Composer

:

Madeleine Dring

Genre

:

Vocal

Average_duration

:

3:36

"Take o Take Those Lips Away" is a song composed by Madeleine Dring, a British composer, pianist, and actress. The song was composed in 1955 and premiered in the same year. It is a part of Dring's song cycle titled "Seven Shakespeare Songs," which consists of seven songs based on the works of William Shakespeare. "Take o Take Those Lips Away" is the second song in the cycle and is based on a song from Shakespeare's play "Measure for Measure." The song is written for a mezzo-soprano voice and piano accompaniment. It is a slow and melancholic song that expresses the pain of unrequited love. The song is divided into two main sections, each with its own distinct character. The first section is marked "Andante con moto" and is in a minor key. The piano accompaniment is sparse and haunting, with long sustained chords and occasional arpeggios. The vocal line is also sparse, with long sustained notes and occasional melodic flourishes. The lyrics express the pain of unrequited love, with the speaker asking the object of their affection to take their lips away and end their suffering. The second section of the song is marked "Poco più mosso" and is in a major key. The piano accompaniment becomes more lively, with a bouncy rhythm and playful melodic lines. The vocal line also becomes more lively, with faster melodic runs and more rhythmic variation. The lyrics express a sense of resignation and acceptance, with the speaker acknowledging that their love will never be returned but still finding joy in the memory of it. Overall, "Take o Take Those Lips Away" is a beautiful and poignant song that showcases Dring's skill as a composer and her ability to capture the emotional depth of Shakespeare's works.

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