Composer

:

Richard Rodney Bennett

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

2:34

'Words and Music' is a song cycle composed by Richard Rodney Bennett, which premiered on 17th October 1991 at the Wigmore Hall in London. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which sets a different poem by W.H. Auden to music. The poems are taken from Auden's early works, written between 1927 and 1939, and cover a range of themes including love, death, and the human condition. The first movement, 'O Tell Me the Truth About Love', is a playful and witty exploration of the nature of love. Bennett's music is light and airy, with a jaunty piano accompaniment that perfectly captures the poem's sense of whimsy. The second movement, 'Lullaby', is a hauntingly beautiful setting of a poem about death. Bennett's music is spare and delicate, with a simple piano accompaniment that allows the words to speak for themselves. The third movement, 'Funeral Blues', is perhaps the most famous of the cycle. It is a powerful and emotional setting of Auden's poem of the same name, which was famously used in the film 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'. Bennett's music is dark and brooding, with a mournful piano accompaniment that perfectly captures the poem's sense of loss and despair. The fourth movement, 'Roman Wall Blues', is a more lighthearted piece that explores the theme of homesickness. Bennett's music is upbeat and jazzy, with a lively piano accompaniment that perfectly captures the poem's sense of longing. The fifth movement, 'Johnny', is a hauntingly beautiful setting of a poem about a young boy who dies tragically. Bennett's music is spare and delicate, with a simple piano accompaniment that perfectly captures the poem's sense of loss and grief. The final movement, 'Calypso', is a playful and upbeat setting of a poem about the joys of life. Bennett's music is lively and energetic, with a jaunty piano accompaniment that perfectly captures the poem's sense of celebration. Overall, 'Words and Music' is a stunningly beautiful song cycle that showcases Richard Rodney Bennett's incredible talent as a composer. The cycle is a masterful exploration of the human condition, and each movement is a perfect marriage of music and poetry.

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