Composer

:

Lee Hoiby

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

4:38

'Jabberwocky' is a song cycle composed by Lee Hoiby in 1972. The work is based on the poem of the same name by Lewis Carroll, which was first published in 1871 as part of his novel 'Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There'. The premiere of 'Jabberwocky' took place on April 23, 1973, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., with mezzo-soprano Jan DeGaetani and pianist Gilbert Kalish. The song cycle consists of six movements, each of which sets a different stanza from the poem. The first movement, "Twas brillig", is marked "With a strong, driving rhythm" and features syncopated piano accompaniment and angular vocal lines. The second movement, "Beware the Jabberwock", is more lyrical and features a soaring vocal melody over a flowing piano accompaniment. The third movement, "He took his vorpal sword", is marked "With a sense of urgency" and features a driving piano accompaniment and declamatory vocal lines. The fourth movement, "One, two! One, two!", is a playful scherzo with a jaunty piano accompaniment and staccato vocal lines. The fifth movement, "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?", is a lyrical and reflective aria with a soaring vocal melody and lush piano accompaniment. The final movement, "Twas brillig (reprise)", is a recapitulation of the opening movement, with the same driving rhythm and syncopated piano accompaniment. Overall, 'Jabberwocky' is characterized by Hoiby's inventive and colorful piano writing, which often features complex rhythms and harmonies. The vocal lines are similarly inventive, with frequent leaps and unexpected melodic turns. The work is also notable for its use of onomatopoeia, with the vocal lines often imitating the sounds of the creatures and actions described in the poem. Despite its complexity, however, 'Jabberwocky' is a highly accessible work that captures the whimsical and fantastical spirit of Carroll's original poem.

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