Composer

:

Anton Webern

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1933 - 1934

Average_duration

:

7:26

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

Anton Webern's 'Songs (3) from Viae inviae for voice & piano, Op. 23' is a collection of three songs composed in 1927. The premiere of the work took place on 23rd February 1928 in Vienna, Austria. The three movements of the work are titled 'Langsamer Satz', 'Sehr langsam' and 'Bewegt'. The first movement, 'Langsamer Satz', is a slow and melancholic piece that features a simple and repetitive piano accompaniment. The vocal line is also simple and understated, with the singer delivering the text in a subdued and introspective manner. The movement is characterized by its use of dissonant harmonies and sparse textures, which create a sense of tension and unease. The second movement, 'Sehr langsam', is even slower than the first and features a more complex and dissonant piano accompaniment. The vocal line is also more challenging, with the singer required to navigate a series of wide intervals and angular melodic lines. The movement is characterized by its use of extended vocal techniques, such as sprechstimme (spoken singing), which further adds to the sense of unease and disorientation. The final movement, 'Bewegt', is the most energetic and lively of the three. The piano accompaniment is more rhythmic and propulsive, while the vocal line is more declamatory and forceful. The movement is characterized by its use of syncopated rhythms and jagged melodic lines, which create a sense of urgency and restlessness. Overall, 'Songs (3) from Viae inviae for voice & piano, Op. 23' is a challenging and complex work that showcases Webern's mastery of dissonant harmonies and unconventional textures. The work is notable for its use of extended vocal techniques and its exploration of the limits of tonality, which would become hallmarks of Webern's later works.

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