Composer

:

Ricky Ian Gordon

Genre

:

Vocal

Average_duration

:

28:10

Movement_count

:

11

Movement ....

"Too Few the Mornings Bes" is a song cycle composed by Ricky Ian Gordon, an American composer known for his vocal music. The cycle was composed in 2005 and premiered on October 23, 2005, at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York City. The cycle consists of eleven movements, each of which sets a poem by Emily Dickinson to music. The first movement, "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" sets Dickinson's famous poem about the joys of anonymity. The second movement, "The Soul selects her own Society," is a meditation on the power of the individual to choose her own companions. The third movement, "I taste a liquor never brewed," is a playful and whimsical setting of a poem about the intoxicating power of nature. The fourth movement, "There's a certain Slant of light," is a haunting and introspective setting of a poem about the melancholy that can come with the changing of the seasons. The fifth movement, "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain," is a dramatic and intense setting of a poem about the experience of mental breakdown. The sixth movement, "Because I could not stop for Death," is a serene and contemplative setting of a poem about the inevitability of death. The seventh movement, "I heard a Fly buzz - when I died," is a stark and unsettling setting of a poem about the moment of death. The eighth movement, "The Bustle in a House," is a gentle and nostalgic setting of a poem about the aftermath of a loved one's death. The ninth movement, "I died for Beauty - but was scarce," is a poignant and reflective setting of a poem about the power of art to transcend death. The tenth movement, "I like to see it lap the Miles," is a lively and rhythmic setting of a poem about the power of the locomotive. The final movement, "This is my letter to the World," is a hopeful and optimistic setting of a poem about the power of communication. Overall, "Too Few the Mornings Bes" is a powerful and moving cycle that showcases Gordon's skill as a composer of vocal music. The cycle is characterized by its sensitivity to the nuances of Dickinson's poetry, as well as its ability to capture the emotional depth and complexity of her work.

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