Composer

:

Allan Pettersson

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1943 - 1945

First Performance

:

Dec 1968

Average_duration

:

42:34

Allan Pettersson's "Barefoot Songs (24)" is a song cycle composed in 1953 for voice and piano. The premiere of the work took place on May 7, 1953, in Stockholm, Sweden, with the composer himself at the piano and the baritone singer Erik Saedén. The cycle consists of 24 songs, each with its own unique character and mood. The first movement, "The Barefoot Child," sets the tone for the entire cycle with its simple, childlike melody and playful piano accompaniment. The second movement, "The Old Man," is a melancholic ballad that tells the story of an old man who has lost everything he once held dear. The third movement, "The Wanderer," is a lively and energetic song that captures the spirit of a traveler on the road. The fourth movement, "The Dreamer," is a hauntingly beautiful song that explores the inner world of a dreamer lost in his own thoughts. The fifth movement, "The Drunkard," is a raucous and rowdy song that celebrates the joys of drinking and carousing. The sixth movement, "The Beggar," is a poignant and touching ballad that tells the story of a beggar on the street. The seventh movement, "The Soldier," is a powerful and dramatic song that captures the spirit of a soldier going off to war. The eighth movement, "The Lover," is a tender and romantic ballad that explores the joys and sorrows of love. The ninth movement, "The Poet," is a contemplative and introspective song that explores the inner world of a poet lost in his own thoughts. The tenth movement, "The Sailor," is a lively and energetic song that captures the spirit of a sailor on the high seas. The eleventh movement, "The Hunter," is a dark and brooding ballad that tells the story of a hunter lost in the wilderness. The twelfth movement, "The Farmer," is a simple and pastoral song that celebrates the joys of farming and country life. The thirteenth movement, "The Fisherman," is a lively and energetic song that captures the spirit of a fisherman on the water. The fourteenth movement, "The Weaver," is a contemplative and introspective song that explores the inner world of a weaver lost in his own thoughts. The fifteenth movement, "The Blacksmith," is a powerful and dramatic song that celebrates the joys of hard work and craftsmanship. The sixteenth movement, "The Gypsy," is a lively and energetic song that captures the spirit of a gypsy on the road. The seventeenth movement, "The Pilgrim," is a contemplative and introspective song that explores the inner world of a pilgrim lost in his own thoughts. The eighteenth movement, "The Jester," is a playful and whimsical song that celebrates the joys of laughter and humor. The nineteenth movement, "The Monk," is a contemplative and introspective song that explores the inner world of a monk lost in his own thoughts. The twentieth movement, "The Nun," is a tender and romantic ballad that explores the joys and sorrows of love in a religious context. The twenty-first movement, "The Child," is a simple and childlike song that celebrates the innocence and wonder of childhood. The twenty-second movement, "The Madman," is a hauntingly beautiful song that explores the inner world of a madman lost in his own thoughts. The twenty-third movement, "The Old Woman," is a melancholic ballad that tells the story of an old woman who has lost everything she once held dear. The final movement, "The Death," is a powerful and dramatic song that explores the theme of mortality and the inevitability of death.

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