Composer

:

Nikolay Medtner

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1918 - 1920

Average_duration

:

15:52

Movement_count

:

5

Movement ....

Nikolay Medtner's 'Poems (5) of Tyutchev and Fet, Op. 37' is a song cycle composed for voice and piano. The cycle was composed in 1920 and premiered in Moscow in the same year. The five movements of the cycle are based on poems by two Russian poets, Fyodor Tyutchev and Afanasy Fet. The first movement, 'Silentium!', is based on Tyutchev's poem of the same name. The poem is a meditation on the nature of silence and its power to reveal the mysteries of the universe. Medtner's setting of the poem is characterized by a haunting melody and a spare, atmospheric piano accompaniment. The second movement, 'The Waves of Life', is based on Fet's poem 'The Waves'. The poem is a reflection on the ebb and flow of life and the inevitability of change. Medtner's setting of the poem is marked by a flowing, undulating piano accompaniment that evokes the movement of the waves. The third movement, 'The Night Wind', is based on Tyutchev's poem of the same name. The poem is a meditation on the power of the wind to stir the soul and awaken the senses. Medtner's setting of the poem is characterized by a restless, swirling piano accompaniment that evokes the movement of the wind. The fourth movement, 'The Muse', is based on Fet's poem of the same name. The poem is a tribute to the power of the muse to inspire and uplift the human spirit. Medtner's setting of the poem is marked by a soaring, lyrical melody and a rich, harmonically complex piano accompaniment. The final movement, 'The Prayer', is based on Tyutchev's poem of the same name. The poem is a plea for divine guidance and protection in the face of life's trials and tribulations. Medtner's setting of the poem is characterized by a solemn, hymn-like melody and a spare, reverent piano accompaniment. Overall, Medtner's 'Poems (5) of Tyutchev and Fet, Op. 37' is a deeply expressive and evocative song cycle that showcases the composer's gift for melody and his mastery of the piano as an accompanying instrument. The cycle is notable for its rich harmonic language, its atmospheric piano writing, and its sensitive and nuanced treatment of the poems' themes and moods.

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