Composer

:

Judith Weir

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

2:51

The Romance of Count Arnaldos is a choral work composed by Judith Weir in 1994. It was premiered on 22nd October 1994 by the BBC Singers at St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London. The piece is based on a traditional Spanish ballad, which tells the story of Count Arnaldos, who hears a mysterious song while out hunting. The song is so beautiful that he becomes obsessed with finding its source, but he never succeeds. The piece is divided into three movements, each of which represents a different aspect of the story. The first movement, "The Hunt," is a lively and rhythmic depiction of the Count's pursuit of the song. The second movement, "The Song," is a hauntingly beautiful setting of the ballad itself, sung in Spanish. The third movement, "The Sea," represents the Count's final realization that he will never find the source of the song, as it is carried away by the wind and the waves. Weir's setting of the ballad is characterized by its use of modal harmonies and simple, folk-like melodies. The choral writing is often homophonic, with all voices singing the same melody at the same time, but there are also moments of polyphony and antiphony. The piece is scored for a cappella choir, and Weir makes use of a wide range of vocal textures and techniques, including whispering, humming, and chanting. Overall, The Romance of Count Arnaldos is a hauntingly beautiful and evocative piece of choral music, which captures the mystery and magic of the traditional Spanish ballad on which it is based.

More....