Lyric Symphony
The Lyric Symphony (German: Lyrische Symphonie), Op. 18, is a musical work for soprano and baritone soloists and large orchestra composed between 1922 and 1923 by Austrian composer Alexander Zemlinsky.
Composition and performance history[edit]
The work was begun in April 1922. In a letter to his publishers of 19 September 1922, Zemlinsky described the work-in-progress as "...something along the lines of [Mahler's] Das Lied von der Erde". The orchestration was completed in August 1923.[1] The sung texts are taken from The Gardener by Rabindranath Tagore in a German translation by Hans Effenberger.
The work received its premiere in Prague on June 4, 1924, under the composer's direction.
Structure[edit]
The work is in seven connected movements, sung alternately by the two soloists:
- Ich bin friedlos, ich bin durstig nach fernen Dingen ("I am restless. I am athirst for far-away things")
- O Mutter, der junge Prinz ("O mother, the young Prince")
- Du bist die Abendwolke ("You are the evening cloud")
- Sprich zu mir Geliebter ("Speak to me, my love")
- Befrei mich von den Banden deiner Süße, Lieb ("Release me from the bonds of your sweetness, Love")
- Vollende denn das letzte Lied ("Then finish the last song")
- Friede, mein Herz ("Peace, my heart")
The performance duration is approximately 45 minutes.
Alban Berg quoted the third movement in his Lyric Suite for string quartet.
Instrumentation[edit]
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References[edit]
- ^ Antony Beaumont: Introduction to published score, UE32730.
- Text of the symphony
- Text of the symphony with translations
- Program notes to American Symphony Orchestra concert
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