Composer

:

Mikhail Glinka

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1855

Average_duration

:

4:01

Mikhail Glinka's "Oh, If I Had Known This Before" is a vocal romance composed in 1834. It premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the same year. The piece is written for a solo voice and piano accompaniment. The romance is divided into two movements. The first movement is in a slow tempo and is marked "Andante cantabile." The second movement is in a faster tempo and is marked "Allegro moderato." The piece is characterized by its lyrical melody and expressive harmonies. The text of the romance is a poem by Alexander Pushkin. The poem tells the story of a man who falls in love with a woman but is too shy to express his feelings. He regrets not telling her how he feels and wishes he had known how to express his love before it was too late. Glinka's setting of the poem captures the emotional depth of the text. The melody is simple and direct, allowing the words to shine through. The harmonies are rich and expressive, adding to the emotional impact of the piece. Overall, "Oh, If I Had Known This Before" is a beautiful example of Glinka's skill as a composer of vocal music. The piece is a testament to his ability to capture the emotional essence of a text and translate it into music.

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