Composer

:

Benjamin Britten

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1937

Average_duration

:

2:28

"To lie flat on the back" is a song cycle composed by Benjamin Britten in 1952. The premiere of the work was given by tenor Peter Pears and pianist Benjamin Britten on June 10, 1952, at the Aldeburgh Festival. The cycle consists of five movements, each of which sets a poem by W. H. Auden. The first movement, "Lay your sleeping head, my love," is a lullaby that features a gentle, rocking rhythm in the piano accompaniment. The second movement, "As it is, plenty," is a more upbeat and playful setting of Auden's poem, with a lively piano part and a jaunty vocal melody. The third movement, "Eyes look into the well," is a haunting and introspective piece that features a sparse piano accompaniment and a vocal line that is often dissonant and angular. The fourth movement, "Underneath the abject willow," is a mournful and melancholy setting of Auden's poem, with a slow and mournful piano accompaniment and a vocal line that is full of longing and sadness. The final movement, "If grief could burn out," is a hopeful and uplifting piece that features a bright and optimistic piano accompaniment and a vocal line that is full of energy and vitality. Throughout the cycle, Britten's music perfectly captures the mood and tone of Auden's poetry, creating a powerful and moving work that is both beautiful and deeply emotional.

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