Composer

:

Gustav Holst

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1929

Average_duration

:

25:57

Movement_count

:

12

Movement ....

Gustav Holst's 'Songs (12), Op. 48, H. 174' is a collection of twelve songs for voice and piano, composed between 1916 and 1917. The songs were premiered on 10th May 1918 at the Aeolian Hall in London, with the composer accompanying the singer, Dorothy Silk. The twelve songs are set to poems by various poets, including Robert Bridges, Thomas Hardy, and Holst's own daughter, Imogen. The songs are divided into three groups of four, with each group having a distinct character and mood. The first group of songs, comprising 'Invocation to Spring', 'The Lark', 'The Fields of Sorrow', and 'Betelgeuse', is characterized by a sense of optimism and joy. The songs are light and airy, with a focus on nature and the changing seasons. The second group of songs, comprising 'Journey's End', 'In the Bleak Midwinter', 'Before Sleep', and 'The Children', is more introspective and melancholic. The songs explore themes of mortality, loss, and the passing of time. The final group of songs, comprising 'The Dream City', 'The Voice of my Beloved', 'The Heart Worships', and 'The One Hope', is characterized by a sense of spirituality and transcendence. The songs are ethereal and otherworldly, with a focus on the divine and the mystical. Holst's 'Songs (12), Op. 48, H. 174' is a masterful collection of songs that showcases the composer's versatility and sensitivity as a composer. The songs are beautifully crafted, with a keen attention to detail and a deep understanding of the texts they set. They are a testament to Holst's skill as a composer of vocal music and remain a beloved part of the art song repertoire.

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