Composer

:

Grace Williams

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Sextet

Compose Date

:

1959

Average_duration

:

16:41

Grace Williams' "Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems (6)" is a song cycle composed for soprano and piano. The cycle consists of six movements, each setting a different poem by the English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. The cycle was composed in 1958 and premiered the same year in London. The first movement, "Pied Beauty," is a joyful celebration of the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Williams sets Hopkins' words to a lively, syncopated rhythm, with the piano providing a playful accompaniment. The second movement, "God's Grandeur," is a more contemplative piece that reflects on the power and majesty of God. Williams' music is more subdued here, with the piano providing a gentle, flowing accompaniment to the soprano's soaring melody. The third movement, "The Windhover," is a dramatic and intense setting of Hopkins' poem about a bird of prey. Williams' music captures the bird's swift and graceful movements, with the piano providing a propulsive, rhythmic accompaniment. The fourth movement, "Spring and Fall," is a poignant reflection on the passing of time and the inevitability of death. Williams' music is haunting and melancholy, with the piano providing a mournful accompaniment to the soprano's plaintive melody. The fifth movement, "As Kingfishers Catch Fire," is a joyful celebration of the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Williams' music is lively and exuberant, with the piano providing a playful accompaniment to the soprano's soaring melody. The final movement, "Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord," is a somber reflection on the nature of suffering and the role of God in the world. Williams' music is spare and austere, with the piano providing a simple, mournful accompaniment to the soprano's plaintive melody. Overall, Williams' "Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems (6)" is a beautiful and moving tribute to one of England's greatest poets. The cycle showcases Williams' skill as a composer, with each movement capturing the unique mood and tone of Hopkins' poetry.

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