Composer

:

John Rutter

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1999

Average_duration

:

6:46

"I my Best-Beloved's am" is a choral composition by John Rutter, a British composer and conductor. The piece was composed in 1989 and premiered in the same year by the Cambridge Singers, a choir founded and directed by Rutter himself. The composition is a setting of a poem by the English poet and playwright Edith Sitwell, which describes the speaker's love and devotion to their beloved. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which is set to a different musical section. The first movement is marked "Moderato con anima" and begins with a gentle, flowing melody in the sopranos, which is then taken up by the altos and gradually builds in intensity as the full choir joins in. The second movement, marked "Andante con moto," is more contemplative and features a solo soprano singing the words "I am my best-beloved's." The final movement, marked "Allegro con brio," is the most lively and exuberant of the three, with the choir singing in unison and the music building to a triumphant climax. Rutter's composition is characterized by his signature style of lush harmonies, soaring melodies, and a sense of joy and optimism. The piece is also notable for its use of word painting, with the music reflecting the meaning of the text through its dynamics, tempo, and phrasing. Overall, "I my Best-Beloved's am" is a beautiful and uplifting choral work that showcases Rutter's skill as a composer and his ability to capture the essence of a text through music.

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