Composer

:

Dmitry Shostakovich

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song Collection

Compose Date

:

1954

Average_duration

:

13:00

Movement_count

:

5

Movement ....

"Romances (5) by Dolmatovsky, Op. 98" is a song cycle composed by Dmitry Shostakovich in 1951. The premiere of the cycle took place in Moscow on December 6, 1951, with the baritone singer Ivan Petrov and the pianist Maria Yudina. The cycle consists of five songs, each with its own distinct character and mood. The first song, "The Sun Has Faded," is a melancholic and introspective piece that sets the tone for the rest of the cycle. The second song, "The City Sleeps," is a haunting and atmospheric piece that captures the stillness and emptiness of a sleeping city. The third song, "The Song of Ophelia," is a dramatic and emotional piece that tells the tragic story of Shakespeare's Ophelia. The fourth song, "The King's Campaign," is a lively and energetic piece that tells the story of a king's military campaign. The final song, "The Poet's Death," is a somber and reflective piece that explores the themes of mortality and the passing of time. The cycle is characterized by Shostakovich's use of dissonant harmonies and unconventional chord progressions, which create a sense of tension and unease throughout the cycle. The vocal melodies are often angular and fragmented, reflecting the fragmented and disjointed nature of the lyrics. Overall, "Romances (5) by Dolmatovsky, Op. 98" is a powerful and emotionally charged song cycle that showcases Shostakovich's mastery of the art song genre. Its themes of love, loss, and mortality are universal and timeless, making it a work that continues to resonate with audiences today.

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