Composer

:

Barney Childs

Genre

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1980

Average_duration

:

7:41

"Heaven to Clear When Day Did Close..." is a contemporary classical composition by American composer Barney Childs. It was composed in 1971 and premiered on May 7, 1972, at the University of Redlands in California. The piece is divided into three movements and is scored for a mixed ensemble of 13 musicians. The first movement, titled "Heaven to Clear," is marked "slow and sustained." It begins with a soft, sustained chord in the strings, which is gradually joined by the winds and brass. The music builds in intensity, with dissonant harmonies and angular melodies, before gradually subsiding back into the opening chord. The second movement, titled "When Day Did Close," is marked "fast and rhythmic." It features a driving, syncopated rhythm in the percussion and piano, with the winds and brass playing angular, fragmented melodies over the top. The music is highly energetic and virtuosic, with sudden shifts in tempo and dynamics. The final movement, titled "And Night Came On," is marked "slow and sustained." It begins with a soft, mournful melody in the strings, which is gradually joined by the winds and brass. The music builds in intensity, with dissonant harmonies and complex textures, before gradually subsiding back into the opening melody. Overall, "Heaven to Clear When Day Did Close..." is a highly expressive and complex work, characterized by its dissonant harmonies, angular melodies, and sudden shifts in tempo and dynamics. It showcases Childs' mastery of contemporary classical techniques and his ability to create powerful, emotionally charged music.

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