Composer

:

Benjamin Britten

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song: Art Song

Compose Date

:

1954

Average_duration

:

11:28

Canticle III: Still Falls the Rain, Op. 55 is a song cycle composed by Benjamin Britten in 1954. The piece was premiered on June 15, 1955, at the Aldeburgh Festival, with Peter Pears as the tenor soloist and Britten himself at the piano. The work is based on three poems by Edith Sitwell, which were written during the London Blitz in 1940. The first movement, "Still Falls the Rain," is a setting of Sitwell's poem of the same name. The poem describes the rain falling during the bombing of London, and the music reflects the somber and mournful mood of the text. The piano accompaniment is sparse and haunting, with the tenor soloist singing in a mournful and plaintive style. The second movement, "The Raids, 1940, Night and Dawn," is a setting of Sitwell's poem about the bombing raids on London during the Blitz. The music is more agitated and frenzied than the first movement, with the piano accompaniment becoming more complex and dissonant. The tenor soloist sings in a more urgent and frantic style, reflecting the chaos and terror of the bombing raids. The final movement, "The Elegy," is a setting of Sitwell's poem about the aftermath of the bombing raids. The music is more subdued and reflective than the previous movements, with the piano accompaniment becoming more gentle and lyrical. The tenor soloist sings in a more contemplative and introspective style, reflecting on the loss and devastation caused by the bombing raids. Overall, Canticle III: Still Falls the Rain, Op. 55 is a powerful and moving work that reflects the horrors of war and the resilience of the human spirit. Britten's music is sensitive and evocative, capturing the mood and emotion of Sitwell's poetry with great skill and artistry. The piece remains a popular and important work in the repertoire of vocal music.

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