The activity of spinning, and the movement and sound of the spinning wheel are common motifs in nineteenth-century music. How successful is this music as a “representation” or “depiction” of spinning? And how does it relate to the socio-cultural context of spinning as a craft, and particularly as women’s work?
00:00 Intro
00:37 Character pieces
03:27 “Diligent, pious en virtuous”: J.A.P. Schulz
10:02 Haydn: “Knurre, schnurre”
11:57 Schubert’s Gretchen
17:42 Mendelssohn: spinning song or not?
20:40 Wagner: “Summ und brumm”
24:34 Movement timbre, texture
30:38 From Gretchen to Louise
For a more extensive discussion and sources, see L. Muns, Purring and Whirring: Music of the Spinning Wheel.
Music excerpts:
01:04 B. Godard, Au rouet op. 85 (piano*)
05:41 J.A.P. Schulz, Spinnerlied (piano*)
08:31 J.A.P. Schulz, Die Spinnerin (piano*)
10:43 J. Haydn, Knurre, schnurre, Rädchen, schnurre, from Die Jahreszeiten (Norrington, Oelze, RIAS Kammerchor, Chamber Orchestra of Europe) Hänssler PH07076
12:03, 15:10 F. Schubert, arr. F. Liszt, Gretchen am Spinnrade (piano*)
13:26 F. Schubert, Gretchen am Spinnrade (Auger, Olbertz) Berlin Classics
17:57 F. Mendelssohn, Lied ohne Worte op. 67 nr. 4 (piano*)
20:10 F. Mendelssohn, Lied ohne Worte op. 67 nr. 4 (Rachmaninoff, 1920) Victor
21:54 R. Wagner, Summ und brumm, du gutes Rädchen, from Der fliegende Holländer (Barenboim, Chor der Berliner Staatsoper, Staatskapelle Berlin) Teldec
23:18 R. Wagner, arr. F. Liszt, Spinnerlied aus Der fliegende Holländer (piano*)
26:47 Collage: F. Mendelssohn, Lied ohne Worte op. 67 nr. 4 – 27:06 A. Jungmann, Schnurre, Rädchen, schnurre! op. 294 – 27:35 R. Joseffy, Spinnlied – 27:58 H. Litolff, Zweites Spinnlied op. 104 – 28:28 F. Spindler, Le chant de la fileuse op. 164 – 28:36 H. Ketten, Marguérite au rouet op. 12 – 28:45 B. Godard, Au rouet op. 85 – 29:09 J. Raff, La fileuse op. 157 No. 2 (piano*)
33:08 G. Charpentier, Interlude from Louise, Act II (Prêtre, New Philharmonia Orchestra) Sony S3K 46429
34:08 M. Moessorgskij, Sjveja (The seamstress) (piano*)
*Lodewijk Muns, piano
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