Erlkönig is a poem by the German poet Goethe. It tells the story of a father riding on horseback through the night seeking help
for the sick child in his arms. In Schubert’s setting of the song the singer portrays four different characters: A narrator, the father, the son and the Elf-King. The music for each character is in a different part of the vocal range, but it’s really up to the singer to make the difference between the characters clear. After listening to this piece completely from start to finish, listen again to excerpts and complete the questions. How does Schubert portray a galloping horse in this piano introduction? Multiple Choice Fast repeated notes Minor harmony Use of pedals
