Composer

:

Hugo Wolf

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song Collection

Compose Date

:

Dec 12, 1889

Average_duration

:

2:34

Hugo Wolf's "Auf dem grünen Balkon (Spanisches Liederbuch)" is a song cycle composed between 1890 and 1891. The premiere of the cycle took place in Vienna in 1892. The cycle consists of 44 songs, divided into two volumes, and is based on Spanish poetry translated into German by Emanuel Geibel and Paul Heyse. The cycle is characterized by its use of Spanish rhythms and melodies, as well as its exploration of themes such as love, passion, and death. The songs are arranged in a narrative sequence, with each song building on the themes and motifs of the previous one. The first volume of the cycle consists of 22 songs, and the second volume consists of 22 songs as well. The songs are further divided into three movements, with the first movement consisting of 14 songs, the second movement consisting of 15 songs, and the third movement consisting of 15 songs. The first movement of the cycle explores themes of love and passion, with songs such as "In dem Schatten meiner Locken" and "Klinge, klinge, mein Pandero". The second movement focuses on themes of betrayal and loss, with songs such as "Wer sein holdes Lieb verloren" and "Ach, im Maien war's". The third movement explores themes of death and mourning, with songs such as "Sterb' ich, so hüllt in Blumen meine Glieder" and "Nun wandre, Maria". Overall, "Auf dem grünen Balkon (Spanisches Liederbuch)" is a masterful exploration of Spanish poetry and music, and is considered one of Hugo Wolf's greatest works. Its use of Spanish rhythms and melodies, as well as its exploration of themes such as love, passion, and death, make it a timeless masterpiece of the art song genre.

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