Composer

:

Hanns Eisler

Genre

:

Miscellaneous

Style

:

Miscellaneous

Compose Date

:

1942

Average_duration

:

0:42

'Die Flucht' is a composition by Hanns Eisler, a German composer and political activist. The piece was composed in 1934, during Eisler's exile in Vienna, and premiered in Prague in the same year. It is a song cycle for voice and piano, with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht, Eisler's longtime collaborator. The piece consists of six movements, each with its own distinct character and mood. The first movement, 'Die Flucht' (The Flight), sets the tone for the entire cycle, with its urgent, driving rhythm and ominous harmonies. The lyrics describe a desperate flight from danger, and the music reflects this sense of urgency and fear. The second movement, 'Die Ballade vom Wasserrad' (The Ballad of the Waterwheel), is a more lighthearted and playful piece, with a jaunty melody and a bouncy rhythm. The lyrics tell the story of a waterwheel that is used to grind grain, and the music captures the mechanical, repetitive nature of the task. The third movement, 'Die Landschaft des Exils' (The Landscape of Exile), is a hauntingly beautiful piece, with a slow, mournful melody and sparse, atmospheric accompaniment. The lyrics describe the bleak, desolate landscape of exile, and the music captures the sense of isolation and despair. The fourth movement, 'Die Ballade von der Judenhure Marie Sanders' (The Ballad of the Jewish Whore Marie Sanders), is a powerful and emotionally charged piece, with a driving rhythm and intense, dramatic harmonies. The lyrics tell the story of a Jewish woman who is forced into prostitution by the Nazis, and the music captures the anger and outrage of the situation. The fifth movement, 'Die Ballade von den Seeräubern' (The Ballad of the Pirates), is a more playful and whimsical piece, with a lively, swashbuckling melody and a rollicking rhythm. The lyrics tell the story of a band of pirates who terrorize the high seas, and the music captures the sense of adventure and excitement. The final movement, 'Die Ballade von der Krüppelgarde' (The Ballad of the Cripple Brigade), is a dark and brooding piece, with a slow, mournful melody and a somber, funeral-like accompaniment. The lyrics describe a group of disabled soldiers who are used as propaganda by the Nazis, and the music captures the sense of tragedy and loss. Overall, 'Die Flucht' is a powerful and emotionally charged work, with a wide range of moods and styles. Eisler's music is always closely tied to the lyrics, and the two work together to create a powerful and evocative portrait of life in exile during the Nazi era.

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