Composer

:

Nicholas Maw

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1990

Average_duration

:

7:30

One Foot in Eden Still, I Stand is a choral work composed by Nicholas Maw in 1984. The piece was premiered in the same year by the BBC Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Sir Colin Davis. The work is divided into three movements, each of which is characterized by its own unique musical style and emotional tone. The first movement, titled "The Garden," is a lush and lyrical setting of a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke. The music is characterized by its rich harmonies and soaring melodies, which evoke the beauty and tranquility of a garden in bloom. The choir sings of the "deep peace" that can be found in nature, and the music reflects this sense of serenity and calm. The second movement, "The War," is a stark contrast to the first. Set to a text by Isaac Rosenberg, the music is dark and brooding, with dissonant harmonies and jagged rhythms that convey the horror and brutality of war. The choir sings of the "red anger" and "black terror" of battle, and the music reflects the chaos and violence of the battlefield. The final movement, "The Dance," is a joyful and exuberant celebration of life. Set to a text by W. B. Yeats, the music is characterized by its lively rhythms and playful melodies, which evoke the energy and vitality of a dance. The choir sings of the "wildness and wet" of life, and the music reflects the sense of freedom and abandon that comes with living fully. Overall, One Foot in Eden Still, I Stand is a powerful and moving work that explores the full range of human experience, from the beauty and tranquility of nature to the horror and violence of war, and finally to the joy and exuberance of life. Maw's masterful use of harmony, melody, and rhythm creates a rich and complex musical landscape that perfectly captures the emotional depth and complexity of the text.

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