PlayPiano
The short answer
An early gondola song printed in Budapest. Gondellied in E minor, Op. 4 is a barcarolle by Dora Pejačević from the Romantic era. PlayPiano puts it at Level 5, an estimate.
- barcarolle
- Romantic
- gentle
History
Pejačević's E-minor Gondellied is catalogued as a barcarolle from approximately 1898. It appeared in the Sechs Klavierstücke collection, published by Harmonia in Budapest in 1902. The approximate work date and the later print date describe different stages in this young composer's piano piece; neither establishes an exact day of composition.
Sources
What to listen for
A long song floats over rocking support
The upper line holds longer values above a bass-and-chord pattern. Hear its singing direction through the regular support.
Grace-led answers rise higher
The higher response adds grace notes. Listen for its broader contour rather than separating each ornament.
The opening and its rising answer return
The song comes back in writing with its related response. Recognise the contour within the later phrase.
Three held E responses gradually fade
The ending recalls the opening and softens through three separate held E sounds. Hear their changing strength and individual releases.
How to practise it
Shape the long melody over the recurring low-note and chord figure.
- Sing E to B, then play them while counting through both sustains.
- Practise the opening low-note/chord/low-note pattern softly.
How hard is it
Boat-song lyricism requires a steady supportive motion beneath independently shaped melody and carefully balanced expressive phrase endings.
About this piece
- Licence
- Public Domain
- Source
- mutopiaproject.org
