Composer

:

Giacinto Scelsi

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Compose Date

:

1986

Average_duration

:

3:45

'Krishna e Radha' is a composition for solo voice and chamber orchestra composed by Giacinto Scelsi in 1972. The piece was premiered in Rome on May 12, 1973, by the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, conducted by Bruno Maderna, with the soprano Françoise Pollet as the soloist. The composition is divided into three movements, each of which is named after a Hindu deity. The first movement, 'Krishna', is characterized by a slow and meditative tempo, with the voice and orchestra alternating between moments of stillness and moments of intense activity. The second movement, 'Radha', is more lively and rhythmic, with the voice and orchestra engaging in a playful and flirtatious dialogue. The final movement, 'Kali', is the most intense and dramatic of the three, with the voice and orchestra reaching a frenzied climax before subsiding into a state of calm. Scelsi's use of microtonality and extended vocal techniques is a defining characteristic of 'Krishna e Radha'. The voice is often used as an instrument, with the singer producing a range of sounds and textures that are not traditionally associated with singing. The orchestra, too, is used in unconventional ways, with Scelsi often focusing on individual instruments or sections rather than the ensemble as a whole. Overall, 'Krishna e Radha' is a complex and challenging work that requires a high level of technical skill and musical sensitivity from both the soloist and the orchestra. Its fusion of Western and Eastern musical traditions, as well as its exploration of the relationship between voice and instrument, make it a unique and innovative contribution to the contemporary classical repertoire.

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