La Corona
Instrumentation: Soprano, Violin, and Piano Completed: March, 2008 Dedicated to: Alexander Woods Duration: 5 minutes Text: the first sonnet of La Corona by John Donne (1572-1631) Premiered: May 3, 2008 by Melanie Russell, soprano, Alexander Woods, violin, and Reinis Zarins, piano |
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Audio
Melanie Russell, soprano; Alexander Woods, violin; and Reinis Zarins, piano
Program Note
La Corona (“The Crown”) is a setting of the first of seven sonnets in John Donne’s poetic cycle of the same name. The poem, drenched in nervous, energetic zeal, introduces the cycle’s theme of circularity: the Crown as a physical manifestation of Jesus’ birth, life, and death (“The first last end”). Musically, this is painted with circular harmonic progressions and scales hinting at an equal division of the octave (hearkening back to Messiaen’s sacred music). Above all, however, is Donne’s ecstatic joy, shown most strongly in his invocation: “’Tis time that heart and voice be lifted high.”
This piece is dedicated to Alexander Woods, with sincere thanks for his initiative and his beautiful music making.
Performances (1)
| May 3, 2008, 8:00 pm (premiere) | Melanie Russell, soprano; Alexander Woods, violin; Reinis Zarins, piano Sprague Hall, Yale School of Music, New Haven, CT |