Composer

:

Dominick Argento

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

28:36

Movement_count

:

8

Movement ....

To Be Sung Upon the Water is a song cycle composed by Dominick Argento in 1972. The piece was premiered on October 22, 1972, by the New York Festival of Song. The cycle consists of five movements, each of which is based on a poem by a different poet. The first movement, "To be sung on the water," is based on a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley. The music is characterized by a flowing, lyrical melody that evokes the movement of water. The piano accompaniment is delicate and sparse, providing a gentle undercurrent to the vocal line. The second movement, "As it fell upon a day," is based on a poem by Edmund Spenser. The music is more dramatic and intense than the first movement, with a driving piano accompaniment and soaring vocal lines. The text describes a lover's lament, and the music captures the emotional intensity of the poem. The third movement, "At the river," is based on a poem by Thomas Hood. The music is serene and peaceful, with a gentle, flowing melody that evokes the calm of a river. The piano accompaniment is simple and understated, providing a tranquil backdrop for the vocal line. The fourth movement, "Love's philosophy," is based on a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley. The music is playful and flirtatious, with a lively piano accompaniment and a vocal line that dances and flits around the melody. The text describes the interconnectedness of all things in nature, and the music captures the joy and exuberance of this idea. The final movement, "O let me weep," is based on a poem by John Dowland. The music is mournful and melancholy, with a slow, mournful melody that captures the sadness of the text. The piano accompaniment is sparse and haunting, providing a somber backdrop for the vocal line. Overall, To Be Sung Upon the Water is a beautiful and evocative song cycle that showcases Dominick Argento's skill as a composer. The music is lyrical, dramatic, playful, and mournful by turns, capturing the emotional range of the poems that inspired it.

More....