Composer

:

Eriks Esenvalds

Genre

:

Choral

Average_duration

:

5:17

"Only in Sleep" is a choral work composed by Eriks Esenvalds in 2010. It premiered in the same year at the Latvian National Song Festival in Riga, Latvia. The piece is written for a mixed choir and is divided into three movements. The first movement begins with a solo soprano voice singing a haunting melody that is then echoed by the choir. The text of this movement is taken from a poem by Sara Teasdale and speaks of the memories that come to us only in sleep. The music is ethereal and dreamlike, with the choir singing in a soft, almost whispered tone. The second movement is a setting of a Latvian folk song. The choir sings in unison, with the melody passed between the different sections of the choir. The music is lively and rhythmic, with a folk-like quality that is reminiscent of traditional Latvian music. The final movement returns to the text of the first movement, with the choir singing a lush, harmonized setting of Teasdale's poem. The music builds to a climax before fading away into a peaceful, serene ending. One of the most striking characteristics of "Only in Sleep" is Esenvalds' use of extended vocal techniques. The choir is called upon to sing in a variety of styles, including whispering, humming, and even singing while inhaling. These techniques add to the dreamlike quality of the music and create a unique and otherworldly sound. Overall, "Only in Sleep" is a beautiful and haunting work that showcases Esenvalds' skill as a composer and his ability to create music that is both innovative and deeply emotional.

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