Composer

:

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

8:10

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

"Poems by Walt Whitman (3)" is a song cycle composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1922. The premiere of the work took place on October 26, 1922, at the Aeolian Hall in London, with the composer himself accompanying the singer, the baritone Roy Henderson. The cycle consists of three movements, each setting a different poem by Walt Whitman. The first movement, "A Clear Midnight," is a setting of a poem from Whitman's collection "Leaves of Grass." The music is slow and contemplative, with a simple piano accompaniment that supports the vocal line. The second movement, "Joy, Shipmate, Joy!" is a more lively and rhythmic setting of another poem from "Leaves of Grass." The music is characterized by syncopated rhythms and a buoyant energy that reflects the exuberance of the text. The final movement, "O Captain! My Captain!" is a setting of one of Whitman's most famous poems, written in response to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The music is mournful and elegiac, with a slow and somber piano accompaniment that underscores the sadness of the text. Overall, "Poems by Walt Whitman (3)" is a work that showcases Vaughan Williams' skill as a composer of vocal music. The cycle is notable for its sensitivity to the text, with each movement capturing the mood and meaning of the poem it sets. The music is also characterized by a simplicity and directness that reflects Whitman's own style, with clear melodies and straightforward harmonies that allow the words to shine through.

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