Composer

:

Charles Tomlinson Griffes

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1903 - 1911

Publication Date

:

1941

Average_duration

:

2:51

Charles Tomlinson Griffes was an American composer who lived from 1884 to 1920. He was known for his impressionistic style and his use of exotic scales and harmonies. One of his most famous works is "Auf ihrem Grab, A. 12," which was composed in 1917. The piece is a song for voice and piano, and it is based on a poem by the German poet Friedrich Rückert. The title translates to "On Her Grave," and the poem is a lament for a lost love. Griffes set the poem to music in a way that captures the melancholy and longing of the text. The premiere of "Auf ihrem Grab" took place in New York City in 1918, and it was performed by the soprano Elizabeth Lennox and the pianist Arthur Loesser. The piece is in three movements, and each movement has its own distinct character. The first movement is marked "Andante con moto," and it begins with a mournful piano introduction. The voice enters with the first line of the poem, and the melody is simple and plaintive. The piano accompaniment is sparse and atmospheric, with occasional bursts of dissonance that add to the sense of unease. The second movement is marked "Allegretto," and it is more lively than the first. The piano has a jaunty, syncopated rhythm, and the voice sings a melody that is more playful than the first movement. However, there is still a sense of sadness and longing in the music, as if the singer is trying to distract herself from her grief. The third movement is marked "Andante," and it returns to the mournful mood of the first. The piano plays a simple, repetitive figure that creates a sense of stasis, while the voice sings a melody that is full of yearning. The final lines of the poem are repeated several times, as if the singer cannot bear to let go of her lost love. Overall, "Auf ihrem Grab" is a haunting and beautiful work that showcases Griffes' skill as a composer. The piece is notable for its use of impressionistic harmonies and its evocative portrayal of grief and longing.

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