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

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

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

References
  1. Antony Beaumont: Introduction to published score, UE32730.


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