Composer

:

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

Genre

:

Vocal

Average_duration

:

36:42

Movement_count

:

19

Movement ....

The Divan of Moses-ibn-Ezra, songs (19), Op. 207 is a song cycle composed by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco in 1958. The premiere of the work took place in New York City in 1959, with the composer himself at the piano and the tenor Jan Peerce as the soloist. The song cycle consists of 19 songs, each based on a poem by the medieval Spanish-Jewish poet Moses ibn Ezra. The poems are written in Hebrew and were translated into Italian by the composer's wife, Clara Castelnuovo-Tedesco. The songs are arranged in three groups of six, with a final song serving as a conclusion. The first group of songs is characterized by a lively and rhythmic style, with the piano providing a driving accompaniment to the vocal line. The second group is more introspective, with a slower tempo and more complex harmonies. The third group returns to the lively and rhythmic style of the first group, with the final song serving as a triumphant conclusion to the cycle. Castelnuovo-Tedesco's music is known for its lyricism and expressive melodies, and The Divan of Moses-ibn-Ezra is no exception. The composer's use of Hebrew poetry adds an additional layer of meaning to the music, as the poems explore themes of love, faith, and the human condition. The cycle is a testament to Castelnuovo-Tedesco's skill as a composer and his ability to create music that is both beautiful and meaningful.

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