Composer

:

Max Bruch

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

ca. 1908

Average_duration

:

21:15

Max Bruch's Welsh Folk Songs for mixed chorus is a collection of six choral pieces that were composed in 1902. The premiere of the work took place in Berlin in the same year. The six movements of the work are titled "All Through the Night," "The Ash Grove," "The Dove," "The Miller of Dee," "The Ploughboy," and "The Last Rose of Summer." The work is characterized by Bruch's use of traditional Welsh folk melodies, which he arranged for mixed chorus. The melodies are simple and lyrical, and Bruch's harmonizations are straightforward and accessible. The choral writing is also relatively simple, with the emphasis on the beauty of the melodies and the clarity of the text. "All Through the Night" is a gentle lullaby that features a solo soprano voice in the opening and closing sections. "The Ash Grove" is a lively dance tune that features a call-and-response between the men's and women's voices. "The Dove" is a mournful ballad that features a solo tenor voice in the middle section. "The Miller of Dee" is a humorous song about a miller who loves to drink and sing. "The Ploughboy" is a lively tune about a young man who dreams of marrying a wealthy woman. "The Last Rose of Summer" is a melancholy ballad about the passing of time and the beauty of nature. Overall, Max Bruch's Welsh Folk Songs for mixed chorus is a charming and accessible work that showcases the beauty of traditional Welsh folk melodies. The work has remained popular with choral groups around the world and is a testament to Bruch's skill as a composer and arranger.

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