Wiegenlieder (lullabies or, literally, cradle songs) are not all that common in Schubert's oeuvre. There are three songs with that designation (D. 304, 498, and 867), which, compared with the number of songs about wandering (six), the evening (ten), or love (innumerable!), is fairly small. One of Schubert's better cradle songs is Der Knabe in der Wiege (The Infant in the Cradle) (D. 579). Schubert's setting of Anton Ottenwalt's poem is strophic, taking two of Ottenwalt's verses for each of his two strophes. Featuring a gently rocking melody in duple time, Schubert's song is in clear C major. Sung from the father's perspective, Schubert's setting radiates love for an idealized family group consisting of a father gazing upon his wife and his child.

© All Music Guide