Composer

:

Louis Vierne

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

3:01

Louis Vierne's 'Spleens et Détresses, Op. 38: No. 2, Un grand sommeil noir' is a song for voice and piano, composed in 1910. The piece was premiered on May 5, 1911, at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, with the composer at the piano and the baritone Maurice Renaud as the soloist. The song is part of a cycle of six pieces, all based on poems by Paul Verlaine. 'Un grand sommeil noir' is the second piece in the cycle and is characterized by its melancholic and somber mood. The poem describes a dream in which the speaker sees his lover lying dead in a coffin, and he wishes to join her in death. The piece is in the key of F minor and is marked 'Lent et douloureux' (slow and painful). The piano accompaniment is sparse and haunting, with long sustained chords and a descending chromatic line that creates a sense of unease and despair. The vocal line is equally sparse, with long, sustained notes that convey the sense of mourning and grief in the text. The song is divided into three sections, each with its own distinct mood and character. The first section is marked by a sense of resignation and acceptance, as the speaker describes the peacefulness of death. The second section is more agitated, with the speaker expressing his desire to join his lover in death. The final section returns to the resigned mood of the opening, with the speaker accepting his fate and longing for the peace of death. Overall, 'Un grand sommeil noir' is a powerful and moving piece that captures the sense of despair and longing in Verlaine's poem. Vierne's music perfectly captures the mood of the text, creating a haunting and unforgettable musical experience.

More....