Composer

:

Stephen Paulus

Genre

:

Miscellaneous

Style

:

Miscellaneous

Compose Date

:

1994

Average_duration

:

14:50

Meditations of Li Po is a choral work composed by Stephen Paulus in 1997. The piece was premiered by the Dale Warland Singers on May 2, 1997, at the Ordway Music Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota. The work is based on the poetry of Li Po, a Chinese poet from the Tang Dynasty. The piece is divided into six movements, each of which is based on a different poem by Li Po. The first movement, "Drinking Alone by Moonlight," is a lively and rhythmic setting of a poem in which Li Po describes the joys of drinking alone in the moonlight. The second movement, "The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter," is a more introspective setting of a poem in which Li Po imagines the thoughts of a woman waiting for her husband to return from a long journey. The third movement, "The Solitude of Night," is a hauntingly beautiful setting of a poem in which Li Po reflects on the loneliness of the night. The fourth movement, "Quiet Night Thoughts," is a peaceful and contemplative setting of a poem in which Li Po reflects on the beauty of the night sky. The fifth movement, "The Moon Festival," is a lively and celebratory setting of a poem in which Li Po describes the festivities of the Moon Festival. The final movement, "Drinking Song," is a joyful and exuberant setting of a poem in which Li Po encourages his friends to drink and be merry. Throughout the piece, Paulus uses a variety of choral textures and harmonies to evoke the mood and imagery of Li Po's poetry. The music is often lush and expressive, with soaring melodies and rich harmonies. At other times, the music is more sparse and contemplative, with simple, chant-like melodies and sparse harmonies. Overall, Meditations of Li Po is a beautiful and evocative choral work that captures the spirit and imagery of Li Po's poetry. It is a testament to Paulus's skill as a composer and his ability to create music that is both deeply emotional and intellectually engaging.

More....