Franz Peter Schubert (31 January 1797 – 19 November 1828) was an Austrian c… Read Full Bio ↴Franz Peter Schubert (31 January 1797 – 19 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a vast oeuvre, including more than 600 secular vocal works (mainly lieder), seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music, and a large body of piano and chamber music. His major works include the art songs Erlkönig, Gretchen am Spinnrade, Ave Maria; the Trout Quintet, the unfinished Symphony No. 8 in B minor, the "Great" Symphony No. 9 in C major, the String Quartet No. 14 "Death and the Maiden", a String Quintet, the two sets of Impromptus for solo piano, the three last piano sonatas, the Fantasia in F minor for piano four hands, the opera Fierrabras, the incidental music to the play Rosamunde, and the song cycles Die schöne Müllerin, Winterreise and Schwanengesang.

Born in the Himmelpfortgrund suburb of Vienna, Schubert showed uncommon gifts for music from an early age. His father gave him his first violin lessons and his elder brother gave him piano lessons, but Schubert soon exceeded their abilities. In 1808, at the age of eleven, he became a pupil at the Stadtkonvikt school, where he became acquainted with the orchestral music of Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven. He left the Stadtkonvikt at the end of 1813 and returned home to live with his father, where he began studying to become a schoolteacher. Despite this, he continued his studies in composition with Antonio Salieri and still composed prolifically. In 1821, Schubert was admitted to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde as a performing member, which helped establish his name among the Viennese citizenry. He gave a concert of his works to critical acclaim in March 1828, the only time he did so in his career. He died eight months later at the age of 31, the cause officially attributed to typhoid fever, but believed by some historians to be syphilis.

Appreciation of Schubert's music while he was alive was limited to a relatively small circle of admirers in Vienna, but interest in his work increased greatly in the decades following his death. Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms and other 19th-century composers discovered and championed his works. Today, Schubert is ranked among the greatest composers in the history of Western classical music and his work continues to be admired and widely performed.

Morgengruss
Franz Schubert Lyrics

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Guten Morgen, schöne Müllerin!
Wo steckst du gleich das Köpfchen hin
Als wär' dir was geschehen?
Verdrießt dich denn mein Gruß so schwer?
Verstört dich denn mein Blick so sehr?
So muß ich wieder gehen

O laß mich nur von ferne stehn

Nach deinem lieben Fenster sehn
Von ferne, ganz von ferne!
Du blondes Köpfchen, komm hervor!
Hervor aus eurem runden Thor

Ihr blauen Morgensterne!
Ihr schlummertrunknen Äugelein
Ihr thaubetrübten Blümelein
Was scheuet ihr die Sonne?
Hat es die Nacht so gut gemeint
Daß ihr euch schließt und bückt und weint
Nach ihrer stillen Wonne?

Nun schüttelt ab der Träume Flor
Und hebt euch frisch und frei empor
In Gottes hellen Morgen!
Die Lerche wirbelt in der Luft

Und aus dem tiefen Herzen ruft
Die Liebe Leid und Sorgen

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Franz Schubert's song "Morgengruss" from the cycle "Die Schöne Müllerin" depict a tender morning greeting to the beautiful miller's daughter. The singer expresses his affection and longing for her by addressing her as "Guten Morgen, schöne Müllerin!" which translates to "Good morning, beautiful miller's daughter!" The singer seems to notice the miller's daughter hiding her face or avoiding his gaze as if something is troubling her. He questions whether his greeting and gaze have caused her distress, and if so, he is willing to leave to not cause her further discomfort.

The singer then pleads with the miller's daughter to come out of her window and show herself to him from a distance. He admires her "blondes Köpfchen," or blond head, and refers to her eyes as "blauen Morgensterne," which translates to "blue morning stars." The singer paints a picture of a peaceful morning scene, trying to coax the miller's daughter out of her contemplative state and into the beauty of the morning with him.

The lyrics further explore the miller's daughter's reluctance to face the sun and embrace the new day. The singer wonders why her eyes and the flowers around her seem to shy away from the sunlight, questioning if the night has been so pleasant that they are reluctant to embrace the day. He urges the miller's daughter and the flowers to shake off the remnants of dreams, lift themselves up, and embrace the brightness of God's morning. The imagery of the sun rising and the world awakening symbolizes a fresh start and an opportunity to let go of sadness and worries.

In the final stanza, the singer draws parallels between the awakening of nature with the rising of love in his heart. The mention of the lark singing in the sky and the call from the depths of his heart for love to overcome pain and sorrows signifies hope and renewal. The singer finds solace and inspiration in nature's awakening, hoping that love will also bring a sense of lightness and joy to his heart. Overall, the lyrics of "Morgengruss" convey themes of beauty, longing, renewal, and the transformative power of love, set against the backdrop of a peaceful morning scene.

Line by Line Meaning

Guten Morgen, schöne Müllerin!
Good morning, beautiful miller's daughter!

Wo steckst du gleich das Köpfchen hin
Where do you hide your head so quickly

Als wär' dir was geschehen?
As if something has happened to you?

Verdrießt dich denn mein Gruß so schwer?
Does my greeting sadden you so much?

Verstört dich denn mein Blick so sehr?
Does my gaze disturb you so much?

So muß ich wieder gehen
Then I must go again

O laß mich nur von ferne stehn
Oh let me stand from afar

Nach deinem lieben Fenster sehn
To see your dear window

Von ferne, ganz von ferne!
From afar, completely from afar!

Du blondes Köpfchen, komm hervor!
You blonde head, come forth!

Hervor aus eurem runden Thor
Step out from your round gate