Composer

:

Jake Heggie

Genre

:

Vocal

Compose Date

:

1998

First Performance

:

August 20, 1998

Average_duration

:

17:11

Movement_count

:

8

Movement ....

'Songs to the Moon' is a song cycle composed by Jake Heggie in 2002. The cycle is based on poems by various poets, including Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Garcia Lorca. The premiere of the cycle was on February 1, 2002, at the San Francisco Opera Center, with mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade and pianist Jake Heggie. The cycle consists of nine movements, each of which explores the theme of the moon in different ways. The first movement, "The Moon's a Balloon," is a playful and whimsical exploration of the moon's shape and movement. The second movement, "The Moon's the North Wind's Cooky," is a more contemplative piece that explores the moon's role in the natural world. The third movement, "A Drinking Song," is a lively and celebratory piece that celebrates the moon's role in human life. The fourth movement, "Insomnia," is a haunting and introspective piece that explores the moon's role in sleeplessness and anxiety. The fifth movement, "The Moon's the Same," is a nostalgic and wistful piece that explores the moon's constancy in a changing world. The sixth movement, "The Moon's a Mirror," is a reflective and introspective piece that explores the moon's role in self-reflection. The seventh movement, "The Moon's the South Wind's Dream," is a dreamy and ethereal piece that explores the moon's role in the imagination. The eighth movement, "The Moon's a Sickle," is a dark and brooding piece that explores the moon's role in death and loss. The final movement, "Goodnight," is a gentle and soothing lullaby that bids farewell to the moon and brings the cycle to a peaceful close. Overall, 'Songs to the Moon' is a beautiful and evocative cycle that explores the many facets of the moon's role in human life and the natural world. Heggie's music is both lyrical and expressive, and the cycle is a testament to his skill as a composer.

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