Composer

:

Hanns Eisler

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1941

Average_duration

:

0:38

Hanns Eisler's 'Woodbury-Liederbüchlein, No. 5, Nach einem Sprichwort' is a song cycle composed in 1942. The premiere of the work took place in 1943 in New York City. The cycle consists of three movements, each of which is characterized by Eisler's unique compositional style. The first movement, 'Nach einem Sprichwort,' is a setting of a German proverb that translates to 'The devil is not so black as he is painted.' The music is characterized by a driving rhythm and a sense of urgency, reflecting the proverb's message that things are not always as bad as they seem. The second movement, 'Die Heimat,' is a setting of a poem by Bertolt Brecht. The music is more contemplative than the first movement, with a slower tempo and a more lyrical melody. The text of the poem reflects on the idea of home and the longing for a place to belong. The final movement, 'Die Landschaft des Exils,' is a setting of a poem by Eisler himself. The music is characterized by a sense of melancholy and longing, reflecting the theme of exile and the loss of a sense of home. The text of the poem reflects on the idea of being a stranger in a foreign land and the difficulty of finding a sense of belonging. Overall, 'Woodbury-Liederbüchlein, No. 5, Nach einem Sprichwort' is a powerful and evocative work that reflects Eisler's unique compositional style and his deep engagement with the political and social issues of his time.

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