Der Schiffer (The Boatman, (D. 694), from March 1820, is Schubert in his most relaxed mood, adrift on the sea of calm tonality and dreaming of love. Friedrich von Schlegel's boatman is caught late at night, aimlessly playing with the rudder, thinking of the girl who isn't there but nevertheless contented in his thoughts. Schubert mirrors him in music which is part barcarole and part nocturne: over the deep, slow swells of the piano accompaniment, the vocal melody floats like the moon reflected on dark, still water.

The tempo increases and the key changes from D major to B minor when the singer's thoughts turn to the fair-haired girl he wishes were with him, but B minor modulates to B major when he imagines what they would do together upon the waters. The poem's return to its opening brings the D major barcarole with it and the song ends as it began, singing alone but contented upon the water.

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