Composer

:

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1880

Average_duration

:

4:27

"If I Only Had Known" is a song composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky as part of his Opus 47 collection. The song was composed in 1880 and premiered in the same year. The song is a part of a collection of six songs that Tchaikovsky composed for voice and piano. The song is a melancholic and introspective piece that explores the theme of regret. The lyrics, written by Aleksey Apukhtin, describe the feeling of regret that one experiences when they realize that they have lost something valuable. The song is divided into three movements, each of which explores a different aspect of the theme. The first movement begins with a slow and mournful introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The singer then begins to sing the first verse, which describes the feeling of regret that one experiences when they realize that they have lost something important. The melody is simple and understated, allowing the lyrics to take center stage. The second movement is more upbeat and features a more complex melody. The lyrics describe the feeling of longing that one experiences when they realize that they have lost something that they can never get back. The singer's voice soars over the piano accompaniment, creating a sense of urgency and desperation. The final movement returns to the slow and mournful tone of the first movement. The lyrics describe the feeling of resignation that one experiences when they realize that they can never get back what they have lost. The melody is simple and understated, allowing the lyrics to take center stage once again. Overall, "If I Only Had Known" is a beautiful and introspective piece that explores the theme of regret in a thoughtful and nuanced way. Tchaikovsky's music perfectly captures the emotions described in the lyrics, creating a powerful and moving piece of music.

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