Composer

:

Ernst Krenek

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1931

Average_duration

:

46:07

Movement_count

:

11

Movement ....

Ernst Krenek's 'Gësange des Späten Jahres, Op. 71' is a song cycle composed in 1955. The premiere of the work took place in Vienna in 1956. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which is a setting of a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke. The poems deal with themes of aging, death, and the passing of time. The first movement, 'Herbsttag,' is a contemplation of the changing of the seasons and the inevitability of death. The music is slow and mournful, with a sense of resignation and acceptance. The second movement, 'Die Blauen Hortensien,' is a reflection on the transience of beauty. The music is delicate and ethereal, with a sense of fragility and vulnerability. The third movement, 'Der Einsame,' is a meditation on loneliness and isolation. The music is spare and introspective, with a sense of melancholy and longing. The fourth movement, 'Der Herbstwind,' is a depiction of the autumn wind and its effect on the natural world. The music is turbulent and restless, with a sense of chaos and upheaval. The fifth movement, 'Die Letzte Elegie,' is a lament for the passing of time and the inevitability of death. The music is somber and mournful, with a sense of finality and closure. The final movement, 'Abend,' is a reflection on the end of the day and the approach of night. The music is peaceful and serene, with a sense of acceptance and resignation. Overall, 'Gësange des Späten Jahres, Op. 71' is a deeply introspective and contemplative work, reflecting on the themes of aging, death, and the passing of time. The music is spare and understated, with a sense of melancholy and resignation. It is a powerful and moving work, and a testament to Krenek's skill as a composer.

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