ABSTRACT
Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship was published in 1795-96 and deals with a young man's apprenticeship for life. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe held that, although we are free to fashion our development in the way we want, our aim should be to achieve harmony within ourselves and be of use to others. Wilhelm sets out on his voyage of discovery by joining a theatre troupe, and the characters he encounters on his journey have in their various ways either achieved what Goethe regarded as the human ideal, or failed to do so. Schubert set Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt twice and Wer nie sein Brot mit Tranen ass three times. The first version of Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt dates from 13 November 1815 and is a simple song in A minor marked Klagend (plaintive). It brings out what Goethe called the 'sad, heartfelt' quality of the Harper's singing.
