Winterreise article

The order of the poems: Müller's and Schubert's

Wilhelm Müller wrote the 24 poems of Die Winterreise in three stages; each stage of the process was published separately. In 1822 he wrote a first set of 12 poems which was published in Urania: Taschenbuch auf das Jahr 1823 as Wanderlieder von Wilhelm Müller. Die Winterreise. This first set contained the first 12 Lieder set to music by Schubert. In 1823 he wrote ten additional poems, which were published Deutsche Blätter für Poesie, Litteratur, Kunst und Theatre. The two last poems to be added where Die Post and Täuschung. Wilhelm Müller changed the order of the 24 poems and the complete cycle was published in 1824 in Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten II: Lieder des Lebens und der Liebe.

Franz Schubert discovered Die Winterreise in the Urania publication. He set this cycle of 12 poems to music, but only later discovered the 12 other poems. He kept the order of the Lieder which he had already composed, and added the 12 other Lieder in the same order as they were published... with one exception: he switched the order of Die Nebensonnen and Mut!.

The following table lists Müller's and Schubert's order. The different stages in which the poems were published by Müller are indicated as follows.

[U] Urania publication (12 poems)
[DB] Deutsche Blätter publication (10 poems)
[W] Waldhornisten publication (24 poems)

Müller - Die Winterreise

  1. [U] Gute Nacht
  2. [U] Die Wetterfahne
  3. [U] Gefrorne Tränen
  4. [U] Erstarrung
  5. [U] Der Lindenbaum
  6. [W] Die Post
  7. [U] Wasserflut
  8. [U] Auf dem Flusse
  9. [U] Rückblick
  10. [DB] Der greise Kopf
  11. [DB] Die Krähe
  12. [DB] Letzte Hoffnung
  13. [DB] Im Dorfe
  14. [DB] Der stürmische Morgen
  15. [W] Täuschung
  16. [DB] Der Wegweiser
  17. [DB] Das Wirtshaus
  18. [U] Das Irrlicht
  19. [U] Rast
  20. [DB] Die Nebensonnen
  21. [U] Frühlingstraum
  22. [U] Einsamkeit
  23. [DB] Mut !
  24. [DB] Der Leiermann

Schubert - Winterreise

  1. [U] Gute Nacht
  2. [U] Die Wetterfahne
  3. [U] Gefrorne Tränen
  4. [U] Erstarrung
  5. [U] Der Lindenbaum
  6. [U] Wasserflut
  7. [U] Auf dem Flusse
  8. [U] Rückblick
  9. [U] Irrlicht
  10. [U] Rast
  11. [U] Frühlingstraum
  12. [U] Einsamkeit
  13. [W] Die Post
  14. [DB] Der greise Kopf
  15. [DB] Die Krähe
  16. [DB] Letzte Hoffnung
  17. [DB] Im Dorfe
  18. [DB] Der stürmische Morgen
  19. [W] Täuschung
  20. [DB] Der Wegweiser
  21. [DB] Das Wirtshaus
  22. [DB] Mut !
  23. [DB] Die Nebensonnen
  24. [DB] Der Leiermann

Sources:

  1. Susan Youens, Retracing a Winter's Journey - Schubert's Winterreise, Cornell University Press, 1991
  2. John Reed, The Schubert Song Companion, Manchester University Press (Mandolin), 1997 (1985)
  3. Graham Johnson, The Hyperion Schubert Edition 30 - Winterreise, hyperion records CDJ33030, 1997

Margo Briessinck