Composer

:

Richard Hundley

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

2:23

"Strings in the Earth and Air" is a song cycle composed by Richard Hundley, an American composer and pianist. The cycle was composed in 1978 and premiered in the same year. It consists of five movements, each of which is a setting of a poem by a different poet. The first movement, "Strings in the Earth and Air," sets a poem by James Joyce. It is a gentle and lyrical piece, with a flowing piano accompaniment that supports the soaring vocal line. The second movement, "Epitaph on a Wife," sets a poem by Robert Herrick. It is a mournful and introspective piece, with a slow and melancholy melody that is supported by a sparse and haunting piano accompaniment. The third movement, "When I Was One-and-Twenty," sets a poem by A.E. Housman. It is a lively and playful piece, with a jaunty piano accompaniment that supports the sprightly vocal line. The fourth movement, "The Astronomers," sets a poem by Sara Teasdale. It is a dreamy and ethereal piece, with a delicate and shimmering piano accompaniment that supports the soaring vocal line. The final movement, "Jenny Kissed Me," sets a poem by Leigh Hunt. It is a joyful and exuberant piece, with a lively and energetic piano accompaniment that supports the exultant vocal line. Throughout the cycle, Hundley's music is characterized by its sensitivity to the text, its lyrical melodies, and its delicate and nuanced piano accompaniments. The cycle is a testament to Hundley's skill as a composer and his ability to capture the essence of each poem in his music.

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