Composer

:

Max Reger

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Publication Date

:

1904

Average_duration

:

4:00

"Es waren zwei Königskinder" is the eighth and final piece in Max Reger's "8 Folk Songs for Chorus" collection. The piece was composed in 1905 and premiered in the same year in Munich, Germany. The piece is a setting of a German folk song that tells the story of two royal children who fall in love but are separated by their families. The text is sung in German and is set for four-part mixed choir. The piece is characterized by Reger's use of rich harmonies and complex counterpoint. The opening section features a lush, chordal texture that gradually builds in intensity as the choir sings of the two lovers. The middle section features a more contrapuntal texture, with the different vocal parts weaving in and out of each other. The final section returns to the opening material, but with added embellishments and a more triumphant feel as the lovers are reunited. Overall, "Es waren zwei Königskinder" is a beautiful and expressive setting of a classic German folk song. Reger's use of harmony and counterpoint adds depth and complexity to the simple melody, creating a powerful and moving choral work.

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