Composer

:

Brett Dean

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1994

Average_duration

:

26:41

Winter Songs (after poems of e.e. cummings) is a song cycle composed by Australian composer Brett Dean in 2000. The work was premiered on 17 November 2000 at the Wigmore Hall in London, with soprano soloist Lisa Milne and pianist Roger Vignoles. The cycle consists of six movements, each setting a poem by the American poet e.e. cummings. The poems explore themes of love, loss, and the natural world, and Dean's music captures the emotional depth and complexity of the texts. The first movement, "i thank You God for most this amazing day," is a joyful celebration of the beauty of nature, with cascading piano arpeggios and soaring vocal lines. The second movement, "if everything happens that can't be done," is a more introspective meditation on the challenges of life, with a hauntingly beautiful melody and delicate piano accompaniment. The third movement, "in time of daffodils," is a tender love song, with a simple, lyrical melody and gentle, flowing piano accompaniment. The fourth movement, "when faces called flowers float out of the ground," is a haunting, atmospheric piece, with ethereal vocal lines and sparse, dissonant piano chords. The fifth movement, "who knows if the moon's," is a playful, whimsical exploration of the mysteries of the universe, with a lively, syncopated rhythm and sparkling piano accompaniment. The final movement, "maggie and milly and molly and may," is a poignant reflection on the fleeting nature of life, with a hauntingly beautiful melody and sparse, delicate piano accompaniment. Throughout the cycle, Dean's music is characterized by its rich harmonies, expressive melodies, and sensitive treatment of the texts. The work is a powerful exploration of the human experience, and a testament to the enduring power of e.e. cummings' poetry.

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