Abstract

Hugo Wolf (1860~1903) was noted for his art songs, or Lieder. His music is considered to be a word painting. Poetry is neither the handmaiden of music, nor music inhibited by having to comply with the requirements of verse and meter. Both are truly wedded, not only in the songs themselves but with the story. To enable the words to be more clearly heard, Wolf paid more attention to the relationship between the lyrics and the melody than other composers. By exploring Wagner’s musical techniques, part recitative and part cantilena, Wolf’s musical setting is not designed to bring pleasure to the ear, but to open the door to a new world for the listeners.

The four ‘Mignon’ songs are from Goethe’s (1749~1832) ‘Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre’ (1778~1796). From his experience and training of lives, Wilhelm accomplished the study, and learned the meaning of life. This made ‘Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre’ not only a novel, but also the first ‘Bildungsroman’. Mignon was a little girl saved by Wilhelm. She sang four songs in the story. Before Wolf, many composers had set these four verses into songs. Using Wagner’s technical innovations and his own musical language, Wolf succeeded in the subtle description of Mignon’s character and changes, so his ‘Mignon’ songs are the most pertinent and exquisite and have become essential for every recital.

This research starts from the introduction of Hugo Wolf’s life, then the history of Lieder, in which readers can have a basic understanding of Wolf’s style. By the background study of the four ‘Mignon’ songs, Goethe, and ‘Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre’, and the characterization analysis of the songs, the interpretation was made. The following researchers can take this study as a reference.