Composer

:

Maurice Ravel

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1913

Average_duration

:

4:02

Maurice Ravel's 'Soupir (Poèmes de Mallarmé No. 1)' is a song cycle composed in 1913. It premiered on May 5, 1914, in Paris, with the composer himself at the piano and Jeanne Hatto as the vocalist. The song cycle consists of three movements, each based on a poem by the French symbolist poet Stéphane Mallarmé. The first movement, 'Soupir,' is a setting of Mallarmé's poem of the same name. The poem is a meditation on the fleeting nature of beauty and the transience of life. Ravel's music captures the delicate, ethereal quality of the poem, with its shimmering piano accompaniment and soaring vocal line. The vocal part is characterized by long, sustained notes and a sense of yearning, reflecting the poem's themes of longing and desire. The second movement, 'Placet futile,' is a setting of Mallarmé's poem 'A throw of the dice will never abolish chance.' The poem is a complex, fragmented work that explores the relationship between language, meaning, and reality. Ravel's music reflects the poem's fragmented structure, with its disjointed piano accompaniment and angular vocal line. The vocal part is characterized by sudden shifts in register and dynamics, reflecting the poem's themes of uncertainty and unpredictability. The third and final movement, 'Évantail,' is a setting of Mallarmé's poem 'Fan.' The poem is a sensual, evocative work that describes the movements of a fan and the emotions it inspires. Ravel's music captures the sensuality and eroticism of the poem, with its sinuous piano accompaniment and languorous vocal line. The vocal part is characterized by sensuous, sliding phrases and a sense of languid abandon, reflecting the poem's themes of desire and pleasure. Overall, 'Soupir (Poèmes de Mallarmé No. 1)' is a hauntingly beautiful work that showcases Ravel's mastery of melody, harmony, and texture. The song cycle is characterized by its delicate, shimmering piano accompaniment, soaring vocal lines, and evocative, impressionistic harmonies. It is a testament to Ravel's ability to capture the essence of Mallarmé's poetry and translate it into music of exquisite beauty and emotional depth.

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