein’; songs in Expressionism musical languages are song number eleven ‘Alpenbewohner’, number twelve ‘Politik’. There are songs with text simply describing apparent impressions of journey such as song number two ‘Verkehr’, number three ‘Kloster in den Alpen’, and number six ‘Friedhof im Gebirgsdorf’. But those which put psychological, moral, social, and political contents into text are song number five ‘Traurige Stunde’, number nine ‘Rückblick’ and number twelve ‘Politik’. The close relationship between text and musical languages are conformed through the analyses.

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