Composer

:

Carl Loewe

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Average_duration

:

10:03

Archibald Douglas, Op. 128 is a song cycle composed by Carl Loewe in 1842. The premiere of the work took place in Berlin in the same year. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which is based on a poem by Sir Walter Scott. The first movement, "The Eve of St. John," is a haunting ballad that tells the story of a young woman who is visited by a ghostly figure on the eve of St. John's Day. The second movement, "The Grey Brother," is a dramatic tale of a man who is betrayed by his own brother and left to die in the wilderness. The third movement, "The Maid of Isla," is a romantic ballad about a young woman who falls in love with a man from a rival clan. The fourth movement, "The Lord of the Isles," is a stirring ballad that tells the story of a Scottish lord who leads his men into battle against the English. The fifth movement, "The Island," is a melancholy ballad about a man who is exiled to a remote island and longs to return home. The final movement, "The Fire-King," is a dramatic tale of a man who makes a deal with the devil and is ultimately consumed by his own greed. Loewe's setting of these poems is characterized by his use of rich harmonies and dramatic contrasts. He employs a variety of vocal techniques, including recitative, aria, and choral sections, to bring the stories to life. The piano accompaniment is also highly expressive, with sweeping arpeggios and thundering chords that underscore the emotional intensity of the text. Overall, Archibald Douglas, Op. 128 is a powerful and evocative song cycle that showcases Loewe's skill as a composer and his ability to capture the essence of Sir Walter Scott's poetry.

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