Composer

:

Hanns Eisler

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1928

Average_duration

:

4:47

Vorspruch, Op. 13/1 is a composition by Hanns Eisler, a German-Austrian composer and political activist. The piece was composed in 1925 and premiered in Berlin the same year. It is the first movement of Eisler's Opus 13, a collection of five songs for voice and piano. Vorspruch, which translates to "prologue" in English, is a short and intense piece that sets the tone for the rest of the Opus 13. The song is characterized by its dissonant harmonies, angular melodies, and abrupt changes in tempo and dynamics. The piano part is particularly challenging, with rapid arpeggios and syncopated rhythms. The lyrics of Vorspruch were written by Bertolt Brecht, a close collaborator of Eisler's. The text is a call to action, urging the listener to rise up against oppression and fight for justice. The opening lines, "Rise up, you prisoners of starvation! / Rise up, you wretched of the earth!" became a rallying cry for socialist and communist movements around the world. Eisler's music was deeply influenced by his political beliefs, and Vorspruch is no exception. The piece is a powerful expression of the composer's commitment to social justice and his belief in the power of music to inspire change. Despite its challenging musical language, Vorspruch remains a popular and influential work in the repertoire of modern classical music.

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