Composer

:

Caroline Shaw

Genre

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

2016

Average_duration

:

18:09

Movement_count

:

6

Movement ....

To the Hands is a contemporary classical composition by Caroline Shaw, an American composer, violinist, and singer. The piece was composed in 2016 and premiered on April 21, 2016, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. It was commissioned by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Washington Performing Arts. To the Hands is a single-movement work that lasts approximately 15 minutes. The piece is scored for string quartet and voice, with the composer herself performing the vocal part. The text of the piece is drawn from a poem by the American poet Michael Ryan, titled "To This Day." The piece begins with a slow, mournful melody played by the strings, which sets the contemplative mood of the piece. The vocal part enters shortly after, singing the first lines of the poem. The vocal part is characterized by its simplicity and clarity, with Shaw's voice often singing in unison with the strings. As the piece progresses, the vocal part becomes more complex, with Shaw using a variety of vocal techniques, including whispers, spoken word, and extended vocal techniques. The strings also become more active, with the players using a variety of techniques, including pizzicato, harmonics, and glissandi. The middle section of the piece is characterized by a more rhythmic and energetic texture, with the strings playing fast, syncopated rhythms and the vocal part singing in a more declamatory style. The final section of the piece returns to the slower, more contemplative mood of the opening, with the vocal part singing the final lines of the poem in a hushed, almost whispered tone. Overall, To the Hands is a hauntingly beautiful and deeply emotional work that showcases Shaw's skill as both a composer and a performer. The piece is characterized by its simplicity, clarity, and emotional depth, and is a testament to the power of music to move and inspire us.

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