Two close friends, both among the greatest geniuses of musical Romanticism, meet a great poet and get intrigued by the same text. That’s the fascinating mixture which is at the bottom of the composition of these two short masterpieces by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Robert Schumann, the songs “Allnächtlich im Traume”. Fascinating because in very few cases the same content has been interpreted so differently by two different artists.
 
The dreamlike apparition of the beloved one (who doesn’t correspond the love of the protagonist) evokes spooky and scary visions in Mendelssohn’s music whereas in Schumann’s song one feels cheerful and idyllic vibes. Fascinating.
 
Needless to say, that both songs are perfectly written and wonderfully expressive. Each on its own way.