Composer

:

Libby Larsen

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1996

Average_duration

:

7:41

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

Margaret Songs is a song cycle composed by Libby Larsen in 1998. The cycle is based on the poetry of Margaret Atwood, a Canadian poet, novelist, and literary critic. The premiere of the cycle was on March 7, 1999, at the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which is a setting of a different poem by Atwood. The first movement, "You Begin," is a gentle and introspective piece that sets the tone for the rest of the cycle. The second movement, "Variations on the Word Sleep," is a more complex and dissonant piece that explores the different meanings and associations of the word "sleep." The third movement, "The Moment," is a haunting and atmospheric piece that captures the fleeting nature of time and memory. The fourth movement, "Habitation," is a lively and rhythmic piece that celebrates the joys of domestic life. The fifth movement, "Morning in the Burned House," is a somber and reflective piece that explores themes of loss and grief. The final movement, "Siren Song," is a playful and ironic piece that subverts the traditional myth of the sirens. Overall, the Margaret Songs cycle is characterized by its rich and varied musical language, which ranges from lush harmonies to dissonant clusters, and its sensitive and nuanced settings of Atwood's poetry. The cycle is a testament to Larsen's skill as a composer and her ability to capture the essence of a text in music.

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