Composer

:

Charles Villiers Stanford

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

6:09

"La Belle Dame Sans Merci" is a song cycle composed by Charles Villiers Stanford in 1902. The cycle is based on the poem of the same name by John Keats, which tells the story of a knight who falls in love with a beautiful and mysterious woman, only to be abandoned and left to wander alone. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which sets a different section of the poem to music. The first movement, "O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms," sets the scene and introduces the knight and his plight. The second movement, "Pale warriors, death-pale were they all," describes the knight's encounter with the woman and her supernatural powers. The third movement, "And this is why I sojourn here," is a soliloquy by the knight, in which he reflects on his love for the woman and his despair at her departure. The fourth movement, "She took me to her elfin grot," is a dreamlike description of the woman's realm, where the knight is taken and seduced. The fifth movement, "I saw pale kings and princes too," describes the knight's vision of the woman's previous victims, who are now trapped in her realm. The final movement, "And this is why I sojourn here," is a reprise of the third movement, in which the knight laments his fate and his inability to escape the woman's spell. The music of "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" is characterized by its Romantic style, with lush harmonies and expressive melodies. Stanford's use of chromaticism and dissonance creates a sense of unease and mystery, reflecting the supernatural elements of the poem. The vocal writing is highly expressive, with long, lyrical lines and dramatic recitative passages. The cycle premiered in London in 1902, with the tenor Gervase Elwes and Stanford himself at the piano. It has since become a popular work in the vocal repertoire, with its haunting melodies and evocative text capturing the imagination of audiences and performers alike.

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