Composer

:

Bohuslav Martinu

Genre

:

Vocal

Compose Date

:

1932

Publication Date

:

1976

Average_duration

:

8:52

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Bohuslav Martinu's 'Songs (2) on Negro Folk-Poetry for voice & piano, H. 226' is a composition that was composed in 1938. The piece was premiered in 1939 in New York City by the famous African-American contralto Marian Anderson. The composition consists of two movements, each of which is based on a different Negro folk-poem. The first movement, titled "I Know About the Life of the Cotton-Pickers," is a lively and rhythmic piece that captures the energy and spirit of the cotton-pickers. The piano accompaniment is syncopated and lively, while the vocal line is full of syncopation and rhythmic variation. The lyrics of the poem are about the hard work and struggles of the cotton-pickers, and Martinu's music captures the spirit of the poem perfectly. The second movement, titled "Three Dream Portraits," is a more introspective and melancholic piece. The piano accompaniment is more subdued, and the vocal line is more lyrical and expressive. The lyrics of the poem are about three different characters - a young girl, a mother, and a man - and their dreams and aspirations. Martinu's music captures the different moods and emotions of each character, from the innocence and hopefulness of the young girl to the resignation and sadness of the mother. Overall, Martinu's 'Songs (2) on Negro Folk-Poetry for voice & piano, H. 226' is a beautiful and powerful composition that captures the spirit and emotion of the Negro folk-poems. The music is full of energy, rhythm, and emotion, and it is a testament to Martinu's skill as a composer.

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