Composer

:

Hanns Eisler

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1932

Average_duration

:

2:53

"O Fallada, da du hangest" is a composition by Hanns Eisler, a German composer and political activist. The piece was composed in 1937, during Eisler's exile in the United States, and was premiered in New York City in 1943. The composition is a setting of a poem by the German writer and poet, Johannes R. Becher. The piece is divided into three movements, each of which is characterized by a different mood and musical style. The first movement is slow and mournful, with a somber melody that is played by the strings. The second movement is more upbeat and lively, with a faster tempo and a more complex rhythm. The third movement is slower and more contemplative, with a simple melody that is played by the woodwinds. The piece is characterized by its use of dissonance and unconventional harmonies, which reflect Eisler's interest in modernist music. The composition also features a variety of instrumental textures, with different sections of the orchestra playing contrasting melodies and rhythms. The text of the poem, which is sung in German, is a lament for the German people, who are depicted as hanging from a gallows. The poem is a powerful critique of the Nazi regime and its policies of oppression and violence. Eisler's setting of the poem emphasizes the emotional intensity of the text, with the music conveying a sense of despair and hopelessness. Overall, "O Fallada, da du hangest" is a powerful and moving composition that reflects Eisler's commitment to political activism and his belief in the power of music to express social and political ideas. The piece remains an important work in the canon of modernist music, and a testament to the enduring power of art to inspire and provoke.

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