Composer

:

George Crumb

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1947

Average_duration

:

8:14

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

George Crumb's "Early Songs (3)" is a composition for voice and piano that was composed in 1947. The piece premiered in 1948 and consists of three movements. The first movement, "The Night in Silence Under Many a Star," is a setting of a poem by Walt Whitman. The second movement, "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd," is also a setting of a Whitman poem. The third movement, "Darkness," is a setting of a poem by Lord Byron. The first movement of "Early Songs (3)" is characterized by a haunting, ethereal quality. The piano accompaniment is sparse and delicate, with the voice floating above it in a dreamlike manner. The second movement is more dramatic, with the piano taking on a more prominent role and the voice soaring to great heights. The third movement is the most intense of the three, with the piano playing dark, ominous chords and the voice singing in a low, mournful register. Overall, "Early Songs (3)" is a beautiful and evocative work that showcases Crumb's skill as a composer. The piece is notable for its use of extended techniques, such as the use of harmonics on the piano and the use of whispering and speaking in the voice part. It is also notable for its use of unconventional harmonies and rhythms, which give the piece a unique and otherworldly quality.

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