Composer

:

Lennox Berkeley

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1926

Average_duration

:

10:12

Movement_count

:

5

Movement ....

Lennox Berkeley's 'Tombeaux (5) after poems by Jean Cocteau' is a song cycle composed for voice and piano. The work was composed in 1948 and premiered in London the same year. The cycle consists of five movements, each based on a poem by the French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau. The first movement, 'Le pauvre matelot' (The Poor Sailor), is a mournful lament for a sailor lost at sea. The music is slow and somber, with a haunting melody that captures the sadness of the poem. The second movement, 'Le bel indifferent' (The Beautiful Indifferent), is a playful and ironic take on love and desire. The music is light and whimsical, with a bouncy rhythm that reflects the poem's playful tone. The third movement, 'Le jeune homme' (The Young Man), is a tender and romantic ballad. The music is gentle and lyrical, with a flowing melody that captures the sweetness of the poem. The fourth movement, 'Le guitariste' (The Guitarist), is a lively and rhythmic piece that captures the energy and passion of the poem. The music is fast and virtuosic, with a driving rhythm that reflects the excitement of the guitar player. The final movement, 'Le mort vivant' (The Living Dead), is a haunting and eerie piece that captures the surreal and otherworldly quality of the poem. The music is slow and atmospheric, with a haunting melody that captures the ghostly quality of the living dead. Overall, 'Tombeaux (5) after poems by Jean Cocteau' is a beautiful and evocative song cycle that showcases Lennox Berkeley's skill as a composer. The music is varied and expressive, with each movement capturing the mood and tone of the poem it is based on.

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