Composer

:

Hugo Wolf

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song Collection

Compose Date

:

Sep 25, 1890

Average_duration

:

1:56

Hugo Wolf's "Mir ward gesagt (Italienisches Liederbuch)" is a song cycle composed between 1890 and 1896. The premiere of the cycle took place in Vienna in 1897. The cycle consists of 46 songs, divided into two volumes, and is based on translations of Italian poetry by Paul Heyse. The first volume of the cycle contains 22 songs, while the second volume contains 24. The songs are arranged in a loose narrative structure, with themes of love, longing, and loss. The cycle is notable for its use of chromaticism and dissonance, which create a sense of tension and unease. The first volume of the cycle begins with the song "Auch kleine Dinge können uns entzücken" (Even small things can delight us), which sets the tone for the cycle with its playful and lighthearted melody. Other notable songs in the first volume include "Wer rief dich denn?" (Who called you?), which features a haunting melody and a sense of longing, and "Ich hab in Penna" (I was in Penna), which is a lively and energetic song. The second volume of the cycle begins with the song "In dem Schatten meiner Locken" (In the shadow of my curls), which features a melancholy melody and a sense of loss. Other notable songs in the second volume include "Gesegnet sei, durch den die Welt entstund" (Blessed be he through whom the world was created), which features a soaring melody and a sense of awe, and "Mein Liebster hat zu Tische mich geladen" (My beloved has invited me to dinner), which is a playful and flirtatious song. Overall, "Mir ward gesagt (Italienisches Liederbuch)" is a complex and emotionally charged song cycle that showcases Hugo Wolf's mastery of melody and harmony. The cycle is a testament to the power of music to convey the deepest emotions and experiences of the human heart.

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