Composer

:

Leonard Enns

Genre

:

Choral

Average_duration

:

2:59

"Music, when soft voices die" is a choral work composed by Leonard Enns, a Canadian composer and conductor. The piece was composed in 2002 and premiered on May 4, 2003, by the Elora Festival Singers, conducted by Noel Edison. The work is divided into three movements, each of which sets a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley. The first movement, "Music, when soft voices die," is a setting of Shelley's poem of the same name. The second movement, "The fountains mingle with the river," sets Shelley's "Love's Philosophy," and the third movement, "The world's great age begins anew," sets Shelley's "Hymn to Intellectual Beauty." Enns' setting of "Music, when soft voices die" is characterized by its lush harmonies and expressive melodies. The piece begins with a gentle, flowing piano accompaniment, over which the choir sings the opening lines of Shelley's poem. The music gradually builds in intensity, with the choir singing in rich, full harmonies, before subsiding back into a gentle, reflective mood. The second movement, "The fountains mingle with the river," is more rhythmic and lively than the first. The choir sings in a lilting, dance-like rhythm, with the piano providing a lively accompaniment. The music is characterized by its playful, joyful mood, reflecting the poem's celebration of love and nature. The final movement, "The world's great age begins anew," is the most expansive and dramatic of the three. The choir sings in powerful, soaring harmonies, with the piano providing a rich, full accompaniment. The music is characterized by its grandeur and majesty, reflecting the poem's celebration of the power of the human mind and spirit. Overall, "Music, when soft voices die" is a beautiful and expressive choral work, showcasing Enns' skill as a composer and his ability to set poetry to music in a way that is both sensitive and powerful.

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