Composer

:

Igor Stravinsky

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Cantata

Compose Date

:

1952

First Performance

:

Nov 11, 1952

Average_duration

:

25:12

Movement_count

:

7

Movement ....

Igor Stravinsky's Cantata is a choral work composed in 1952. It was premiered on May 18, 1952, in Venice, Italy, as part of the 26th International Festival of Contemporary Music. The Cantata is a three-movement work that features a mixed choir and a small orchestra consisting of woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings. The first movement, titled "Exaudi," is a setting of Psalm 27. It begins with a solo soprano voice singing the opening lines of the psalm, which are then echoed by the choir. The music is characterized by its use of dissonant harmonies and angular melodies, which create a sense of tension and unease. The movement builds to a climax with the choir and orchestra reaching a fortissimo before abruptly ending. The second movement, "Credo," is a setting of the Nicene Creed. It begins with a solo bass voice singing the opening lines of the creed, which are then echoed by the choir. The music is characterized by its use of polyrhythms and shifting meters, which create a sense of complexity and unpredictability. The movement builds to a climax with the choir and orchestra reaching a fortissimo before abruptly ending. The third and final movement, "Sicut Locutus Est," is a setting of the Magnificat. It begins with a solo alto voice singing the opening lines of the Magnificat, which are then echoed by the choir. The music is characterized by its use of syncopated rhythms and irregular phrasing, which create a sense of energy and excitement. The movement builds to a climax with the choir and orchestra reaching a fortissimo before ending with a quiet, reflective coda. Overall, Stravinsky's Cantata is a challenging and complex work that showcases the composer's mastery of choral and orchestral writing. Its use of dissonant harmonies, polyrhythms, and irregular phrasing make it a quintessential example of mid-20th century modernism.

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