Composer

:

John Harbison

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song Cycle

Compose Date

:

1982

Average_duration

:

17:48

Movement_count

:

6

Movement ....

Mirabai Songs is a song cycle composed by John Harbison in 1982. The work is based on the poetry of Mirabai, a 16th-century Indian mystic and poet. The cycle consists of 11 songs, each of which sets a different poem by Mirabai. The songs are scored for soprano voice and a small ensemble consisting of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano. The premiere of Mirabai Songs took place on April 22, 1982, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The cycle was performed by soprano Dawn Upshaw and members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The 11 songs in the cycle are as follows: 1. "I am Mad with Love" 2. "Why Mira Can't Go Back to Her Old House" 3. "All I Was Doing Was Breathing" 4. "Don't Go, Don't Go" 5. "The Clouds" 6. "I Have Embraced" 7. "The Sun Never Says" 8. "All Night, All Day" 9. "The Saint's Curse" 10. "I Was Dead" 11. "Where Did You Go?" The songs in Mirabai Songs are characterized by their lyrical melodies, colorful harmonies, and evocative instrumental writing. Harbison's settings of Mirabai's poetry capture the mysticism and spirituality of her words, while also highlighting the emotional intensity and personal nature of her writing. The cycle as a whole is structured to create a sense of progression and development, with the songs building on each other thematically and musically. The cycle begins with the ecstatic "I am Mad with Love" and ends with the reflective "Where Did You Go?", creating a sense of journey and transformation. Overall, Mirabai Songs is a powerful and moving work that showcases Harbison's skill as a composer and his ability to create music that is both deeply personal and universal in its appeal.

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