Composer

:

Elizabeth Maconchy

Genre

:

Vocal

Compose Date

:

1926

Average_duration

:

2:51

Elizabeth Maconchy's 'Ophelia's Song' is a vocal work composed in 1952. It was premiered on 22nd October 1952 at the Wigmore Hall in London, with the composer's sister, the mezzo-soprano Jennifer Vyvyan, as the soloist. The piece is a setting of a text from Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', in which Ophelia sings a melancholic song about lost love and the inevitability of death. The work is divided into three movements, each of which explores a different aspect of Ophelia's emotional state. The first movement, marked 'Lento', is a mournful lament in which Ophelia reflects on the pain of lost love. The second movement, marked 'Allegro', is more agitated and frenzied, reflecting Ophelia's descent into madness. The final movement, marked 'Lento', returns to the mournful mood of the first movement, as Ophelia contemplates her own mortality. Maconchy's setting of the text is characterised by its spare, angular melodies and dissonant harmonies. The vocal line is often fragmented and disjointed, reflecting Ophelia's fractured mental state. The piano accompaniment is similarly sparse, with stark chords and angular rhythms that create a sense of unease and tension. Despite its relatively short duration (the piece lasts around 10 minutes), 'Ophelia's Song' is a powerful and emotionally charged work that captures the essence of Shakespeare's tragic character. Maconchy's setting of the text is both sensitive and innovative, and the piece remains a popular choice for mezzo-sopranos looking to showcase their dramatic and vocal abilities.

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