Carol Kimball

most of Richard Strauss’s songs were written for his wife, soprano Pauline de Anha. Duparc’s mélodies were composed for what he called a “violin-voice”; and the range of Brahms’s Lieder makes them a treasure-trove for rich-textured medium and low voices.

tied to the expressive qualities of the poetry,

creating a mood, reinforcing the drama, or illustrating the poetic elements.

Harmony combined with melody and rhythm can produce momentum in a song, create tension, sustain intensity, or provide release.

illustrate text through harmonic color or by harmonic movement; harmonic sequences can heighten the drama of the text and dissonances can highlight words or groups of words.

shifting harmonies without reaching a stable key center, to sustain mood and interest

harmonies primarily diatonic, chromatic, modal, twelve-tone, or combinations of these

sustain tension, control forward movement, or supply release

use modal patterns

for contrast or to add a distinctive tonal color to a phrase or section.