Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote the poem “Gesang der Geister über den Wassern” (“Song of the Spirits over the Waters”) in 1779 during a journey through Switzerland. He was deeply moved by the Staubbach Falls in the Lauterbrunnen Valley–a dramatic waterfall that cascades from a great height in delicate veils. This striking natural scene inspired him to reflect on the movement of water as a metaphor for the human soul. The original version of the poem was conceived as a dialogue between two spirits and was first shared privately in a letter to Charlotte von Stein. It wasn’t until 1789 that the poem was published under its now familiar title, without any further revisions by Goethe.

Franz Schubert engaged with this poem over several years, exploring different musical settings. His first attempt in 1816–a version for solo voice and piano–remained incomplete. In the years that followed, he drafted additional arrangements, including versions for male choir with piano accompaniment. The most renowned and final version was composed around 1820–1821: a powerful setting for eight male voices and a low string ensemble consisting of two violas, two cellos, and a double bass. This instrumentation gives the piece a rich, resonant depth and perfectly complements the poem’s calm, flowing imagery.

Schubert’s repeated efforts to set the text to music reveal how deeply he was drawn to its blend of natural symbolism and spiritual reflection. His composition is more than a musical adaptation–it’s a contemplative response to themes of transience, motion, and inner life, expressed through a soundscape that expands the emotional reach of Goethe’s words.