Composer

:

John Alden Carpenter

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1913

Average_duration

:

21:55

Movement_count

:

6

Movement ....

Gitanjali is a musical composition by American composer John Alden Carpenter. It was composed in 1913 and premiered on January 8, 1914, in Chicago. The piece is a song cycle based on the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali, which is a collection of devotional poems. The composition consists of six movements, each of which is based on a different poem from Gitanjali. The first movement, "Light, my light," is a gentle and introspective piece that sets the tone for the rest of the cycle. The second movement, "When the heart is hard and parched up," is more dramatic and features a more complex harmonic structure. The third movement, "Leave this chanting and singing," is a lively and rhythmic piece that features a prominent piano part. The fourth movement, "On the day when death will knock at thy door," is a haunting and introspective piece that features a solo violin. The fifth movement, "I am only waiting for love to give myself up," is a gentle and introspective piece that features a solo voice and piano. The final movement, "The sleep that flits on baby's eyes," is a lullaby-like piece that brings the cycle to a peaceful and gentle close. Overall, Gitanjali is characterized by its lush harmonies, intricate piano parts, and expressive vocal lines. Carpenter's use of Indian-inspired melodies and rhythms adds a unique flavor to the piece and helps to evoke the spiritual themes of Tagore's poetry. The cycle is a beautiful and moving tribute to one of India's greatest poets and is a testament to Carpenter's skill as a composer.

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