"Longing for Death" The Early Romantic Composer Wilhelm Schneider's Setting of Novalis's Sixth Hymn to the Night

The biography of composer and pianist Wilhelm Schneider (1781-1811), appreciated only by a small circle of professionals in his lifetime and today completely forgotten, has benefited from several biographical finds that have led to more insight into his life and creative activities. He was the first composer to set poems by Novalis to music, in particular the sixth Hymn to the Night, a four-part song, ostensibly Schneider's most extensive work. A musical analysis reveals several contrasts to mainstream early romantic composers of lied and places Schneider nearer to Schubert with regard to key characteristics (i. e. remote tonalities), the relationship between word and music, and musical ideas. A critical edition of the song from 1804 is included.