Songs: Vier Letze Lieder by Strauss

.:.Prompt.:.

[German Romantic Lyric Poetry and music]: Richard Strauss, song cycle: Vier letzte Lieder [Four Last Songs] The German and English texts are in the Course Pack. Before you come to class, be sure to listen to them, sung by Jessye Norman.
Frühling (“Spring”)
September
Beim Schlafengehen (“Going to Sleep”)
Im Abendrot (“At Sunset”)
BLOG: What is a song cycle? (If you don’t know, find out.) What is Strauss’s overriding theme in this cycle? The last song, “Im Abendrot,” is obviously about death. Why is significant that larks appear in this song? What kind of birds are they? When do larks sing? Does ending with a question make the entire song cycle more powerful? How so? Include pictures of Richard Strauss and Jessye Norman (perhaps the album cover).