ART SONGS FOR BARITONE & PIANO
Baritone and Piano art songs
This page presents a unique collection of Leah Goldberg art songs for baritone and piano. Focusing on Israeli art songs, this collection presents a selection of works set to her renowned poetry. These Hebrew songs for baritone showcase the fusion of lyrical verse and contemporary classical composition, highlighting the unique style of this vocal genre.
END-OF-THE-DAY SONGS
for baritone or bass-baritone and piano
Duration:
12 minutes
Instrumentation:
baritone / bass-baritone and piano
Year Composed:
2018
Poems By:
Leah Goldberg
Poems Included:
An Evening at the Coffeehouse
The Actor Says
On the Nights
Language:
Hebrew
About End‑of‑the‑Day Songs
End‑of‑the‑Day Songs is a 12‑minute cycle for baritone or bass‑baritone and piano, setting three poems by Leah Goldberg that unfold between evening and late night. Each poem reveals a different facet of the inner life that emerges after sunset: reflections on time passing, the tension between public roles and private truth, and the haunting persistence of memory. Though the scenes vary, the cycle is unified by an atmosphere of unease and introspection, portraying characters who confront their own fears, regrets, and longings in the quiet hours of the night.
For the Performers
Level: For professional baritones and advanced conservatory‑level singers.
Programming: Well suited for voice recitals, contemporary art‑song programs, or thematic concerts exploring night, introspection, or psychological narrative.
Program Notes
In three distinct poems, Israeli poet Leah Goldberg explores events that unfold after sunset, from the evening into the late night. These poems have been compiled into a short song cycle for baritone (or bass-baritone) and piano. Though set against the backdrop of night, these songs share a common thread in their portrayal of an uneasy, often desperate, state of mind.
The first song, An Evening at the Coffeehouse, reflects on the passage of time and the hidden clock that leads to life's inevitable end. The second, The Actor Says, is styled as a monologue delivered by an actor who is acutely aware that the roles he plays are merely masks concealing his true, dark, and tormented soul. The third song, On the Nights, tells the story of a man haunted by a past love to the extent that it drives him to take his own life.