demusic1-4, Exercise 1: What a Lied is

Model answer (check the terms):

A Lied is a song for a solo voice and piano that sets a poem, usually in German, with the piano as an equal partner. In a simple song the piano just supports the tune. In a Lied the piano can paint the scene, suggest a mood or comment on the words, so voice and piano share the meaning.

Why poetry mattered: the form grew with the great age of German poetry. Composers chose poems by Goethe, Heine, Eichendorff and others, and the music tried to bring out what the poem said and felt. A good Lied is therefore a meeting of two arts, and it is hard to appreciate fully without following the words, which is one reason translations are printed in programmes.