Composer

:

Anton Webern

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1925

Average_duration

:

3:37

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

Anton Webern's 'Songs (3) for soprano, E flat clarinet & guitar, Op. 18' is a chamber music work composed in 1925. The piece was premiered on March 22, 1926, in Vienna, Austria. The three movements of the work are titled "Leise flehen meine Lieder" (My songs plead softly), "Schlafend trägt man mich in mein Heimatland" (Asleep, they carry me to my homeland), and "Wach auf, meins Herzens Schöne" (Wake up, my heart's beloved). The first movement, "Leise flehen meine Lieder," is a setting of a poem by Friedrich Rückert. The soprano sings a mournful melody while the clarinet and guitar provide a delicate accompaniment. The second movement, "Schlafend trägt man mich in mein Heimatland," is a setting of a poem by Nikolaus Lenau. The soprano sings a lullaby-like melody while the clarinet and guitar provide a dreamy, ethereal accompaniment. The final movement, "Wach auf, meins Herzens Schöne," is a setting of a poem by August von Platen. The soprano sings a passionate melody while the clarinet and guitar provide a lively, rhythmic accompaniment. Webern's 'Songs (3) for soprano, E flat clarinet & guitar, Op. 18' is characterized by its sparse, delicate textures and its use of atonal harmonies. The soprano's melodies are often angular and disjunct, while the clarinet and guitar provide a subtle, supportive accompaniment. The work is also notable for its brevity, with each movement lasting only a few minutes. Overall, 'Songs (3) for soprano, E flat clarinet & guitar, Op. 18' is a hauntingly beautiful work that showcases Webern's mastery of chamber music composition.

More....