Composer

:

Henry Purcell

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1689

Average_duration

:

5:22

"Thy hand, Belinda...When I am laid in Earth" is a famous aria from the opera "Dido and Aeneas" composed by Henry Purcell. The opera was composed in 1689 and premiered at a girls' school in Chelsea, London. The aria is the final lament of the character Dido, Queen of Carthage, as she prepares to commit suicide after being abandoned by her lover Aeneas. The aria is divided into two distinct sections. The first section, "Thy hand, Belinda," is a recitative in which Dido bids farewell to her confidante and sister, Belinda. The music is characterized by its slow, mournful melody and the use of dissonant harmonies to convey the sense of despair and hopelessness that Dido feels. The second section, "When I am laid in Earth," is a lament in which Dido expresses her desire for death and release from her suffering. The music is characterized by its haunting melody and the use of descending chromatic lines to convey the sense of Dido's descent into the underworld. The aria is accompanied by a simple bass line that provides a sense of stability and grounding amidst the emotional turmoil of the music. Overall, "Thy hand, Belinda...When I am laid in Earth" is a powerful and emotional aria that showcases Purcell's skill as a composer of opera. Its haunting melody and expressive harmonies have made it one of the most famous and beloved pieces of music from the Baroque era.

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