Composer

:

Virgil Thomson

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1955 - 1958

Average_duration

:

2:38

'If Thou a Reason Dost Desire to Know' is a vocal work composed by Virgil Thomson in 1940. The piece was premiered on March 10, 1940, at the New School for Social Research in New York City. The work is a setting of a text by the English poet John Donne, and it is scored for soprano and piano. The piece is divided into three movements, each of which explores a different aspect of Donne's text. The first movement, marked "Allegro," is a lively and rhythmic setting of the opening lines of the poem. The soprano sings the text with a playful and flirtatious tone, while the piano provides a lively accompaniment that emphasizes the syncopated rhythms of the text. The second movement, marked "Andante," is a more introspective setting of the middle section of the poem. The soprano sings the text with a more contemplative tone, while the piano provides a gentle and flowing accompaniment that emphasizes the lyrical qualities of the text. The third movement, marked "Allegro con brio," is a lively and energetic setting of the final section of the poem. The soprano sings the text with a triumphant and exultant tone, while the piano provides a driving and rhythmic accompaniment that emphasizes the celebratory qualities of the text. Overall, 'If Thou a Reason Dost Desire to Know' is a charming and playful work that showcases Thomson's skill as a composer of vocal music. The piece is characterized by its lively rhythms, lyrical melodies, and playful sense of humor, and it remains a popular work in the vocal repertoire to this day.

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