Composer

:

Modest Mussorgsky

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song Cycle

Compose Date

:

1877

Publication Date

:

1882

Average_duration

:

8:16

"Field-Marshal Death" is a song composed by Modest Mussorgsky in 1877. It was premiered in the same year in St. Petersburg, Russia. The song is part of Mussorgsky's song cycle "Songs and Dances of Death," which consists of four songs that depict death in various forms. "Field-Marshal Death" is the third song in the cycle and is sung from the perspective of a soldier who is dying on the battlefield. The soldier sees Death, portrayed as a field marshal, approaching him and asking him to join his army. The soldier initially resists, saying that he has not yet fulfilled his duty to his country and that he has a wife and child waiting for him at home. However, Death reminds him that he is just a small part of a larger war and that his death is necessary for the greater good. The song is divided into three distinct sections. The first section is slow and mournful, with the soldier singing about his impending death. The second section is more martial in character, with Death's army marching in the background. The final section is a duet between the soldier and Death, with Death's voice represented by a bass voice and the soldier's voice represented by a tenor. The music of "Field-Marshal Death" is characterized by its use of Russian folk melodies and its dramatic contrasts between the soldier's lament and the martial music of Death's army. The song is also notable for its use of chromaticism, which adds to the sense of unease and impending doom. Overall, "Field-Marshal Death" is a powerful and haunting depiction of the horrors of war and the inevitability of death. It is a testament to Mussorgsky's skill as a composer and his ability to capture the essence of human emotion in his music.

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