Abendlied, Op. 3, Nr. 1

Josef Schwartz’s Abendlied for SATB choir opens with the gentle, swaying motion suggested by the German text, evoking the peace of evening descending on the world. The composer creates a rich texture, with the voices entering in turn to build a flowing, homophonic soundscape. While the outer world finds rest, the relentless, rushing stream becomes a metaphor for an unquiet heart, forever striving. Only divine grace, the text suggests, can bring true peace. This is a beautiful example of secular German part-song, its musical lines mirroring the lyrical imagery of the poem.