Ich gieng ein mal spacieren

Leonhard Lechner's Ich gieng ein mal spacieren paints a charming scene of a woodland encounter. The text tells of a stroll through a green wood where the singer hears a beautiful maiden singing. He approaches her, noting her fine green dress, and is so taken with her that he declares he would rather die than seek another bride. Lechner's setting for SATTB voices captures the pastoral atmosphere of this German Lied, treating the secular text with delicate polyphony and a flowing melodic line. This secular part-song from the Renaissance era is a delightful example of the genre, its intricate vocal writing enhancing the romantic narrative.