Composer

:

Hugo Wolf

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

Oct 3, 1890

Average_duration

:

1:39

Hugo Wolf's 'Gesegnet sei, durch den die Welt' is a song cycle that forms part of his larger work, the 'Italienisches Liederbuch'. The cycle was composed between 1890 and 1896 and premiered in Vienna in 1897. It consists of 46 songs, each of which sets a poem from the collection of Italian love lyrics compiled by Paul Heyse. The cycle is divided into two parts, with the first part consisting of 22 songs and the second part consisting of 24 songs. The songs are arranged thematically, with the first part focusing on the joys and sorrows of love, while the second part deals with the pain and suffering that often accompany love. The songs in 'Gesegnet sei, durch den die Welt' are characterized by their emotional intensity and their use of chromatic harmonies and complex rhythms. Wolf's music is highly expressive, with each song capturing the mood and sentiment of the poem it sets. The songs are also notable for their use of word painting, with Wolf using musical devices to illustrate the meaning of the text. The cycle opens with the song 'Auch kleine Dinge', a playful and lighthearted song that sets the tone for the rest of the cycle. Other notable songs in the cycle include 'Wie lange schon', a hauntingly beautiful song that captures the pain of unrequited love, and 'Mir ward gesagt', a powerful and dramatic song that explores the theme of betrayal. Overall, 'Gesegnet sei, durch den die Welt' is a masterful work that showcases Wolf's skill as a composer and his ability to capture the complexities of human emotion in music. It remains a beloved work in the classical repertoire and continues to be performed and studied by musicians and scholars around the world.

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