The Raven

This is a piece written for a piano trio (piano, violin, and cello). It is based on the poem by Edgar Allen Poe called, “The Raven”. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48860/the-raven

There are three themes that each represent some aspect of the poem. The opening theme that starts in the cello is the narrator, or the person the poem is about. The second theme, which is a haunting melody that starts in the violin, represents “Lenore”. The main person in the poem is lamenting over the loss of Lenore. The third theme represents the raven. In the poem the main character is plummeting into loss and despair, and the sound of a raven pecking at his door slowly drives him mad. The “raven” theme is very metronomic and repetitive. It is first introduced in the cello, with the violin playing fast arpeggiation on top.

This recording is from a live performance on December 5th at the University of Utah. The performers are as follows…

Violin — Abby Morrell
Cello — Yasmine Abuelhija
Piano — Jean Lobrot

Enjoy…
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