Composer

:

Maurice Ravel

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song: Art Song

Compose Date

:

1898

Average_duration

:

4:21

"Si morne!" is a song composed by Maurice Ravel in 1914. It was premiered on May 5, 1914, in Paris, France. The song is part of a larger work called "Trois poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé," which consists of three songs based on poems by the French poet Stéphane Mallarmé. "Si morne!" is the second song in the set and is characterized by its melancholic and somber tone. The song is written for a solo voice and piano accompaniment and is in the key of F-sharp minor. The piano part is sparse and haunting, with long, sustained chords that create a sense of emptiness and isolation. The song's text is taken from Mallarmé's poem "Soupir," which describes a sense of despair and hopelessness. The lyrics are in French and are filled with images of darkness, emptiness, and death. The song's title, "Si morne!," translates to "So sad!" in English, which captures the mood of the piece perfectly. The song is divided into two sections, with the first section featuring a slow and mournful melody that is repeated several times. The second section is more agitated and features a faster tempo and more complex rhythms. The song ends with a return to the slow and mournful melody of the first section, bringing the piece full circle. Overall, "Si morne!" is a haunting and powerful song that captures the sense of despair and hopelessness expressed in Mallarmé's poem. Ravel's sparse and evocative piano accompaniment perfectly complements the melancholic melody of the vocal line, creating a sense of isolation and emptiness that is both beautiful and haunting.

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