Composer

:

John Ireland

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1926

Average_duration

:

10:39

Movement_count

:

5

Movement ....

'Songs (5) to poems by Thomas Hardy' is a song cycle composed by John Ireland, a British composer, pianist, and teacher. The cycle was composed in 1926 and premiered in the same year. It consists of five movements, each of which sets a poem by the English novelist and poet Thomas Hardy. The first movement, "Her Song," is a melancholic and introspective piece that features a simple piano accompaniment and a haunting vocal melody. The second movement, "In a Churchyard," is a more upbeat and lively piece that features a faster tempo and a more complex piano accompaniment. The third movement, "I Have Trod the Upward and the Downward Slope," is a slow and contemplative piece that features a simple and repetitive piano accompaniment. The fourth movement, "The Encounter," is a dramatic and intense piece that features a more complex and dissonant piano accompaniment and a vocal melody that ranges from soft and delicate to loud and forceful. The final movement, "At Day-Close in November," is a somber and reflective piece that features a slow and mournful piano accompaniment and a vocal melody that is both haunting and beautiful. Overall, 'Songs (5) to poems by Thomas Hardy' is a beautiful and evocative song cycle that showcases John Ireland's skill as a composer and his ability to capture the emotional depth and complexity of Hardy's poetry. The cycle is a testament to the enduring power of both Ireland's music and Hardy's poetry, and it remains a beloved and frequently performed work in the classical music repertoire.

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