Un Lied  è una composizione per voce e strumento d’accompagnamento, generalmente pianoforte che ebbe molto successo nel Romanticismo.

Il testo è poetico e in lingua tedesca.

Propongo l’ascolto di un Lied con testo di Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749/1832) e musica di Franz Peter Schubert (1779/1828)

TESTO
Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort
Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort? –
Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh’ es genau:
Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau. –”Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;
Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch’ ich Gewalt.” –
Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan! –Dem Vater grauset’s; er reitet geschwind
Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind
Erreicht den Hof mit Mühe und Not;
In seinen Armen das Kind war tot[English Translation]
Who rides, so late, through night and wind?
It is the father with his child
He has the boy well in his arm
He holds him safely, he keeps him warmMy son, why do you hide your face in fear? –
Father, do you not see the Elf-king?
The Elf-king with crown and cape? –
My son, it is a streak of fog. –

“You dear child, come, go with me!
(Very) beautiful games I play with you;
Many colorful flowers are on the beach
My mother has many a golden robe.” –My father, my father, and do you not hear
What the Elf-king quietly promises me? –
Be calm, stay calm, my child;
Through dry leaves the wind is sighing. –”Do you, fine boy, want to go with me?
My daughters shall wait on you finely;
My daughters lead the nightly dance
And rock and dance and sing to bring you in.” –My father, my father, and don’t you see there
The Elf-king’s daughters in the gloomy place? –
My son, my son, I see it clearly:
There shimmer the old willows so grey. –”I love you,  and your beautiful form;
And if you’re not willing, then I will use force.” –
My father, my father, i feel his touch now!
The Elf-king has done me harm! –

It horrifies the father; he swiftly rides on
He holds the moaning child in his arms
Reaches the farm with great difficulty;
In his arms, the child was dead