Composer

:

Hugo Wolf

Genre

:

Orchestral

Style

:

Tone Poem

Compose Date

:

1883 - 1885

Average_duration

:

25:33

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

Hugo Wolf's 'Penthesilea' is a song cycle composed in 1883, based on Heinrich von Kleist's play of the same name. The premiere of the work took place in Vienna in 1884, with the composer himself at the piano. The cycle consists of five movements, each of which portrays a different aspect of the tragic story of Penthesilea, the queen of the Amazons, and her doomed love for the Greek hero Achilles. The first movement, 'Prologue', sets the scene for the story, with a hauntingly beautiful melody played on the piano. The second movement, 'Penthesilea's Lament', is a powerful and emotional aria in which the queen expresses her love for Achilles and her despair at the impossibility of their union. The third movement, 'Achilles' Death', is a dramatic and intense piece that depicts the hero's death at the hands of Penthesilea. The fourth movement, 'Penthesilea's Triumph', is a triumphant and exultant piece that celebrates the queen's victory over Achilles. However, the final movement, 'Epilogue', is a somber and mournful piece that reflects on the tragedy of Penthesilea's love and the futility of her victory. The music of 'Penthesilea' is characterized by its intense emotional power and its use of chromaticism and dissonance to create a sense of tension and drama. The piano accompaniment is particularly notable for its virtuosity and its ability to convey the shifting moods and emotions of the story. Overall, 'Penthesilea' is a masterpiece of Romantic music, and a powerful exploration of the themes of love, passion, and tragedy.

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