Composer

:

Frank Martin

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Oratorio

Compose Date

:

1938 - 1941

First Performance

:

Aug 15, 1948

Average_duration

:

106:09

Le vin herbé is a cantata composed by Swiss composer Frank Martin in 1938-1940. The piece is based on the legend of Tristan and Isolde, a story of love and tragedy that has been the subject of many works of art throughout history. The cantata is divided into three movements and was premiered in Zurich in 1940. The first movement, titled "Prologue," sets the stage for the story and introduces the main characters. The music is dark and brooding, with a sense of foreboding that foreshadows the tragedy to come. The choir sings a Latin text that describes the power of love and its ability to overcome even death. The second movement, "The Love Potion," tells the story of how Tristan and Isolde fall in love after drinking a potion that was meant to make Isolde fall in love with King Mark, Tristan's uncle and Isolde's betrothed. The music is lush and romantic, with soaring melodies and rich harmonies that reflect the intensity of the lovers' passion. The final movement, "The Death of Tristan," is the most dramatic and emotional of the three. It begins with a funeral march that gradually builds in intensity as Tristan dies from wounds he received in battle. Isolde arrives too late to save him and sings a haunting lament over his body. The music is full of anguish and despair, with dissonant harmonies and jagged rhythms that reflect the pain of the characters. Overall, Le vin herbé is a powerful and moving work that explores the themes of love, death, and fate. Martin's music is deeply expressive and captures the emotional intensity of the story. The piece has become a staple of the choral repertoire and is widely regarded as one of Martin's greatest works.

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