Composer

:

Libby Larsen

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1999

Average_duration

:

1:39

'Songs from Letters, No. 1, So Like Your Father' is a song cycle composed by Libby Larsen in 1993. The piece was premiered on March 7, 1993, at the University of Minnesota by mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala and pianist Timothy Lovelace. The cycle consists of four movements, each based on a letter written by a woman during the American Civil War. The first movement, "So Like Your Father," is based on a letter written by a woman named Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, who disguised herself as a man to fight in the war. The movement is characterized by a driving, rhythmic piano accompaniment and a vocal line that alternates between declamatory statements and more lyrical passages. The text of the letter is set in a conversational style, with the singer adopting the persona of Wakeman and addressing the recipient of the letter directly. The second movement, "My Dearest Friend," is based on a letter written by a woman named Cornelia Hancock, who served as a nurse during the war. The movement is characterized by a gentle, flowing piano accompaniment and a vocal line that is more melodic and expressive than the first movement. The text of the letter is set in a more introspective style, with the singer reflecting on the hardships of war and the emotional toll it takes on those who serve. The third movement, "I Have Been So Sad," is based on a letter written by a woman named Mary Chesnut, who was a prominent socialite and diarist during the war. The movement is characterized by a mournful piano accompaniment and a vocal line that is full of longing and despair. The text of the letter is set in a highly expressive style, with the singer conveying the deep sadness and sense of loss that Chesnut feels. The final movement, "I Never Saw a Moor," is based on a letter written by a woman named Emily Dickinson, who is best known as a poet. The movement is characterized by a sparse, delicate piano accompaniment and a vocal line that is highly lyrical and expressive. The text of the letter is set in a highly poetic style, with the singer conveying the sense of wonder and awe that Dickinson feels when contemplating the natural world. Overall, 'Songs from Letters, No. 1, So Like Your Father' is a powerful and moving work that explores the experiences of women during the American Civil War. Through its use of highly expressive vocal lines and evocative piano accompaniments, the piece conveys the emotional depth and complexity of the letters on which it is based.

More....