Composer

:

Hugo Wolf

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

Jan 17, 1889

Average_duration

:

1:50

"Ob der Koran von Ewigkeit Sei?" is a song cycle composed by Hugo Wolf in 1898. The premiere of the cycle took place on January 23, 1899, in Vienna. The cycle consists of six songs, each of which is based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The first song, "Gleich und Gleich," is a dialogue between a Muslim and a Christian, discussing the similarities and differences between their religions. The second song, "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt," is a reflection on the nature of longing and desire. The third song, "Gingo biloba," is a celebration of the beauty and resilience of the ginkgo tree. The fourth song, "So lang man nüchtern ist," is a warning against the dangers of drunkenness. The fifth song, "Mausfallen-Sprüchlein," is a humorous poem about the futility of trying to catch mice. The final song, "Selbstgeständnis," is a confession of the speaker's own shortcomings and failings. The songs in "Ob der Koran von Ewigkeit Sei?" are characterized by Wolf's use of chromaticism and dissonance, which create a sense of tension and unease. The vocal lines are often highly ornamented, with frequent leaps and runs, and the piano accompaniment is complex and virtuosic. The cycle as a whole is notable for its exploration of themes related to religion, spirituality, and the human condition, and for its fusion of Western and Eastern musical traditions.

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