Composer

:

Gian Francesco Malipiero

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1920

Average_duration

:

6:14

La Siesta is a composition for orchestra by Gian Francesco Malipiero, an Italian composer of the 20th century. The piece was composed in 1924 and premiered in Venice in the same year. It is a single-movement work that lasts approximately 15 minutes. The piece is characterized by its dreamy and languid atmosphere, which is evocative of a hot summer afternoon in the Mediterranean. The title, La Siesta, refers to the Spanish tradition of taking a midday nap to escape the heat of the day. The music is slow and meandering, with a sense of timelessness and relaxation. The piece begins with a soft and gentle melody played by the strings, which is then taken up by the woodwinds. The music gradually builds in intensity, with the addition of brass and percussion, but never loses its sense of calm and tranquility. The middle section of the piece features a solo violin, which plays a haunting and melancholy melody that is reminiscent of a traditional Spanish folk song. The final section of the piece returns to the opening theme, but with a greater sense of urgency and energy. The music builds to a climax before gradually fading away, leaving the listener with a sense of peacefulness and contentment. Overall, La Siesta is a beautiful and evocative piece of music that captures the essence of a lazy summer afternoon. Its languid and dreamy atmosphere, combined with its use of traditional Spanish melodies, make it a unique and memorable work in the repertoire of 20th-century orchestral music.

More....