Composer

:

Alfred Schnittke

Genre

:

Orchestral

Style

:

Suite

Compose Date

:

1978

Average_duration

:

28:56

Dead Souls is a composition by Alfred Schnittke, a Russian composer who was born in 1934 and died in 1998. The piece was composed in 1976 and premiered in Moscow in 1979. It is a choral symphony that is based on the novel of the same name by Nikolai Gogol. The composition is divided into three movements, each of which is based on a different section of the novel. The first movement is titled "The Overcoat" and is based on the first part of the novel. It is a slow and mournful movement that features the choir singing in a low register. The music is dark and brooding, reflecting the bleakness of the story. The second movement is titled "The Dead Souls" and is based on the second part of the novel. It is a more lively movement that features the choir singing in a higher register. The music is more upbeat and energetic, reflecting the more humorous and satirical tone of this section of the novel. The third movement is titled "The Eternal Memory" and is based on the final section of the novel. It is a slow and solemn movement that features the choir singing in a high register. The music is mournful and reflective, reflecting the themes of death and redemption that are present in this section of the novel. Overall, Dead Souls is a powerful and emotional composition that reflects the themes and tone of Gogol's novel. Schnittke's use of choral music and his ability to capture the mood and atmosphere of the novel make this a truly remarkable piece of music.

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