Composer

:

Franz Joseph Haydn

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1798

Average_duration

:

6:40

'Solo e pensoso, H. 24b/20' is a vocal work composed by Franz Joseph Haydn. The piece was composed in 1798 and premiered in Vienna in the same year. It is a setting of a sonnet by the Italian poet Petrarch. The work is divided into three movements. The first movement is marked "Adagio" and is in the key of C minor. It begins with a solo voice singing the first line of the sonnet, "Solo e pensoso i più deserti campi vo misurando a passi tardi e lenti" ("Alone and thoughtful, I go measuring out the most deserted fields with slow and hesitant steps"). The music is melancholic and reflective, with long, sustained notes and a simple accompaniment. The second movement is marked "Allegro" and is in the key of C major. It is a more lively and energetic section, with the voice singing "Ricordando i giorni della mia vita passati in breve" ("Remembering the days of my past life, which passed so quickly"). The music is more complex and ornamented than the first movement, with a faster tempo and a more active accompaniment. The final movement is marked "Adagio" and is in the key of C minor. It returns to the reflective mood of the first movement, with the voice singing "E sol talor questi primi pensieri ch'io solingo havea" ("And sometimes these first thoughts that I had alone"). The music is similar to the first movement, with long, sustained notes and a simple accompaniment. Overall, 'Solo e pensoso, H. 24b/20' is a poignant and introspective work that showcases Haydn's skill in setting text to music. The piece is notable for its use of simple melodies and accompaniments to convey complex emotions, as well as its effective use of key changes to create contrast and interest.

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