Composer

:

Edward Elgar

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

ca. 1887 - 1892

Average_duration

:

3:02

"A Song of Autumn" is a choral work composed by Edward Elgar in 1908. It was premiered on October 22, 1908, at the Birmingham Festival, with Elgar conducting the City of Birmingham Orchestra and Chorus. The piece is divided into three movements, each with its own distinct characteristics. The first movement, "The Wind at Dawn," begins with a gentle, flowing melody in the strings, which is soon joined by the woodwinds and brass. The choir enters with a hushed, ethereal sound, singing of the wind at dawn and the changing of the seasons. The music builds to a climax as the choir sings of the "mighty wind" that sweeps across the land, before subsiding into a quiet, reflective coda. The second movement, "The Harvest," is a lively and rhythmic dance, with the choir singing of the joy and abundance of the harvest season. The music is full of energy and movement, with the orchestra and choir trading off melodies and rhythms. The movement ends with a triumphant flourish, as the choir sings of the "golden sheaves" and the bounty of the earth. The final movement, "The Dead," is a somber and reflective piece, with the choir singing of the passing of the year and the inevitability of death. The music is slow and mournful, with the orchestra providing a haunting accompaniment. The choir sings of the "silent graves" and the "fading light," before the music fades away into silence. Overall, "A Song of Autumn" is a beautiful and evocative work, full of Elgar's characteristic lush harmonies and sweeping melodies. The piece captures the changing of the seasons and the cycle of life and death, and is a testament to Elgar's skill as a composer.

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