Three Songs on Sonnets by William Shakespeare No. 1
Matthew Baier
About this work:
Three Songs On Sonnets By William Shakespeare
# 147 My love is like a fever, longing still
# 87 Farewell; thou art too dear for my possessing,
# 98 From you I have been absent in the spring,
I had wanted to set some sonnets of Shakespeare to music for quite some time. This spring upon reading them again I found it irresistible to delay their creation any longer. The most delightful aspect of these poems for me is the way in which Shakespeare’s metaphors get right to the heart of the matter, with language that is both deeply poignant and simply adept.
These poems are structured in quatrain and couplet form. Rhetorically, the quatrain prepares for the conclusion in the couplet. I’ve treated them freely allowing the words and imagery to suggest the musical phrasing. Special attention was given to musically establish the mood of the poems through the use of particular modes. The imagery is further reflected by a technique called word painting in which the word meanings are depicted by corresponding musical events.
Version: 1999 (Soprano, Flute, Guitar and Violin)
Year composed: 1999
Duration: 00:12:09
Ensemble type: Voice, Solo or With Chamber or Jazz Ensemble:Voice with Chamber/Jazz Ensemble, 2-5 Players
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: Soprano, Flute, Guitar and Violin