Composer

:

Joseph Canteloube

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1923 - 1930

Average_duration

:

1:33

"Malurous qu'o uno fenno" is a traditional French folk song that was arranged and harmonized by Joseph Canteloube in his collection of songs called "Chants d'Auvergne." Canteloube was a French composer and musicologist who was born in 1879 and died in 1957. He was known for his work in collecting and arranging traditional folk songs from the Auvergne region of France. "Chants d'Auvergne" was composed between 1923 and 1930 and premiered in 1930. The collection consists of five volumes, each containing a number of traditional folk songs from the Auvergne region. "Malurous qu'o uno fenno" is one of the most well-known songs from the collection and is featured in the first volume. The song is written in the Occitan language, which is a Romance language spoken in southern France. The title translates to "Unhappy he who has a wife" and the lyrics tell the story of a man who is unhappy in his marriage. The melody is simple and repetitive, with a slow and mournful tempo that reflects the sadness of the lyrics. The arrangement by Canteloube features a solo soprano voice accompanied by an orchestra. The orchestration is light and delicate, with a focus on the strings and woodwinds. The use of the orchestra adds depth and richness to the melody, while still allowing the solo voice to shine. The song is divided into three movements, with each movement featuring a different variation of the melody. The first movement is slow and mournful, with a focus on the solo voice. The second movement is more upbeat and features a faster tempo, with the orchestra taking a more prominent role. The third movement returns to the slow and mournful tempo of the first movement, with the solo voice once again taking center stage. Overall, "Malurous qu'o uno fenno" is a beautiful and haunting piece of music that showcases Canteloube's skill in arranging traditional folk songs. The use of the orchestra adds depth and richness to the melody, while still allowing the simple beauty of the traditional melody to shine through.

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