Composer

:

Hanns Eisler

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Elegy

Compose Date

:

1942

Average_duration

:

9:06

Movement_count

:

7

Movement ....

Die Hollywood-Elegien is a song cycle composed by Hanns Eisler in 1942. The premiere of the work took place in New York City in 1943. The cycle consists of eight movements, each of which is a setting of a poem by Bertolt Brecht. The poems were written by Brecht during his exile in Hollywood, and they reflect his disillusionment with the American film industry and his longing for his homeland. The first movement, "An den kleinen Radioapparat" (To the Little Radio), is a satirical commentary on the power of the media and the way it shapes public opinion. The second movement, "Die Ballade vom angenehmen Leben" (The Ballad of the Pleasant Life), is a bitter indictment of the American Dream and the way it exploits the working class. The third movement, "Die Hollywood-Elegie" (The Hollywood Elegy), is the centerpiece of the cycle. It is a mournful reflection on the loss of culture and the destruction of European civilization during World War II. The fourth movement, "Über den Selbstmord" (On Suicide), is a bleak meditation on the futility of life and the inevitability of death. The fifth movement, "Die Landschaft des Exils" (The Landscape of Exile), is a nostalgic evocation of Brecht's homeland and a lament for the loss of his roots. The sixth movement, "Der Kirschdieb" (The Cherry Thief), is a humorous tale of a thief who steals cherries from a rich man's tree. The seventh movement, "Die Ballade von der Judenhure Marie Sanders" (The Ballad of the Jewish Whore Marie Sanders), is a powerful condemnation of anti-Semitism and the persecution of Jews. The final movement, "An die Nachgeborenen" (To Those Born Later), is a call to future generations to learn from the mistakes of the past and to work towards a better world. The music of Die Hollywood-Elegien is characterized by Eisler's use of dissonant harmonies and angular melodies, which reflect the harshness and bitterness of Brecht's poetry. The cycle is a powerful statement on the human condition and the struggle for justice and freedom in a world torn apart by war and oppression.

More....