Schumann's Song Cycle "the Poet's Love",

Lied is of great significance in Western music literature. Schumann, one of the most distinguished Romantic composers in 19th century, acquired undoubted achievement and attained unshakable position in this field. Inspired by the <> of famous German poet Heine, Schumann composed Liederkreis (song circle) called <> which was considered as one of the representative works of Lied. The entire work contained 16 interrelated short pieces of songs which were headlined by the first sentence of each poem, with the development of the plot running through them. It depicts the desire and yearnings for happiness hold by a young man when he feels deeply attached to a fair lady. It is followed by depression from the disappointed love until the love and misery packed in the coffin sank to the bottom of sea at last. The research on the educational orientation of vocal music involves the study in its literature. This dissertation aims at probing into the subject in terms of cultural background of the work, the work itself and the problems demanding attention in performance. Therefore, it enables better understanding of reflection of Romantism in two interlinked fields of music and literature from the late 18c to mid-19c.