Ständchen, D 920 (Schubert)


"Ständchen", D 920/921 is a part song for alto solo, chorus & piano, by Franz Schubert. He composed it in Vienna in July 1827, setting words by Franz Grillparzer.
Schubert wrote two versions, for male and female chorus, originally catalogued as:
The latest update of Deutsch's catalogue places both versions under D 920, and D 921 is no longer used.

History

The poem which Schubert set was specially commissioned from Franz Grillparzer by Anna Fröhlich, a singing teacher in Vienna, to celebrate the birthday of her pupil Louise Gosmar. Fröhlich showed Grillparzer's poem to Schubert and asked him to set it to music, who obliged within a few days with the version for mezzo-soprano and men's voices.
However, Fröhlich was unhappy because she wanted a setting for Gosmar to sing with her female friends. So Schubert swiftly produced a re-scored version with SSAA chorus, D. 921. The composer failed to turn up at the public performance and had to be fetched from a nearby beer-house.
Schubert only set two other poems by Grillparzer: "Bertas Lied in der Nacht", D 653, and "Mirjams Siegesgesang", D 942.

Manuscripts and publication

The title may be Diabelli's own: the manuscript of D 920 is headed 'Chor mit Alt=Solo / Gedicht von Grillparzer'. D 921 was published by Anton Diabelli as "Ständchen", Op. 135.