Edgar Allan Poe and music
Overview
The influence of Edgar Allan Poe
on the art of music has been considerable and long-standing, with the works, life and image of the horror fiction
writer and poet inspiring composers and musicians from diverse genres for more than a century.
Leon Botstein, conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra—which presented a program of "Tales From Edgar Allan Poe" in 1999—noted that in the realm of classical music, as in literature, Poe's influence was felt more deeply in Andre Caplet
's Conte fantastique for harp and strings, published in 1924 but begun at least as early as 1909, is a musical retelling of "The Masque of the Red Death
" and
"The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym".
Rachmaninoff's choral symphony The Bells set Poe's poem (or at least a Russian translation) to music.
Other operas based on stories by Poe are Ligeia, a 1994 opera by Augusta Read Thomas
, and The Tell-Tale Heart by Bruce Adolphe
.
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
on the art of music has been considerable and long-standing, with the works, life and image of the horror fiction
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
writer and poet inspiring composers and musicians from diverse genres for more than a century.
Leon Botstein, conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra—which presented a program of "Tales From Edgar Allan Poe" in 1999—noted that in the realm of classical music, as in literature, Poe's influence was felt more deeply in Andre Caplet
André Caplet
André Caplet was a French composer and conductor now known primarily through his orchestrations of works by Claude Debussy.-Biography:...
's Conte fantastique for harp and strings, published in 1924 but begun at least as early as 1909, is a musical retelling of "The Masque of the Red Death
The Masque of the Red Death
"The Masque of the Red Death", originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death" , is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague known as the Red Death by hiding in his abbey. He, along with many other wealthy nobles, has a...
" and
"The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym".
Rachmaninoff's choral symphony The Bells set Poe's poem (or at least a Russian translation) to music.
Other operas based on stories by Poe are Ligeia, a 1994 opera by Augusta Read Thomas
Augusta Read Thomas
Augusta Read Thomas is an American composer.Augusta Read Thomas was born in Glen Cove, New York. She attended The Green Vale School and later moved on to St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, and then studied composition with Jacob Druckman at Yale University and at the Royal Academy of...
, and The Tell-Tale Heart by Bruce Adolphe
Bruce Adolphe
Bruce Adolphe is a U.S. composer and music scholar, the author of several books on music, and pianist. His current positions include Resident Lecturer and Director of Family Concerts of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and founder and creative director of The Learning Maestros,...
.
Unanswered Questions
