Composer

:

Lou Harrison

Genre

:

Musical Theatre

Style

:

Show/Musical

Compose Date

:

1955 - May 1957

Average_duration

:

11:58

Movement_count

:

5

Movement ....

Lou Harrison's 'Incidental Music for Corneille's Cinna' is a musical composition that was written in 1955. The piece was composed as incidental music for a production of Pierre Corneille's play 'Cinna' at the Mills College in Oakland, California. The play is a tragedy that tells the story of a conspiracy to overthrow the Roman emperor Augustus. The composition consists of six movements, each of which is designed to accompany a specific scene in the play. The first movement, titled 'Prelude', sets the tone for the entire piece with its slow, mournful melody played on the viola. The second movement, 'Entr'acte', is a lively and rhythmic piece that is meant to accompany a scene of celebration in the play. The third movement, 'Chaconne', is a slow and stately dance that is played during a scene of mourning in the play. The fourth movement, 'Sarabande', is a slow and graceful dance that is meant to accompany a scene of courtship in the play. The fifth movement, 'Gigue', is a lively and energetic dance that is played during a scene of revelry in the play. The final movement, 'Postlude', brings the piece to a close with a reprise of the mournful melody from the first movement. The composition is characterized by its use of traditional Western musical forms, such as the chaconne and the sarabande, as well as its incorporation of non-Western musical elements, such as the use of Indonesian gamelan instruments. The premiere of 'Incidental Music for Corneille's Cinna' took place on May 6, 1955, at the Mills College Little Theater in Oakland, California. The performance was conducted by Harrison himself, and the music was performed by a small ensemble of musicians, including a viola, a cello, a bass, a flute, a clarinet, a trumpet, a percussionist, and a gamelan ensemble. Overall, 'Incidental Music for Corneille's Cinna' is a unique and innovative composition that blends traditional Western musical forms with non-Western musical elements to create a rich and complex musical tapestry. Its premiere at Mills College marked a significant moment in the history of American music, as it demonstrated the growing interest in non-Western musical traditions and the willingness of American composers to experiment with new musical forms and techniques.

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