Composer

:

John Adams

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1988

Average_duration

:

19:26

John Adams' "The Wound-Dresser" is a powerful and moving work for baritone voice and orchestra. It was composed in 1988 and premiered on October 19 of that year by the San Francisco Symphony, with Sanford Sylvan as the soloist and Edo de Waart conducting. The piece is based on a poem by Walt Whitman, which describes the experiences of a nurse tending to wounded soldiers during the American Civil War. The text is deeply emotional and vividly descriptive, and Adams' music captures its intensity and pathos. "The Wound-Dresser" is divided into four movements, each of which explores a different aspect of the poem's themes. The first movement, "The Wound-Dresser," sets the scene with a mournful, elegiac melody that evokes the suffering of the soldiers and the nurse's compassion. The second movement, "The Dresser," is more agitated and urgent, reflecting the chaos and urgency of the battlefield. The third movement, "A Sight in Camp," is a hauntingly beautiful meditation on the fragility of life and the inevitability of death. The music is spare and ethereal, with shimmering strings and delicate woodwinds creating a sense of otherworldly beauty. The final movement, "The Veteran's Vision," is a powerful and cathartic conclusion to the piece. The music is triumphant and uplifting, with the soloist singing of the soldiers' sacrifice and the nurse's devotion. The orchestra swells to a majestic climax, bringing the piece to a stirring and emotional close. Overall, "The Wound-Dresser" is a deeply moving and powerful work that captures the tragedy and heroism of war, as well as the compassion and humanity of those who care for the wounded. Adams' music is both beautiful and haunting, and the piece is a testament to the enduring power of Whitman's poetry.

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