Richard Lane
Elegy
for Soprano, Clarinet (or Oboe) & Piano
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Richard Lane
Elegy
for Soprano, Clarinet (or Oboe) & Piano
- Instrumentation Voice (high), Clarinet and Piano
- Optional Instrumentation Voice (high), Oboe and Piano
- Composer Richard Lane
- Lyricist Thomas S. Jones
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Difficulty Level
- Edition Piano Score and Part(s)
- Publisher Editions Marc Reift
- Order no. BIM-MCX72
ships within 1-2 weeks
Description:
Composed in 1969 for Janet and Gilbert Norwood, *Elegy* for soprano, clarinet (or oboe), and piano is a setting of a poem by the American poet Thomas S. Jones Jr. (1882–1932). The approximately three-minute work demonstrates Richard Lane’s gift for lyrical melody and his sensitivity to the expressive possibilities of both the text and the instrumental timbre. With the tempo marking Lento espressivo, "Elegy" unfolds with a calm, contemplative character. The vocal part delivers Jones’s meditation on loneliness, memory, and the passage of time, while the clarinet or oboe serves as an expressive counterpart rather than merely an accompaniment. The piano forms a gently shifting harmonic foundation, combining sustained tones with flowing figures that support and illuminate the text. Changes in time signature and subtle harmonic shifts lend the music a natural flexibility, allowing the phrasing to follow the contours of the poetry. As the piece progresses, Lane gradually expands the dynamic and emotional range of the music before returning to the quiet atmosphere of the beginning. The final words, "Leave him forgotten," are followed by a brief instrumental coda that fades to ppp, bringing the work to a poignant, tender conclusion. "Elegy" is part of a recurring expressive tradition in Lane’s oeuvre. The composition of elegies spanned a large part of his career: beginning with *Elegy* (1961) for twelve cellos, followed by *Elegy* (1968) for soprano, violin, cello, and piano; Elegy (1969) for soprano, clarinet (or oboe), and piano; Elegy (1989) for violin and piano; and finally, Elegy for Jules (2001) for string orchestra. In this intimate setting, Lane’s characteristic lyricism, his colorful harmonic language, and his economical use of musical form combine to create a deeply expressive miniature for voice and instruments.