Upon first glance, the title Der Leiermann or The Hurdy-Gurdy Man, prompts a giggle. I immediately thought of a happy street entertainer playing his crude instrument for young children and passers-by. Of course, that would not fit into the dark, melancholic theme of Schubert’s song cycle, Die Wintereise. As I studied the piece, two questions seemed essential to understand this finale to a long and dark musical journey: what is the purpose of the hurdy-gurdy and more, importantly, what is the purpose of its player within the context of these pieces?

Schubert’s score lays out a very simple melodic tune in A minor. The piano, representing the hurdy-gurdy, plays the melody twice through- setting it only slightly apart by its opening interval of a minor third (measure 3) and subsequent perfect fifth (measure 6). Throughout the song, the piano and singer take turns – neither one overlapping the other- in stark contrast to the previous 23 songs in the cycle, whose layering techniques are pure artistry.

This simplicity is indicative of the capabilities of the outdated hurdy-gurdy as well as the presumed capabilities of Schubert’s character- a decrepit old beggar who annoys the listener with his incessant tune. The hurdy-gurdy was not new to the 19th century. In fact, it had been around for centuries prior, serving as an instrument of beggars as well as of entertainers of the French elite (Kirk, 2016). While the lyre- or leier- was long used as a symbol of artistry and musical intellect, the hurdy-gurdy required less skill and artistry. It resembles a string instrument in that it has a sound box and strings. However, the hurdy-gurdy is operated by a wheel-and-crank mechanism, seen in the picture at the right (Bostridge, 472). When tuned, the hurdy-gurdy produces a drone, which Schubert emulates in this setting of the open Am chord in the bass.

A more thorough look at the inner workings of the hurdy-gurdy can be found via the University of Edinburgh blog here.

As for the hurdy-gurdy player, much less concrete evidence can be found. The purpose of the beggar man in this cycle, and in the culture of the time, can be interpreted in various ways. In Bostridge’s performance video, he retreats to a corner of an empty room before sinking into the final performance. Der Leiermann requires no flash, no movement, and no special treatment. The singer is simply a man, reflecting on the circumstance of another man.

“We feel, and are meant to feel, pity and revulsion in equal measure as we encounter this outcast fragment of humanity with his irritating little folksy tune, droning on and on.” (Bostridge, p.475-476)

Bostridge uses a gentler, more folk-like tone in his performance and allows the simple tune to do the expressive work for him.

In my personal favorite interpretation, baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau also uses a stoic setting to approach the piece. Fischer-Dieskau serves as a story-teller, relating the outward tale of another man. The story turns inward around the second verse and we see a realization that the singer and hurdy-gurdy man are intertwined. Perhaps the beggar has been present throughout the entire cycle!

The camera work and lighting of Fischer-Dieskau’s performance add to the story-telling. Dim, blue gel is used in a soft spotlight. The background is pitch black, playing into the symbolism of Wintereise as both a dark and fatal journey. The piano, nor its player, are within view, but we- and the singer- can still hear its taunting melody.

Works Cited:

Bostridge, Ian. Schuberts Winter Journey Anatomy of an Obsession. Knopf, 2015.

Bostridge, Ian. Wintereise. By Franz Schubert. Performed by Julius Drake. July 15, 2015. Accessed June 22, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAShNLQzyxI.

Fischer-Dieskau, Dietrich. Der Leiermann. Performed by Alfred Brendel. By Franz Schubert. December 30, 2009. Accessed June 22, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIIS-UgixGE.

Kirk, Michelle. "A Hurdy-Gurdy Experience." To Protext and (Con)Serve (web log), University of Edinburgh, October 6, 2016. Accessed June 22, 2017. http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk/conservation/2016/10/06/a-hurdy-gurdy-experience/.

Schubert, Franz. “Der Leiermann”. Songs Volume 1, compiled and edited by Kalmus Classic.