Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) is considered as one of the most influential cultural figures of his age. His literary work attracted composers throughout the 19th century and beyond. Goethe himself appreciated musical settings of his literary works, as, in his opinion, lyrical poetry without music did not seem complete.

One of the numerous composers who tackled Goethe’s words was Zdeněk Fibich (1850–1900), a Bohemian composer whose name is strongly associated with the genres of opera and melodrama. However, only little is known about his primary compositional attempts in the area of songs. Inspired by settings of Schubert and Schumann the composer was addressed by German poets such as Ruckert, Heine, Eichendorff and Goethe. Moreover, song settings to both German and Czech literary models were emerging throughout Fibich’s life. Similarly to Schubert, Fibich’s first Lieder are dated back to his teen hood. Gefunden, Fibich’s first musical encounter with Goethe, was written as early as 1865. In my paper, I have examined nine settings to Wilhelm Meister Lehrjahren, which originated between 16 and 21 April 1871. Numerous reasons led me to examine these particular songs. Firstly, Fibich’s Goethe settings have been neglected by musicologists as well as performers. None of eleven vocal pieces have been published or recorded to date. Secondly, there is need for a comparative study of these songs with other settings to Goethe. My research addresses the lacuna in the 19th century song studies while asking the following questions: Do the songs have much to offer in comparison to songs by Schubert, Schumann, Wolf and others? What stands behind the omission of the songs? This paper is a starting point in uncovering the significance of forgotten Fibich’s Goethe settings.

ABSTRAKT

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) jest uważany za jedną z najbardziej wpływowych postaci kultury swego czasu, a jego dorobek literacki inspirował wielu kompozytorów dziewiętnastowiecznych i późniejszych. Sam Goethe cenił muzyczne opracowania swoich dzieł, gdyż jego zdaniem poezja bez muzyki nie wydawała się kompletna.

Jednym z wielu kompozytorów, którzy inspirowali się wierszami Goethego, był Zdeněk Fibich (1850-1900), czeski kompozytor, którego nazwisko mocno związane jest z gatunkami opery i melodramatu. Niewiele jednak wiadomo o jego pierwszych próbach kompozytorskich w dziedzinie pieśni. Zainspirowany opracowaniami Schuberta i Schumanna kompozytor cenił takich niemieckich poetów, jak Rückert, Heine, Eichendorff i Goethe. Ponadto podczas całego życia Fibich sięgał po teksty poetów niemieckich i czeskich. Podobnie jak w przypadku Schuberta, pierwsze Lieder Fibicha pochodzą z czasów, kiedy kompozytor był nastolatkiem. Gefunden, jego pierwsze muzyczne opracowanie tekstu Goethego, powstało już w 1865 roku. W niniejszym artykule przestudiowałem dziewięć opracowań tekstu Wilhelm Meister Lehrjahren, które powstały między 16 a 21 kwietnia 1871 roku. Do zbadania tych konkretnych pieśni skłoniły mnie liczne powody. Po pierwsze, utwory Fibicha do tekstów Goethego były długo zaniedbywane zarówno przez muzykologów, jak i wykonawców – dotychczas żaden z jedenastu utworów wokalnych nie został wydany ani zarejestrowany. Po drugie, potrzebne jest przeprowadzenie porównawczych studiów zestawiających te pieśni z innymi opracowaniami tekstów Goethego. Moje badania mają na celu wypełnić lukę, jaka powstała w badaniach nad gatunkiem pieśni w XIX wieku oraz odpowiedzieć na zaistniałe pytania: Jak pieśni Fibicha wypadają w porównaniu z pieśniami Schuberta, Schumanna, Wolfa i innych? Dlaczego dotychczas nie zostały przebadane? Ten artykuł został zamierzony jako punkt wyjścia dla ustalenia znaczenia zapomnianych pieśni Fibicha do tekstów Goethego.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) is considered as one of the most influential cultural figures of his age. His literary work attracted composers throughout the 19th century and beyond. Goethe himself appreciated musical settings of his literary works, as, in his opinion, lyrical poetry without music did not seem complete.

One of the numerous composers who tackled Goethe’s words was Zdeněk Fibich (1850–1900), a Bohemian composer whose name is strongly associated with the genres of opera and melodrama. However, only little is known about his primary compositional attempts in the area of songs. Inspired by settings of Schubert and Schumann the composer was addressed by German poets such as Ruckert, Heine, Eichendorff and Goethe. Moreover, song settings to both German and Czech literary models were emerging throughout Fibich’s life. Similarly to Schubert, Fibich’s first Lieder are dated back to his teen hood. Gefunden, Fibich’s first musical encounter with Goethe, was written as early as 1865. In my paper, I have examined nine settings to Wilhelm Meister Lehrjahren, which originated between 16 and 21 April 1871. Numerous reasons led me to examine these particular songs. Firstly, Fibich’s Goethe settings have been neglected by musicologists as well as performers. None of eleven vocal pieces have been published or recorded to date. Secondly, there is need for a comparative study of these songs with other settings to Goethe. My research addresses the lacuna in the 19th century song studies while asking the following questions: Do the songs have much to offer in comparison to songs by Schubert, Schumann, Wolf and others? What stands behind the omission of the songs? This paper is a starting point in uncovering the significance of forgotten Fibich’s Goethe settings.