Piano — Practical study pieces
Romantic · 1868

Wiegenlied (Brahms's Lullaby), Op. 49 No. 4

J. BrahmsOp. 49 No. 4

Key
Eb
Time
3/4
Tempo
♩=76
AO focus
AO2

Incipit

Form

Strophic art-song — two verses with the same melody. Originally for voice + piano, often adapted for solo piano.

Teaching points

  • Triple meter, gentle dotted rhythm — universal lullaby idiom
  • Range of a 9th — singable for most amateur sopranos
  • Cross-rhythm: vocal melody hemiolas against the piano accompaniment in bars 9–10
Topic T11Topic T7