Composer

:

Ricky Ian Gordon

Genre

:

Vocal

Average_duration

:

4:02

"Recuerdo" is a song cycle composed by Ricky Ian Gordon, an American composer known for his vocal music. The cycle was composed in 2001 and premiered in the same year at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which sets a poem by a different poet. The first movement, "Recuerdo," sets a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay. The poem describes a night out in New York City with friends, and the music captures the excitement and energy of the city. The second movement, "The Red Dress," sets a poem by Dorothy Parker. The poem describes a woman who wears a red dress to a party, hoping to catch the eye of a man she loves. The music is wistful and romantic, with a touch of melancholy. The third movement, "The Crazy Woman," sets a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks. The poem describes a woman who is considered crazy by society, but who is actually free and happy. The music is playful and whimsical, with a sense of liberation. The fourth movement, "The Fish," sets a poem by Elizabeth Bishop. The poem describes a fish caught by a fisherman, and the music captures the struggle and beauty of the fish. The fifth movement, "The Sick Rose," sets a poem by William Blake. The poem describes a rose that is sick and dying, and the music is mournful and elegiac. The final movement, "The Last Invocation," sets a poem by Walt Whitman. The poem is a prayer for peace and unity, and the music is hopeful and uplifting. Overall, "Recuerdo" is a beautiful and varied cycle that showcases Gordon's skill as a composer of vocal music. The music is lyrical and expressive, and the poems are well-chosen to highlight different aspects of human experience.

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